The last purple streaks in the sky, a full-house in the Deutsche Bank Stadium, a floodlit arena and dancing horses – the FUNDIS Prize – the pinnacle of a long dressage day at the CHIO Aachen 2022.

Thanks to one pair in particular: The Danish rider Cathrine Dufour and her Westphalian-bred gelding, Bohemian. The pair demonstrated the beauty of dressage once again tonight with their “Les Miserables” freestyle – in spite of mistakes in the tempi flying changes. The tour in trot and the pirouettes were a pure joy to watch and the satisfaction the trusting, light contact and the dynamic action of the twelve-year-old Bordeaux son were unprecedented. Their performance was rewarded with a score of 84.120 percent and first place from all of the judges.

The performance of the Spanish rider, José Antonio García Mena and his Westphalian-bred Sorento by Sandro Bedo also received thunderous applause. The chestnut horse that was formerly schooled by Isabell Werth notched up a score of 77.865 percent.

Third place went to the Belgian rider, Laurence Vanommeslaghe with the KWPN-bred gelding Edison v. Johnson (76.225 percent).