Olympic bronze medallist duo and American sweethearts, Laura Graves and Verdades (aka Diddy), have topped the FEI World Dressage rankings thanks to their double silver medal placings last month at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon. The famous combination has become the first American partnership to be ranked world number 1, as they took home silver in the Grand Prix Special and the Grand Prix competitions, boosting their ranking points to 2714 points, and placing them one point ahead of Germany’s Isabel Werth and Weihegold Old.
Isabel Werth (GER) and Weihegold Old have held the number one position for almost two years, when they took over from fellow German Kristina Bröring-Sprehe in November 2016. This ground breaking change to the top spot has now pushed them back to second place with a total of 2713 points. Isabel Werth can be found in three more positions in the ranking list, at the third with Emilio 107 (2680 points, previously ranked 2), at the fourth with Bella Rose 2 (2586 points, previously ranked 51) and at the 11 with Don Johnson FRH (2291 points, previously ranked 8).
The FEI World Equestrian Games™ were an opportunity for several combinations to move up in the rankings, with Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) and Mount St John Freestyle moving from 10 to 6 place (2416 points), whilst Kasey Perry-Glass (USA) and Goerklintgaards Dublet jumped from the 20 to the 14 position (2267 points).
A number of other well-known combinations have soared into higher ranking positions this month, with Jessica Von Bredow-Werndl (GER) and TSF Dalera BB moving from the 53 to 22 position (2148 points) and Great Britain’s Carl Hester and his mount Hawtins Delicato made an enormous leap from the 130 to 23 spot (2145 points). Hans Peter Minderhoud (NED) with Glock’s Dream Boy N.O.P. previously ranked 211 managed to get to 41 place (1891 points), and Sönke Rothenberger (GER) with Cosmo 59 jumping to 43 place from 256(1884 points).
As the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Western European League starts on 17 October in Herning (DEN), we will no doubt see some dramatic changes throughout the season, as these top international Dressage riders give good chase and maintain their world ranking positions.
The FEI Dressage World Ranking list can be found here.
