Historical 2nd place for Nanna and Zepter at the World Cup finals in Omaha
After Thursday’s Grand Prix, where Blue Hors rider Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Blue Hors Zepter, despite 2 costly mistakes, placed in 3rd place, only one tiny bit behind the German dressage queen Isabell Werth, an exciting duel was set up for the Grand Prix Freestyle, where Nanna and Zepter potentially had the opportunity to ride past the historically strong Germans!
Blue Hors Zepter World Cup Finalen Omaha
I'm so happy! This is my first time riding in the USA, and it's been an amazing experience! The arena was killer, and the vibe was electric. The crowd has been totally awesome, cheering and clapping us on. Zepter has been crushing it, and we're getting top marks. All in all, it's been super awesome!
They did it!
Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Blue Hors Zepter, bred by Bernhard Sieverding and sired by Blue Hors Zack/Wolkentanz II, delivered an outstanding performance at this year’s FEI World Cup final in dressage held in Omaha. They rode with remarkable harmony, showcasing their world-class skills, and secured an impressive 2nd place. The judges awarded the pair a remarkable score of 87.146% for their flawless program, with several 10s for the harmony between horse and rider, choreography, music, and interpretation. Additionally, they received af 9 for rhythm, energy, and flexibility, and 9.8 for the degree of difficulty.
This remarkable performance was delivered by the only Danish pairing in the dressage field, who have participated in only three joint shows, including World Cup Basel, World Cup Neumünster, and World Cup Omaha. It is an impressive achievement by Zepter and Nanna, who individually are both world-class performers, and a dream match when brought together! Making our biggest dreams come true!
All the pieces fell into place
On Thursday, Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Blue Hors Zepter rocked the Grand Prix class of the World Cup final and grabbed a well-deserved 3rd place! Zepter gave an outstanding performance with his impressive passage/piaffe work, and even though two technical errors brought their score down to 76.165%, they were still only a hair’s breadth behind German rider Isabell Werth, who came in 2nd.
Nanna had a dream team of professionals by her side in Omaha, including groom Elise Rensink, trainer Michael Søgaard, sports director Ulrik Gerstorf Sørensen, as well as her mother and aunt. They all contribute to the support and management of Nanna’s results. The team is ecstatic with the couple’s performance at the prestigious World Cup final!