Katharina Hemmer and Denoix PCH won the five-star Grand Prix at the International Festhallen Reitturnier Frankfurt with a flawless, harmonious and expressive round - and with a personal best result of 73.826 percent! The 29-year-old rider from riding master Hubertus Schmidt's stable is the starter of the year. It was only in January that she took over Schmidt's eleven-year-old Destano son, quickly catapulted herself into the circle of European Championship candidates and was ultimately the first reserve rider at the European Championships in Riesenbeck. In November, Hemmer and Denoix took part in their first indoor tournament in Stuttgart and the fox was 'unusual'. In Frankfurt, despite the Christmas decorations, the couple found their way back to their usual security and strength and even set a new record of their own.
“Denoix was seven years old and was once here in the Burg-Pokal in the festival hall and has never experienced an indoor tournament before,” smiles Hemmer. “So we were probably both pretty surprised in Stuttgart. But we learned our lesson from it and arrived in Frankfurt extra early – on Wednesday. So we were able to ride in the hall in peace and quiet, which was just right. And today’s Grand Prix wasn’t just a personal best in terms of the grades, it also felt like our best Grand Prix so far.” Second place in this Grand Prix went to Isabell Werth and Superb, Surprice's eleven-year-old daughter, with 73.217 percent. Superb presented itself on a fine line between great energy and dynamism and tension on the other side. Tension that the seven-time Olympic champion knew how to “ride out” with routine and sophisticated technique. In addition to Quantaz, Superb is the horse that Werth is planning to use in the coming season - not least with the goal of the Olympics. Ingrid Klimke and First Class took part in an international Grand Prix for only the third time and came third with 70.826 percent. The Hanoverian mare, called 'Püppi', has only been in Ingrid Klimke's stable since May 2022, who is thrilled because 'Püppi is easy to ride and always motivated'.
Three ladies, three eleven-year-old horses – that seemed to be the winning formula in Frankfurt's Grand Prix today. Only one of the three women has already won experience on Frankfurt's international tour: Isabell Werth has already won the Grand Prix in the Festhalle five times, the Special once and the Freestyle a whopping seven times. All three women will meet again in the Grand Prix Special on Saturday morning and will also meet Olympic squad rider Benjamin Werndl with Famoso. However, Werndl's World Cup partner was extremely frightened once or twice in Frankfurt's arena. “Famoso is a loving, cheeky badger who is not at all shy and very courageous,” explains Werndl. “I really don't know what he had today, but everyone can be scared sometimes. My goal for the Special is clear: I want to give him a good feeling in the arena.”
The Grand Prix Special, the Liselott Schindling Foundation Prize, starts on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. The winning quote: Grand Prix winner Hemmer was at the start here in Frankfurt for the first time and beamed: “Everything is so beautifully decorated and made – it’s just fun to ride here!”
