News
Top spots for British para party in Hagen CPEDI
- Written By: British Dressage
- Published: Mon, 23 Jun 2025 18:00
British para riders made a strong impression and earned plenty of podium placings at the Hagen a.T.W. CPEDI3* (6 – 8 June 2025) in Germany, topped with a win for Gabriella Blake and a high-flying freestyle score for Sophie Wells.
Leading the British charge was Gabriella Blake (pictured above) and her 16-year-old part-bred Connemara gelding Strong Beau (by Spinway Blackthorn), who capped a strong week with a win for Britain in Sunday’s Grade I Freestyle on 77.500%. The pair’s victory followed two podium placings earlier in the week, placing third in the Grand Prix A (73.056%) and second in the Grand Prix B (73.403%).
Reflecting on the achievement, Gabriella shared on social media: “Wow, what a whirlwind few days. They say you don’t grow unless you are out of your comfort zone. We came here for the bigger atmosphere and bigger classes, and it didn’t disappoint. The weather was not on our side with lots of rain, but Beau was foot-perfect; all the homework, sacrifice and training paid off and he was a dream to ride.”
Also competing in Grade I was Mari Durward-Akhurst with her own and Diane Redfern’s 18-year-old mare, Athene Lindebjerg (Gribaldi x Diamant), who remained consistently competitive throughout. The duo scored 73.611% for second in the Grand Prix A, followed by 72.639% for third in the Grand Prix B, before concluding with another podium in the Freestyle on 74.656%.
Adding further strength to the British Grade I line-up, Lincolnshire’s Susanna Wade and her Royal Hit-sired gelding Premier Royal Mint delivered solid performances, including fourth and fifth in the Grand Prix A and B with scores over 70%, as well as fifth in the Freestyle.
In the Grade II ranks, Hampshire-based Jemima Green impressed with some outstanding results as she expertly piloted the aptly named seven-year-old gelding Fantabulous on his international debut abroad. The duo earned a fantastic third place on the opening day with 72.644% in the Grand Prix A, followed by 71.222% in the Grand Prix B, and a strong fourth in the Freestyle on 73.078%.
“We knew this was going to be a big ask for Fanta,” said Jemima, taking to social media to reflect on their results. “He travelled like a dream and thought he was the king, having all the attention on him. He was so focused on me throughout all our tests and gave me such a wonderful feeling. To bring home three scores over 71% was more than we could have hoped.”
Nicola Naylor and her two rides, Humberto L and Moulin Rouge, were also in fantastic form in the Grade IV division. Across the first two days, she secured second and third in both the Grand Prix A and B, with her own and Rosalind Emery-Kay’s 13-year-old gelding Humberto L narrowly ahead of the eight-year-old mare on each occasion. Nicola closed her campaign with third in Sunday’s Freestyle on 72.358% with Humberto.
“Competing at Hof Kasselmann’s Hagen CPEDI3* has been on the bucket list for a while,” Nicola wrote on Facebook. “It is such a great show, and to do so in the company of some of the world’s best riders has been amazing... As always, it is my home and away support teams that make these successes possible.”
In the Grade V classes, Sophie Wells saw success with her Paris partner, the nine-year-old mare LJT Egebjerggards Samoa (St Schufro x Gribaldi), finishing second across all three tests behind the Netherlands’ Britney De Jong and Caramba NOP. The pair scored 71.966% in the Grand Prix A, improved to 72.632% in the Grand Prix B, and delivered their highest mark on Sunday with an outstanding 77.650% in the Freestyle, which stood as the highest score posted by a British combination across the three days.
“We weren’t quite feeling our best on the first two days,” Sophie shared on social media, “but by day three we found our flow again and Diana gave me a super ride with a great feeling in the arena, which was nice to finish on and gives us space to grow.”
Fellow Brit Charlotte Cundall and First Pitch also delivered promising results in the Grade V classes, scoring in the high 60s across the first two days and concluding with 70.100% in the Freestyle on Sunday.
Results – top three and British placings
Friday 6 June 2025
CPEDI3* Grade II Para Grand Prix Test A
1. Fiona Howard and Diamond Dunes, 77.931% (USA)
2. Heidemarie Dresing and Poetry 143, 74.770% (GER)
3. Jemima Green and Fantabulous, 72.644% (GBR)
CPEDI3* Grade I Para Grand Prix Test A
1. Annemarieke Nobel and Doo Schufro, 73.819% (NED)
2. Mari Durward-Akhurst and Athena Lindebjerg, 73.611% (GBR)
3. Gabriella Blake and Strong Beau, 73.056% (GBR)
4. Susanna Wade and Premier Royal Mint, 70.972% (GBR)
CPEDI3* Grade V Para Grand Prix Test A
1. Britney De Jong and Caramba NOP, 74.402% (NED)
2. Sophie Wells and LJT Egebjerggards Samoa, 71.966% (GBR)
3. Cynthia Screnci and For Memory 4, 71.624% (USA)
8. Charlotte Cundall and First Pitch, 67.350% (GBR)
CPEDI3* Grade IV Para Grand Prix Test A
1. Kate Shoemaker and Vianne, 76.435% (USA)
2. Nicola Naylor and Humberto L, 71.898% (GBR)
3. Nicola Naylor and Moulin Rouge, 71.713% (GBR)
Saturday 7 June 2025
CPEDI3* Grade IV Para Grand Prix Test B
1. Kate Shoemaker and Vianne, 76.171% (USA)
2. Nicola Naylor and Humberto L, 72.342% (GBR)
3. Nicola Naylor and Moulin Rouge, 71.892% (GBR)
CPEDI3* Grade V Para Grand Prix Test B
1. Britney De Jong and Caramba NOP, 77.237% (NED)
2. Sophie Wells and LJT Egebjerggards Samoa, 72.632% (GBR)
3. Isabell Nowak and Syracuse, 72.105% (GER)
8. Charlotte Cundall and First Pitch, 68.202% (GBR)
CPEDI3* Grade I Para Grand Prix Test B
1. Annemarieke Nobel and Doo Schufro, 76.806% (NED)
2. Gabriella Blake and Strong Beau, 73.403% (GBR)
3. Mari Durward-Akhurst and Athena Lindebjerg, 72.639% (GBR)
5. Susanna Wade and Premier Royal Mint, 70.069% (GBR)
CPEDI3* Grade II Para Grand Prix Test B
1. Fiona Howard and Diamond Dunes, 77.056% (USA)
2. Heidemarie Dresing and Poetry 143, 75.667% (GER)
3. Katrine Bjelke Kristensen and Goerklintgaards Quater, 73.944% (DEN)
4. Jemima Green and Fantabulous, 71.222% (GBR)
Sunday 8 June 2025
CPEDI3* Grade IV Freestyle
1. Kate Shoemaker and Vianne, 81.725% (USA)
2. Alexia Pittier and Sultan768, 73.742% (FRA)
3. Nicola Naylor and Humberto L, 72.358% (GBR)
CPEDI3* Grade V Freestyle
1. Britney De Jong and Caramba NOP, 79.575% (NED)
2. Sophie Wells and LJT Egebjerggards Samoa, 77.650% (GBR)
3. Regine Mispelkamp and Pramwaldshof’s Bayala, 72.258% (GER)
7. Charlotte Cundall and First Pitch, 70.100% (GBR)
CPEDI3* Grade II Freestyle
1. Heidemarie Dresing and Poetry 143, 78.911% (GER)
2. Katrine Bjelke Kristensen and Goerklintgaards Quater, 77.367% (DEN)
3. Fiona Howard and Diamond Dunes, 75.967% (USA)
4. Jemima Green and Fantabulous, 73.078% (GBR)
CPEDI3* Grade I Freestyle
1. Gabriella Blake and Strong Beau, 77.500% (GBR)
2. Annemarieke Nobel and Doo Schufro, 76.856% (NED)
3. Mari Durward-Akhurst and Athena Lindebjerg, 74.656% (GBR)
5. Susanna Wade and Premier Royal Mint, 69.667% (GBR)
Photo © Gabriella Blake Para Dressage
