More top dressage riders sign up for The Dutch Masters

More top dressage riders have signed up for The Dutch Masters (13-16 March). Many see the World Cup competition in ‘s-Hertogenbosch as a last chance to test their form before travelling to the final of the FEI Dressage World Cup in April in Basel, Switzerland. For others, it is the last chance to get enough points to qualify for a placing in this final.

Isabell Werth, Dinja van Liere and Hans Peter Minderhoud had already indicated they would start in the Brabanthallen and now Swedish defending champion Patrik Kittel and Britain's Charlotte Fry have joined them.

The 2022 World Champion, Charlotte Fry is currently 12th in the World Cup standings. She scored a victory in London (December 2024) and recently in Amsterdam, both with Glamourdale. So she still needs points to go to the final. Charlotte will bring two horses, one for the 3* tour and the other she will start in the World Cup. Which ones these will be is not yet known.

Defending champion Patrik Kittel is eager to come to the Brabanthallen. ‘I can still remember riding Scandic in the World Cup final in 2010. It was amazing. The support you get from the audience is overwhelming.’ The last time he competed at The Dutch Masters was in 2022. ‘What has stayed with me most of all is the friendliness of everyone. I am therefore really looking forward to coming to ‘s-Hertogenbosch.’ Kittel does not yet know whether he will start Touchdown or Forever Young in the World Cup qualifier. ‘For me, The Dutch Masters will be the only World Cup competition before the final. In between, I will travel to Doha.’

The dressage riders are hoping for full stands during the FEI Dressage World Cup Grand Prix presented by RS2 Dressage on Friday afternoon (2pm) and during the Freestyle on Saturday, also at 2pm.

The full programme including the 3* dressage competitions can be found here. Order your tickets in time via this link and don't miss anything from this edition of The Dutch Masters!

Photos: TDM/Digishots