Swedish rider Maria von Essen achieved her first FEI Dressage World Cup qualifier victory in Gothenburg, scoring a personal best of 82.645% with Invoice after finishing second in 2024 and 2025. Patrik Kittel of Sweden took second place with 81.920% on Touchdown, while Denmark's Carina Cassøe Krüth placed third with Heiline’s Danciera. The event featured strong Scandinavian results in the Scandinavium arena before a enthusiastic crowd.
The FEI Dressage World Cup qualifier took place over the weekend in Gothenburg, Sweden, with the Grand Prix on Friday and the Freestyle on Saturday. Maria von Essen and her gelding Invoice, owned by Alexanders Hovslageri & Häst, delivered a standout performance in the Freestyle set to music from Les Misérables. The pair excelled in collected movements, piaffe, passage, and tempi changes, showcasing Invoice's full potential despite the large audience.
Von Essen expressed her joy after the win: “Invoice was magical! He was magical! He was with me all the way, even though there was a huge crowd today. Also this music gives me goosebumps all the time. I almost had to cry.”
Patrik Kittel, riding his 2024 World Cup winner Touchdown owned by Sommarkvarn AB, performed a faultless test matched to the music but noted some excitement from the horse. He scored 81.920% and now holds second place in the overall standings. Kittel commented: “It was amazing to go in there today. I’ve ridden in Gothenburg for many years. I got a lot of applause when I came in and Touchdown got quite excited. We had small things in the canter tour, but it was a fantastic test. It was Dressage at its best today. Dressage is alive.”
Carina Cassøe Krüth, who won the Grand Prix on Friday, finished third with Heiline’s Danciera owned by Poul Thørgensen. She acknowledged minor errors but remained positive about her World Cup position: “We had some small mistakes today, so I can live with our third place. But we are in a good position in the World Cup standings, and if we have enough points, I will definitely go to the Final.”
Denmark dominated the lower placings, with Sara Aagaard Hyrm fourth on Atterupgaards Cooper at 75.050%, followed by Cecilie Dybro Jensen on Zagori and Anna Zibrandtsen on Quel Filou at 74.245%. The next Western European League leg is scheduled for 13 and 14 March in ’s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
