With Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro a shoe-in for the British Dressage team at the European Championships in Aachen next month and Matthias Alexander-Rath and Totilas now confirmed as members of the German squad, dressage fans are salivating at the chance to see these two outstanding equine stars going head-to-head once more.
Current form would suggest Valegro is set to come out on top. He holds the world records in all three tests while the partnership of Totilas and Matthias has been dogged with problems since the German took over the ride from Edward Gal. However when Valegro and Totilas met in Aachen last year ahead of the World Equestrian Games (WEG), it was the German pair who took the spoils. Sadly an splint injury ruled Totilas out of WEG so the championship head-to-head did not materialise.
Both partnerships were in action on home soil over the weekend with Valegro delighting the crowds at Hartpury while Totilas was the centre of attention on his return to competition in Hagen. They each won their grand prix classes with Valegro earning 85.44% while Totilas managed 80.36%.
See for yourself how their tests compared in the videos below.
Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro at Hartpury: 85.44%
Footage courtesy of Hartpury College
Matthias Alexander-Rath and Totilas at Hagen: 80.36%
Video courtesy of Horses and Dreams youtube channel
Current dressage world records
Grand prix: Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro 87.460%, Olympia CDI-W 16 December 14
(previous Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, 87.129%%, Reem Acra FEI World Cup Finals, Lyon 19 April 2014)
Grand prix special: Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro 88.022%, Hagen CDI4*, Germany April 2012
(previous – Edward Gal and Totilas 85.708%, World Equestrian Games 2010 Kentucky USA)
Grand prix freestyle: Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro 94.30%, Olympia CDI-W 16 December 14
(previous – Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro 93.975%, Olympia CDI-W 2013 and Edward Gal and Totilas, 92.30%, Olympia CDI-W 2009)
About the European Dressage Championships
The European dressage championships are taking place in Aachen, Germany from 12-16 August. The grand prix class, which counts towards the team competition, takes place on 12-13 August, with the individual grand prix special on 15 August and the grand prix freestyle on 16 August. There are separate sets of individual medals for the special and the kur.
