WELLINGTON, Fla.--Germany, for the fifth year in a row, won the Dressage Nations Cup at the Global Dressage Festival, this time again over the U.S.and Sweden on Thursday, Feb. 20.

Michael Klimke on Harmony's Fado (Photo by Susan Stickle)Germany is the two-time defending series champions and began the 2025 season with another impactful 10 points at the CDIO3* competition.

For the second year, the format only allowed grand prix level combinations, in line with the four remaining legs of the 2025 Nations Cup dressage series, all to be held in Europe.

Led by Chef d'Equipe Michael Klimke,, who was also a competitor on Harmony's Fado, Germany finished on a team total of 207.022 points.

The home nation United States finished second on 201.565, followed by Sweden on 190.761, an identical result as last year's event.

Klimke was joined by teammates Evelyn Eger on Tabledance 3, Felicitas Hendricks on Drombusch OLD and Lars Ligus on Santiago.

"I'm very proud. We've won the last five years, and I've competed in the event for five years and been the chef d'equipe for all five years," Klimke said. "Today my horse was not in the best form, but I was very lucky to have three very good teammates.

"When you ask me what the key to success is, it's teamwork," he said.

 

THE U.S. held the top two places until Eger went third for Germany.

Leading the way for her nation, Eger ultimately posted the top score of the competition, scoring 70.435%.

It was a personal best for the combination in their first winter season in Wellington.

"For me personally, the canter work was very good, because I finally got where I wanted to be," Eger said. "I got the one-tempis clean. I had struggled with them at our last show. And of course, a highlight is always the pirouettes. This led us to the high score today."

Eger was the first and one of just two riders to break the 70 percent threshold on the day, but Hendricks came close, despite some unexpected mistakes in her test on Drombusch OLD.

Hendricks finished third overall but contributed to the team score in a crucial way with her 69.522% score.

"I think we were maybe having a couple mistakes here and there in the canter work, and in the first pirouette, we had a little bit of bad luck," Hendricks said. "There was a big noise, and he got spooked in the pirouette and wanted to move out of it. I was like, 'No, please stay with me! Please stay in the pirouette!' Of course, then finishing that line with a start like that was not easy."

"He's not a spooky horse, so that caught me a little off-guard, because it's not something that usually happens," she said. "But this life with horses, it's all a learning process, and I'm just enjoying every step of the journey. It was a great team experience again."

For Ligus, the Nations Cup was his first week competing at the FEI Grand Prix level, and he delivered with a competitive test, scoring 67.065%.

It was also his first international competition with the 14-year-old gelding, Santiago.

"We brought him over as a sales horse for us, but then I showed him in a national Grand Prix in the last couple of weeks, and he gave me a good feeling and had good results. Then the teammates and people at home asked me if I'd want to ride on the Nations Cup team, so of course, I was really excited," Ligus said. "You just learn, and I really enjoyed it with this horse today."

The Nation's Cup has remained a priority for Germany due to its emphasis on team planning.

"We watch each other riding from the time the season starts in January. It's about focusing on this event as the highlight of the season," he said. "Team spirit is very important, and I think we all have the feeling that we can rely on each other and trust each other."

The silver medal U,S, dressage team included Devon Kane, her husband Kevin Kohmann, Erin Nichols, and Jennifer Williams, with chef d’équipe Christine Traurig.

Kane on Vamos was the highest-scoring American, placing fifth on a score of 67.435%, just ahead of sixth placed Kohmann on Giulietta, who scored 67.304%.

The event marked the first time the couple competed in a Nation's Cup event as teammates.

"It's such an honor to be able to represent the U.S. at any Nation's Cup," Kane said, "but to do so with your husband next to you and cheering for you and riding with you is extremely special."

Kane was the team newcomer after Kohmann, Jennifer Williams on Joppe K, and Erin Nichols on Elian Royale all competed together at last year's event.

"I got my new team jacket about 45 minutes before I got on, and I asked Kevin to put it on me in the tack room when we were getting ready," Kane said. "Being able to ride on a Nation's Cup with my husband is a fantastic feeling and a real testament, I think to our commitment to the sport and to helping each other and helping our team do well."

Jennifer Williams on Joppe K scored 66.826%, while Erin Nichols on Elian Royale was the drop score with 63.108%.

Kane had a tricky start to her test when Vamos, a 13-year-old Vivaldi gelding, was a little distracted

“I think we started trending on 22% and pulled our way up from there, so I knew we had to catch as many points as we could and make every movement count,” she said. “I’m proud that my horse was able to overcome such a setback."

In a repeat of the top three team placings from Wellington International’s 2024 Nations Cup, Sweden won bronze under the leadership of chef d’équipe Louise Nathhorst.

Seven-time Olympian Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén recorded the nation’s top finish, placing second individually behind Eger with 70.304% on Hyatt.

Karin Persson scored 60.326% on Santino, and Caroline Darcourt on Devanto scored 60.131%.

Both Australia and Canada fielded teams of just three riders, so an elimination for one combination from each country meant the teams were out, as three scores are required to count.

Germany has assumed another early lead in the FEI Dressage Nations Cup standings with 10 points, followed by the United States with 8 points and Sweden with 7 points.

The season continues next at Compiegne, France on May 3.