The biggest challenge of top combinations is to be top every time. To be there at the right moment and to rise above yourself again. Dinja van Liere pulled off that trick today in the Freestyle, the World Cup qualifier at Jumping Amsterdam. With a personal record of 87.055%, Van Liere beat her great German rival Isabell Werth, who scored 86.595% with Emilio. The 19-year-old stallion Blue Hors Zack ran the best test of his life and finished at 85.220% under Danish rider Nanna Skodborg Merrald.

‘At the salute the audience went wild’

”It went super well. When I came in, Hèrmes was quite excited because there was a lot of audience. He was very sharp, but I could manage it exactly. I had exactly the right line between tension and relaxation. At the salute, the audience went wild.”

Goosebumps

“It’s very cool to ride in Amsterdam in front of your own audience and then also to win. This really gave me goose bumps. When I entered the ring at the award ceremony I really had to swallow because I almost got tears in my eyes myself. This is what you do it all for.

‘Hèrmes is really a show act’

”Hèrmes also likes it here very much. He really is a show act. He really looked around and realized that the enthusiasm was all for him. That was also a really nice feeling.”

”The level was very high”

”When I saw Isabell’s score, I did think: I have to do my best for a while. My personal record was also in the 86% range. I had to put down a very good test to make sure I passed that. The level was very high.”

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