Morse Leads Off WEG U.S. Effort, But Hubertus Schmidt Takes Early Lead

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025

Morse Leads Off WEG U.S. Effort, But Hubertus Schmidt Takes Early Lead

After the first 21 in the dressage Grand Prix have gone, American Leslie Morse stands eighth with a score of 64.25 percent. German Hubertus Schmidt leads with Wansuela Suerte (69.20%), with Laurens van Lieren of the Netherlands taking second so far on Hexagon's Ollright (68.58%). Laura Bechtolscheimer of Great Britain rode Douglas Dorsey into third so far (67.37%). The Australian Matthew Dorsey stands fourth with Cinderella (66.66%).

PUBLISHED

August 21, 2006
10:00 pm

WORDS BY

COTH Admin

After the first 21 in the dressage Grand Prix have gone, American Leslie Morse stands eighth with a score of 64.25 percent. German Hubertus Schmidt leads with Wansuela Suerte (69.20%), with Laurens van Lieren of the Netherlands taking second so far on Hexagon’s Ollright (68.58%). Laura Bechtolscheimer of Great Britain rode Douglas Dorsey into third so far (67.37%). The Australian Matthew Dorsey stands fourth with Cinderella (66.66%).

Morse and Tip Top started their test strong, scoring a solid stream of 7s and 8s, expect for their piaffes, which were a touch uneven and scored 5s and 6s. But as Morse began her canter work, Tip Top lost focus and their performance deteriorated. “I felt him see all the cameras in the corner and look, and I thought, ‘OK, I’ll just cut the corner here before the canter zig-zag.’ I went with it, and tried to keep his focus. But the one-tempi changes were coming right into that corner, and he lost his concentration and got tense. And unfortunately, with the way the tests are scored, those are costly mistakes,” Morse said.

Morse and Tip Top missed changes in the two-tempis and one-tempis, scoring 4s and 3s. And then Tip Top lost rhythm in both canter pirouettes, scoring 3s, 4s, and 5s. Morse finished the test well, however, with 6s, 7s and 8s on her last trot and passage work.

“I have to say, even with the mistakes, he lived up to, and exceeded, my expectations,” she said. “He was so proud of himself, being in there. He really puffed up and said ‘I’m in the big leagues now.’ But he also got a little bit overwhelmed by it all.

“But I’m proud of him. He really showed what his heart is, and what he’ll be with more mileage. Even if I don’t make the Special, we went out big. In the first part of the test, he showed that he can be a superstar. Before the mistakes, it felt amazing. I was so focused, and riding every step. We were pumped up and having a good time out there.

I’m sorry for my country, because I was so close to leading off the day so well, but that’s how things go sometimes.”

You can find live results scoring here…