A Fight for Second Place? Hendricks Looks Untouchable in Qualifier 8

This week’s US Equestrian Open qualifier at the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival brings two chances to earn valuable leaderboard points: the CDI Freestyle and the CDIO Freestyle—the latter doubling as a Nations Cup event, where riders compete for their country rather than just themselves. 

With national pride and leaderboard points on the line, the CDIO has drawn the bigger field. And while the battle for top scores should be fierce, realistically, it’s a fight for second place. Felicitas Hendricks is in a league of her own.

It’s not just Hendricks’ personal best (79.105%) that makes her the overwhelming favorite — it’s her consistency. With an average of 77.491%, she’s not just leading; she’s doing so with a cushion. For anyone to overtake her, it would take both an above-average, personal-best performance from a competitor and a rare underperformance from Hendricks and 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding, Drombusch OLD. That’s a tough equation to bet against.

The one competitor who could put up a fight is fellow countrywoman Evelyn Eger, a rider who is currently leading the Series in a three-way tie. Eger and 12-year-old Oldenburg mare Tabledance 3 have an average of 73.771%, which is nearly four percentage points behind Hendricks. Their personal best of 77.085%, however, does put them within striking distance. That result came in May of last year, when she came fourth, behind Ingrid Klimke (3rd), Andrina Suter (2nd), and Isabell Werth (1st), the current FEI Dressage World No. 1.

If Eger can pull off an upset, she will outright lead the Series on a score of 60. But if the final results give a Hendricks-Eger 1-2, the leaderboard would again be tied, with both riders at 57.

While the CDIO Freestyle will be a battle for national pride, the smaller CDI 3* class is a different story. With just three entries, US rider Karen Lipp is the clear frontrunner. 

As a frequent competitor in the Series qualifiers, Lipp has 30 points under her belt, meaning a win would guarantee she’s the first rider to break the 50-point threshold. This would also vault her to the top of the leaderboard, where she’d have sole possession of the number one spot—but likely only for a few hours, as the Nations Cup is scheduled to start immediately after the 3* concludes. Unless Hendricks and Eger both have wildly uncharacteristic days, it is unlikely Lipp will remain on top for long.

So, the real question: does anyone shake up the standings? Will Eger deliver a PB? Does Lipp get her moment at the top of the leaderboard — however brief?

Or are we simply living in a Drombusch world?

The CDI3* is set to start at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21, with the FEI Nations Cup immediately following. Become a USEF Network Fan for free to stream the upcoming qualifiers live!

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