Strong statement from Bacher and Gmoser

Jun 12
3 min read

Updated: Jun 14

Following Stefan Lehfellner’s home victory in the CDI3*, the CDI4* Grand Prix at the international dressage show at Schloss Achleiten delivered top-class sport on Friday afternoon. Florian Bacher and Peter Gmoser, both contenders for Austria’s World Championship team, presented themselves in outstanding form and reinforced their ambitions for the challenges ahead.

Austria’s World Championship Candidates Impress

The CDI4* in Achleiten proved to be an important benchmark on the road to the World Championships in Aachen. In particular, two-time Olympian Florian Bacher and multiple Austrian champion Peter Gmoser used the stage to underline their current form in impressive fashion.

Florian Bacher and Da Vinci secured victory in the Grand Prix. The 40-year-old scored 70.913 percent to narrowly edge out Peter Gmoser aboard Dante’s Daiquiri (70.609 percent). Third place went to Germany’s Laura Strobel with Valparaiso NRW (70.109 percent), a horse owned by Elisabeth Max-Theurer. Austria’s Lisa Wernitznig finished fourth on 69.152 percent, while Felicita Simoncic placed fifth with 67.696 percent, adding further highlights from an Austrian perspective.

For Bacher, the result marked another important step towards World Championship qualification. The Viennese rider is particularly encouraged by the development of his horse.

“I was extremely satisfied. We were able to improve on several aspects compared to Munich, although there is still room for improvement. What impresses me most is this horse’s attitude. He always gives everything in the arena and is always there for me during the test. That’s what makes riding him so much fun,” Bacher said after his performance.

The experienced championship rider was especially pleased with the piaffe work and the overall improvement in the canter tour. While he still sees room for improvement in certain movements, his assessment after only the fourth Grand Prix with Da Vinci was overwhelmingly positive.

Looking ahead to World Championship qualification, Bacher views the result as a significant milestone:

“For me, Aachen would only become a realistic goal if our scores continued to improve from show to show and moved towards the 70 percent mark. To have already surpassed that mark is even better and confirms that we are on the right track.”

Breaking the 70 Percent Barrier

Peter Gmoser was equally pleased with his performance. The multiple Austrian champion is currently enjoying remarkable consistency with Dante’s Daiquiri on the international stage. The pair has been delivering strong results for months, and Achleiten once again confirmed that development.

“Every show has been a little better than the one before. Now we’ve managed to break the 70 percent barrier for the first time. The test wasn’t even perfect. She was very eager and motivated but only really came onto the contact as the test progressed. We’ve now developed a routine that allows us to handle different day-to-day forms much better,” Gmoser explained.

He also emphasized the value of the result with regard to the coming weeks. “It’s important for me that we’re building momentum. She consistently delivers and gains more confidence with every performance. At the same time, there is still significant room for improvement. That’s exactly what makes me optimistic.”

With their performances in the idyllic "Schlosspark arena" of Achleiten, both Austrian dressage stars demonstrated convincingly that they are serious contenders in the race for coveted places on Austria’s team for the World Championships in Aachen.

RESULTS FEI Grand Prix (CDI4*)