Sunday April 23, 2006

Anky van Grunsven Lands Eight World Cup Title

Isabell Werth Rises to the Occasion

A few months ago, Isabell Werth rode a new Grand Prix record score aboard her Hanoverian gelding Satchmo, but the tempermental bay gelding can not offer the same consistent performance to his rider. To everyone's surprise it was Isabell's up and coming Hanoverian gelding Warum Nicht FRH that has pushed Isabell back in the spotlight. The huge gelding amicably called "Hannes" is by Weltmeyer x Wenzel and has proven to be most valuable to her.

At the 2006 World Cup Finals, Isabell and Warum Nicht FRH rode to unprecedented high scores and placed second behind Anky van Grunsven with 81.150%. Especially the extensions with great overtrack were beautiful and throughout the piaffe and passage, Werth maintained an exemplary light contact with the bit, even though Hannes came a bit deep in the piaffe at times.

"I'm very happy with my ride today because it was very consistent. Hannes stayed focused throughout the test and was relaxed," she explained. In the award ceremony, Werth thanked the audience for being so supportive and added that "this should be an example for Germany."

Her plans for the future are preparing her horses for the qualifiers for the German Dressage Championships. With Satchmo she'll be riding at the CDI Hagen next week and with Hannes, she will do one outdoor show.