Uddrag fra FEI pressemeddelelse fra Amsterdam
The spotlight however belonged to Werth and the mare who has been ridden for most of her career by the German rider’s assistant trainer, Beatrice Buchwald. Werth explained today that it was always planned that she would take over the ride when the horse had enough experience.
“She (Weihegold) is a clear option for the German team and the Olympics now. I ride her to give her my experience, but Bea will continue to ride her as well and we will try all options to find the strongest combination for Rio. I’m really happy to have such a strong team of horses”, Werth said.
She talked about the arrangement that has been reached between the mare’s owners and her long-time patron. “They have found a solution together with Madeleine (Winter-Schulze) to keep the horse for me to ride. There have been many offers to buy her, but in the end there is a good solution between the owners and Madeleine who is always very happy to help - it’s all about team-work. With Madeleine I am very close - she is always at our side, and at my side,” said the German star.
Werth is now considering taking Weihegold to the penultimate Reem Acra qualifier in Neumunster (GER) in three weeks’ time before bringing Don Johnson, with whom she topped the fifth qualifier in Salzburg (AUT) last month, to the last qualifying leg in s’Hertogenbosch (NED) in March.
“My goal with Weihegold is to improve more and more. She is only 11 years old, she is very elegant and she has lots of room for improvement - she is a very exciting horse”, Werth said today.
Quotes:
Isabell Werth GER - 1st: Talking about her performance with Weihegold: “Yesterday (in the Grand Prix in which they finished 6th) we had three little misunderstandings, but today we really worked it out. This improvement is good for me, first of all to have other options (of horses for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games) and secondly it is great to prepare the horse for my rider (Beatrice Buchwald)”.