Isabell Werth: "I am simply overjoyed" With Satchmo, Isabell Werth convincingly won the Deutsche Bank Prize, the Dressage Grand Prix of Aachen, at the CHIO Aachen 2007 with a score of 82.35 percent.
In the end she lay ahead of the Dutch rider, Anky van Grunsven with Salinero (81.45) and the Swedish rider Jan Brink with Briar 899 (77.55). All three were in the best of spirits at the Press Conference.
Question: Congratulations Mrs. Werth, that must have been a perfect week for you winning the three most prominent competitions and now also the Deutsche Bank Prize?
Isabell Werth: Yes, the past few days were unbelievable, but also very strenuous. I had my famous tunnel vision and focused my attentions completely on my horses. And I am very proud of both Satchmo and Hannes. I am simply overjoyed.
Question: Your freestyle routine today appeared to be incredibly difficult.
Werth: There is a very narrow margin between everything fitting into place and not getting bogged down by introducing too many difficult elements, so that you don't actually get round to riding anymore. Apart from a small misunderstanding in the counter-change of hand, everything was perfect. You sometimes just have days, where everything runs exactly to plan. The first time I heard the music by Vangelis it gave me the goose bumps. So, I choreographed my freestyle to match the music. The song "March with me" is of course very apt considering how much I have gone through with Satchmo in the past years. I wanted to introduce emotions into the new freestyle music, which contains elements of Vangelis sung by Montserrat Caballe. I seem to have achieved this extremely well. Now I first have to let everything sink in.
Question: Mrs. Grunsven, why didn't you manage to take the victory today?
Anky van Grunsven: I was very content with Salinero, but we just made too many small mistakes over the past few days. It was only my third competition after returning to riding after giving birth and one has to get back into the rhythm of things. I see this very realistically. But actually I am happy: I have beautiful children and beautiful horses (laughing).
Jan Brink: I am very satisfied at coming third too. Aachen is always a difficult competition and today was our best day. Everything harmonised very well with the music, was very flowing and Briar was fresh and motivated.
Photos by Barbara Schnell
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