German Olympian Hubertus Schmidt has sold his number one Grand Prix horse Donnelly to the United States. The name of the buyer has not been disclosed. Schmidt revealed that the reason of the sale is unfortunately severe health issues in his family.
Schmidt and Donnelly were members of the German A-team and team candidates for the 2011 European Championships and 2012 London Olympic Games. The 8-year old Westfalian gelding by Donnerruf x Athletico was one of the very few horses Schmidt owned himself.
"It took me a long time to decide to sell Donnelly," Schmidt told St. Georg. "Because of an illness it's difficult for me to plan next year. I decided to choose for my family."
Schmidt also served as Swedish team trainer and has also retired from this position to devote more time to his family.
As a 4-year old Donnelly competed at the 2005 Bundeschampionate under Dorothee Schneider and as a 6-year old he qualified for the 2007 World Young Horse Championships in Verden under Rudolf Zeilinger. The elegant chestnut made his international FEI break through under Hubertus.
The 50-year old Schmidt still has two rising FEI horses which will keep him in the limelight: the 10-year old Fontane (by Florestan x Rockwell), which he has been riding for owner Lammers for a year and a half now, and the dark bay mare Dark Diamond (by Diamond Hit), with whom he competed at the 2010 CDI Stuttgart and which is owned by Americans Dirk and Terri Kane of Diamante Farms in Wellington, Florida.
"I have four upcoming Grand Prix horses in my barn which I haven't show yet," Schmidt told Reiter Revuei. "Of course I'll keep London as my primary goal." To the German newspaper Ahlener News, Hubertus added, "it would be nice if it were to work, but if not, it won't be the end of the world."
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