Isabell Werth and the 9-year old Westfalian registered Emilio became the winners of the 2015 Louisdor Cup Finals for developing Grand Prix horses at the 2015 CDI Frankfurt on Sunday afternoon 20 December 2015. Emilio (by Ehrenpreis x Cacir AA) gave both his rider and his owner Madeleine Winter-Schulze a truly wonderful Christmas present with his win in one of the two most important series for developing FEI level horses in Germany.
Werth scored a sensational 79.10% to top the leader board and capture the title in the Louisdor Cup, which is a show circuit in Germany with qualification events throughout the year for developing Grand Prix horses aged 8 to 10. The finals are held annually at the CDI Frankfurt in December.
“I’m really pleased with how Emilio presented himself here," said an enthusiastic Werth. Emilio required a little patience, explained Werth, who presented the gelding in the 2014 Nürnberg Burg Pokal in Frankfurt and won the preliminary competition. “We had him first as a three year old, then the owners wanted him back. But he came back to us. When you first saddled him up everything was fine, but he was a little bit anxious when you tried to sit on him," she continued. “Matthias (Bouten) patiently practised the process with Emilio, and when I see how much he has come on in the past 12 months, I’m really proud of him.”
The winner of the warm-up round, 22-year old Sönke Rothenberger with his 8-year-old Dutch warmblood gelding Cosmo (by Van Gogh x Landjonker) became the runners-up with 74.32%. The highly talented bay gelding was quite spooky in the very electric indoor arena of the Frankfurt exhibition centre and was unable to show its full potential despite numerous highlights in the test.
“I reckon next year he will know the Santas in the decorations,” laughed the Masters student, who just a few days ago was submitted to the German dressage A-Team with Cosmo. After training one year in The Netherlands with Anky van Grunsven and Sjef Janssen, Rothenberger has returned home to Bad Homburg in Germany and will continue to be coached by his parents and German team trainer Monica Theodorescu with Rio set as goal.
Photos © Barbara Schnell
Related Links
Scores 2015 CDI Frankfurt
Rothenberger and Cosmo Win 2015 Louisdor Cup Finals' Warm Up Class at 2015 CDI Frankfurt