The board continues to be reshuffled less than two weeks before the 2022 World Championships Dressage in Herning, which start on 6 August 2022. Swiss team anchor Estelle Wettstein has announced her withdrawal from the team.
The Swiss equestrian federation announced that her withdrawal was because of "personal reasons".
Estelle, who was Switzerland's individual representative at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, was selected to ride Therese and Anna Boss' bay gelding Great Escape Camelot (by Johnson x Turbo Magic) in Herning. She also had her mother's Quaterboy (by Quaterback x Rubinstern Noir) listed as her direct reserve. She will be riding neither horse in Denmark.
Wettstein explained to Eurodressage that, "last week my father suffered from a heart attack. For his health and the future i have to take care of the family business. i am very sad but for this year it‘s the right decision."
Estelle's father Ernst Wettstein is a renowned show jumping rider, trainer and horse dealer. He successfully underwent an operation and is now on the road to recovery.
Since the spring of 2022 and the sale of her Olympic ride West Side Story OLD, Wettstein has been making some changes in her life and paving the way for her own business as a professional rider. After years of coaching by her mother Marie-Line Wettstein, Estelle sought fresh input and turned to Swiss team trainer Oliver Oelrich and Jonny Hilberath. She successfully competed her two selected horses this year.
Estelle's spot will be taken by the reserve rider, Charlotte Lenherr on Sir Stanley W, who is owned by Jürg Lenherr and Srboljub Kolicic.
Photo © Astrid Appels
Related Links
Swiss Team Selected for 2022 World Championships Dressage
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2022 World Championships Dressage
Estelle Wettstein Taking Steps Towards Independence