German Para Rider Isabell Nowak Loses Top Ride Stanford

Germany

German Grade V para dressage rider Isabell Nowak has tragically lost her number one horse in the barn, Stanford. The 14-year old gelding did not survive a colic attack.

Stanford was a Rhinelander gelding by Sir Donnerhall out of Diamond Girl (by Diamond Hit). He was bred by Anton and Uwe Mengelaers.

Former Licensed Stallion

The 2009 born Rhinelander was a former licensed stallion. He was first approved at the 2011 Westfalian Stallion Licensing in Munster and in 2012 approved for Oldenburg.

He did his 30-day stallion performance test in the autumn of 2012 and scored 8,96 for dressage and 6,73 for show jumping.

Stanford was first competed as a 3-year old by Stefanie Wolf, who took him to the 2012 Bundeschampionate, where he won bronze. A year later the duo returned to Warendorf and placed fourth in the 4-year old stallion division.

As a breeding stallion he sired one licensed son, Sole Mio, and 6 state premium daughters. His most successful offspring in sport, so far, is Señor Charming (Kira Soddemann).

WCYH Finalist

In 2014 German Olympian Dorothee Schneider took over the ride and piloted the horse at the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses in Verden, where he was 8th in the finals. A month later they were 9th in the consolation finals at the 2014 Bundeschampionate.

In 2015 Schneider and Stanford returned to the WCYH in Verden and this time placed right off the podium in fourth place in the 6-year old division. He was owned by Stefan Sevens at the time.

Stanford disappeared from the show scene for one year in 2016 to return in 2017 under Matthias Bouten who campaigned him at small tour level that year.

Isabell Nowak

The gelding then had a long break from showing to return to the arena under new owner and Grade V para dressage rider, Isabell Nowak, in 2022.

At the 2014 World Young Horse Championship
with Dorothee Schneider

Nowak suffered a serious traffic accident in 2007 in which her cervical spine and left hip got injured. Her upper body was paralyzed on the right side and she now has little strength in her ride arm and left leg. The now 40-year old Nowak took up international para dressage competition in 2020 aboard Fokko OLD (by Fidertanz x Sandro Hit) and has also been competing Fayola DB (by Fahrenheit x Roh Magic) and Fuerstin HB (by Furstenball x Rascalino).

Through close contact with Stefanie Wolf, Stanford joined Nowak's ranks last year and the duo made its CPEDI debut in Randbol, Denmark, followed by starts in Kronenberg and Grote-Brogel.

Sadly, the gelding suffered a severe colic attack and despite all veterinary care could not be rescued.

"The loss of Stanford still hits us very hard," Nowak told Eurodressage. "I am still not able to talk about it. Our goal was the Paralympic Games in Paris 2024. He had just understood how to deal with my handicap and had just become a real friend. We could already decide a M** Dressage for us in the regular sport. He leaves us with a huge gap."

Nowak will now fall back on Fayola DB NRW, with whom she is German squad listed.