German elite dressage and eventing rider Ingrid Klimke is not going to let a broken bone get in her way of riding for a team spot at the 2023 CDIO Aachen on 28 June - 2 July 2023.
Klimke, who is the 2017 and 2019 European Eventing Champion but who also rode to team bronze at the 2022 World Championships dressage in Herning, fell off her horse in the cross country at the CCI 4* in Luhmühlen on 17 June 2023. Although she immediately stood on her feet and walked her horse back to the barn, the diagnosis in the hospital afterwards was that she had fractured her collar bone which required surgery.
Ingrid's injury came at an unfortunate time as she was nominated to ride the Hanoverian stallion Franziskus (by Fidertanz x Alabaster) on the German team in the FEI Nations Cup at the CDIO Aachen, the second German team selection trial for the 2023 European Championships in Riesenbeck.
The 55-year old Ingrid proved her grit and just days after surgery she was back in the saddle. Today Klimke confirmed her presence at the CDIO Aachen with a video message: "Franz and I are fit and we're looking forward to Aachen."
In Aachen, Klimke will be fighting for a team spot alongside Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (Dalera BB), Frederic Wandres (Bluetooth OLD) and Isabell Werth (Quantaz). Her biggest rivals are CDI 4* tour rider Sönke Rothenberger on Fendi and Balve surprise pair Katharina Hemmer on Denoix PCH, who exceeded the expectations at the German Championships and finished fourth in the freestyle.
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