Isabell Werth will not be riding Emilio in his final retirement competition at the 2024 World Cup Finals in Riyadh (KSA) next week. The horse has sustained a minor injury and Quantaz will replace him.
Emilio is an 18-year old Westfalian by Ehrenpreis out of Celina (by Cacir AA x Frühlingsball x Pilatus). He is out of the same dam as Werth's champion mare Bella Rose. Both are bred by Heinrich and Wilhelm Strunk.
In the spring of 2023 Werth announced that Emilio would be competing in his last season and be retired from sport at the end of 2023 (in Frankfurt). However, as the gelding ended up winning the World Cup qualifier in Stuttgart and was second in Basel, the idea to carry on until the 2024 World Cup Finals arose.
This won't be the case though. Today Werth announced that, "unfortunately, Emilio has periostitis due to a trauma. This will cancel his start to the World Cup Final in Riyadh. What a pity! I'm going to start with Quantaz instead. He is very good and I hope we will be able to prove our form there."
Seventeen riders are entered to compete in the 2024 World Cup Finals
Photo © Astrid Appels
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