Australian Olympian William Matthew Leaves Isabell Werth to Go Independent

Dressage

Australia

Australian Olympic team rider William Matthew will leave Isabell Werth, his trainer and half-time employer of the last five years.

The rider will go fully independent and set up his own business with Ellen Hedbys.

Thirteen Years in Europe

Originally from Perth (AUS), Matthew arrived in Europe to work with horses professionally in 2011.

He first worked with Lusitano horses for Kate Mably in Cornwall, U.K, after meeting her in Perth. After 8 months in the UK he went back to Australia, did whatever work he could find and saved his money

Six months later he saved enough to return to Germany to work for Hayley Beresford as a working student. He spent one year with Hayley before working under Australian Warwick McLean in Tönisvorst, Germany, for a five-year period.

William then worked for Dutch horse dealer Leida Collins-Strijk for eight months in The Netherlands, but the daily commute was straining. William returned to his familiar area in Dusseldorf and went to work for the Hödl family under Beatrice Buchwald (now Hoffrogge). This stint lasted two years until Buchwald decided to relocate and get married.

Isabell Werth

Matthew stayed connected to the Hödls, who opened the door to Isabell Werth.

Werth offered him a part-time job as one of her assistant riders, while he could slowly set up his own shop on the side. Since December 2019 William has been riding for Isabell in the mornings and for himself in the afternoons.

The first important horses he got to ride were Madeleine Winter-Schulze's Belantis (by Benetton Dream x Expose) and Freischutz (by Foundation x Del Martino).

It was Stephanie Goller's mare Mysterious Star (by Metall x Furst Heinrich) that unlocked new doors for Will. They made their CDI debut in March 2023 and competed at CDI's in Aachen, Tolbert, Exloo, Kronenberg, Hagen, Aachen, and Kronberg. They were selected on the Australian team for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and placed 24th in the Special with 69.711%

Independence

Matthew announced today that he has gone fully independent from coach Werth as of 1 December 2024.

"It has been a life changing 5 years thanks to the opportunities and training you have given me," he said. "I was able to achieve a lot in the last 5 years with your guidance and support, from my first Grand Prix Win with Belantis, achieving my Goldenes Reitabzeichen, a Louisdor final and now an Olympic Games. I’m forever grateful."

Matthew will now work fully from the Hödl's Gut Kostenschlag together with Ellen Hedbys, a Swedish Under 25 rider.