Italian Pony Rider Virginia Spönle Switches Trainers: from Freund to Werth's Yard

Dressage

Italy

Italy's number one pony rider, Virginia Spönle, has made a big switch in her life at the start of 2022. She parted ways with long-time coach Jana Freund to relocate her horses to Isabell Werth's yard.

Horse Family

The 14-year old Spönle is based in Geldern (GER) and has a German father, Frank, and Italian mother Elisa Grassi.

The family runs a high-end Arabian brood farm and prepares Arabians for European and World Championships for Sheiks from the Middle East. Daughter Virginia developed a keen interest in dressage which the parents happily support.

Virginia made her show debut in Germany as a 9-year old in 2016 aboard pony Sohnemann and first competed Casanova (by Champion de Luxe x Golden Dream R) and Adrette D (by Amarillys Sensation x Desteny).

In the autumn of 2017 the 5-year old licensed stallion Coer Noble (by Caramel x Noir de Luxe) joined the ranks, after he had won the Bundeschampionate for 4-year old pony stallions under Nazila Natasha Lotz. Young Virginia initially shared the ride with experienced pony rider Janine Drissen but it was Virginia who rode the buckskin stallion to a fourth place in the 5-year old dressage pony class at the 2018 Bundeschampionate. In 2019 they scored the bronze medal in the 6-year old division.

International Pony Sport

Virginia and Jana at the 2021 CDI Grote Brogel

2020 became the break-through year for Spönle, who competed Adrette D at the 2020 European Pony Championships in Pilisjaszfalu, her first international competition in her life as in the 2020 corona year there was little opportunity to gain international mileage before the summer. They finished 41st in the individual test with 65.973%.

With trainer Jana Freund by her side, Virginia began campaigning Coer Noble internationally in the spring of 2021 with competition starts in Opglabbeek, Grote Brogel, and Hagen before heading to the 2021 European Pony Championships, where the pair became the anchor for the Italian team to lead it to a historic fourth team place finish. Individually they were 11th in the Kur to Music Finals.

Virginia and Coer Noble finished the year at the 2021 CDI Aachen Indoor Young Stars show, where they were 10th in the Kur.

From Freund to Werth

In November 2021 the Spönle family received the opportunity for Virginia to move her horses and ponies to Isabell Werth's yard, as the family already has the 8-year old licensed stallion Falihandro (by Furstenball x Dancier) in training with Werth's assistant rider Niklaas Feilzer.

"I wish her the best of best of luck in achieving all that she has planned," Freund commented. "I'm grateful for the fun time, beautiful moments and successful highlights of our collaboration. I'm very proud to have guided and trained her and Balu (Coer Noble) in their first FEI season straight to the European Championship finals. Also the 15th place on the FEI World Ranking shows on what a successful road we were."

"Virginia will continue on ponies and start some M-level competitions with Bobby, but nothing international for the moment," mum Elisa Grassi told Eurodressage. "She wants to focus on the pony, but start working on her junior horse too. Virginia is super excited and Isabell and her staff are amazing."

Niklaas Feilzer will be Virginia's principle trainer, although the lady of the house, Isabell Werth, supervises it all.

"Niklaas is the one “in charge” of Virginia, but Isabell has been very helpful too. If Niklaas is not there and Isabell is, she often gives her lessons. She’s been truly supportive and great with Virgi," Grassi added.

Bob Marley

Virginia's future junior rider's horse will be the 9-year old Hanoverian Bob Marley (by Bon Bravour x De Niro), which Spönle co-owns with Arabian horse breeder Ralf Heckenbücker.

The black former licensed stallion was first competed by Janine Drissen and finished 14th at the 2018 Bundeschampionate in the 5-year old Division. Jana Freund took on the ride in 2019 and produced him to small tour level. She once competed him internationally at the 2021 CDI Troisdorf, where they won the Prix St Georges and Intermediaire I.