17 years is a long time, not only for an athlete’s life. It was 2005, George W. Bush had just begun his second term as US President, Joseph Ratzinger had become Pope Benedict and Angela Merkel became Federal Chancellor when dressage rider Benjamin Werndl won team gold for the last time at the European Championships for Young Riders in Italy and behind his sister Jessica singles silver. As a youngster, he was European team champion three times, runner-up once at the European Championships, and several medals at German championships. After that, however, many years passed before the siblings were able to establish themselves in top international sport with suitable horses.
A dream is also coming true for Benjamin Werndl these days. Now 38 years old, he is part of the German dressage team for the World Championships in Herning, Denmark, which starts with the team competition this Saturday. “I’m happy and relieved that I made it,” he said after his nomination, “I’m really happy.” He, the brother of the double Olympic champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, has now also arrived in the circle of international medal contenders.
His sister broke through earlier, in 2013 with Unee. At the same time, she built up Dalera for the premier class and steadily worked her way to the top of the world with the Trakehner mare. The duo was part of the German winning team at the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon/USA. Last year von Bredow-Werndl became double Olympic champion, triple European champion and German champion in Grand Prix Spezial and freestyle with her “Queen”. This year, the couple confidently won the World Cup final in Leipzig. However, the World Cup will take place without the world number one, because she is expecting her second child, a girl, shortly.
“Sometimes I doubted whether I would ever make it into the German team. But I was never in despair.”
While his sister has been in the fast lane in recent years, things have not always gone smoothly for Benjamin Werndl. Is it difficult to stand in your sister’s shadow? “No, it’s not that, because I also see Jessi’s success as mine,” says the professional rider, looking from the piazza towards the dressage arena. Hooves clatter on the asphalt. A few horses are brought into the horse walker. Each animal comes out of its box, including the paddock, four to five times a day. The siblings jointly manage the equestrian center near Rosenheim with around 50 horses, more than 20 employees and numerous customers from Germany and abroad. Both pursue the same goal. “We want to be the leading dressage training stable. The sporting success of all of us is very good for the company,” explains Werndl.
“I also see Jessi’s success as mine”: Jessica Bredow-Werndl with gold medal in Tokyo.
(Foto: Moritz Mueller/imago images)
A few times he came close to a place in the German team. In 2018, the business administration graduate was on the long list for the World Equestrian Games with Daily Mirror. In 2019 he was named to the Olympic squad. But all chances of participating in the championship receded into the distant future when his two horses were injured one after the other in 2020. Werndl needed patience. “Sometimes I doubted whether I would ever make it into the German team. But I was never desperate,” he assures. “I’m doing what I love: training horses and training riders.” He, too, has developed further with every horse and passed on this knowledge, says the father of three daughters. “The many small advances along the way inspire me just as much as the end product. I always got something positive out of the breaks and I had more time for my family.”
The national coach is calling for a year of upheaval before the World Cup
Famoso, Werndl’s World Championship partner, returned to tournament sport in November 2021, Daily Mirror only in May 2022. Just over a month ago at the CHIO Aachen, the German team rider contributed to second place in his Nations Cup debut with the 13-year-old from Oldenburg. In the final freestyle, the duo placed sixth. Werndl also stood out in the CDI Tour with his sensitive yet precise riding and finished second in the Grand Prix Special with Daily Mirror. He was particularly pleased that the 18-year-old veteran was so fresh and motivated after his long break that he was nominated as a reserve for the World Cup.
Six years ago, Flora Keller entrusted her horses to Werndl. Her sister Beatrice Bürchler-Keller, a former Swiss dressage judge and owner of Dalera, Ferdinand and others, has been supporting Jessica von Bredow-Werndl since 2012. “We are very grateful that we have such good partners,” says Werndl. Of course, Flora Keller will also travel to Herning, as will Werndl’s parents and his wife Katrin. Sister Jessica will support him from home.
Germany may be the defending champions, but this time the Danish hosts are the favourites. In the individual finals, Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Vamos Amigos have the best chances. The German team will be the same as in Aachen. Isabell Werth rides Quantaz. In addition to Werndl and Famoso, Ingrid Klimke and Franziskus as well as Frederic Wandres and Duke of Britain are in the German championship team for the first time. It was a year of upheaval, stressed national coach Monica Theodorescu.
For Benjamin Werndl, in addition to training the horses, special fitness exercises for stabilization and mobilization as well as breathing exercises and meditation are part of the daily routine. “It’s about finding balance with the horse, being present and focused. That’s what I focus on.” Such holistic approaches were not known 17 years ago. In any case, Benjamin Werndl is prepared.
