The German dressage team can only fall back on three riders in the prestigious nation price. As the German Equestrian Association (FN) announced one day before the start of the two parts, the new German champion Sönke Rothenberger and Fendi will not take part in the Grand Prix. The team of national coach Monica Theodorescu has no string result.
The 30-year-old’s top horse passed the VET check on Wednesday, but the team leadership and Rothenberger decided against the start of the horse for “health reasons”. Just two weeks ago, the duo won the German championship title in the Grand Prix freestyle.
For the German team, Isabell Werth starts Wendy, Frederic Wandres with Bluetooth and Katharina Hemmer with Denoix. Matthias Alexander Rath, who was originally nominated with Destacado as a reserve, could no longer move into the German contingent. Without the fourth rider, the result of each duo goes into the team classification.
The German team is considered a big favorite for the Nations Prize, in which the ratings from the Grand Prix enter Thursday and the special on Saturday. Numerous nations compete without their top representatives.
