Sanneke Rothenberger & Deveraux Win Young Rider World Cup

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

FRANKFURT, Germany, Dec. 17–Sanneke Rothenberger rode Deveraux OLD to win the Young Rider World Cup Saturday night adding another title to the trove of 10 gold and three silver medals the German rider has won in her career.

The 19-year-old rider and her 10-year-old gelding (De Niro x Odelia x Rhodiamant) scored 79.100 per cent before about 6,000 spectators in the Festhallen, an exhibition center lavishly decorated for Christmas.

Denmark’s Carina Nevermann-Torup, 21, and Blue Boy were second on 76.550 per cent and Sweden’s Elin Aspnäs and Donna Romma third on 72.525 per cent.

“Winnng ths World Cup is like winning the Europeans,” Sanneke said after the competition. “Everyone clapping, being at home… I am really, really happy.”

Carina said she had dreamed of being a part of the World Cup since it started.

“It is dream come true,” she said. “I bought Blue Boy when he was five years old and taught him everything. He is a really good friend. He has a big place in my heart.”

Elin, 19, said the result was “unbelievable.”

Frankfurt was only the horse’s second indoor competition and he is just eight years old.

“I started him off,” she said. “At the beginnng of the year I did not think about the World Cup Final, but we got better and better. Then we won an international competition in Poland and I also rode him at the Swedish championships as a senior.”

The only annual global young rider championship–this year’s lineup as it has in the past included combinations from Australia and the United States in addition to Europeans–is a highlight of the Frankfurt show that some had feared may be lost because the event will not be a World Cup qualifier for seniors next year.

However, Trond Asmyr of the International Equestrian Federation and Klaus Martin Rath a member of the organizing family said that the Young Rider World Cup Final will return to Frankfurt next year with longtime sponsor Schenker renewing their commitment.

Klaus Martin said one of the goals in hosting the Young Rider World Cup was to couple it with a major senior competition such as a senior World Cup event.

Discussions are being held to stage a premier event along with the Young Rider World Cup.