German Olympic Team Gold Medal Mounts Desperados & Showtime Out of European Championship Consideration
7 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on German Olympic Team Gold Medal Mounts Desperados & Showtime Out of European Championship Consideration
WARENDORF, Germany, May 25, 2017–Germany’s Olympic gold medal team horses Showtime FRH and Desperados FRH have been knocked out of consideration for the European Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden in August by injuries.
Desperados, 16-year-old Hanoverian stallion ranked No. 2 in the world and ridden by Kristina Bröring-Sprehe in both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics as well as other championships, has what the German federation called an “acute injury” and will be out of competition for about five months.
Showtime, 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding ranked third in the world and ridden by Dorothee Schneider, is still recovering from an injury.
“I am incredibly sorry for both riders and the horses,” said Monica Theodorescu, the German team coach. “For us as a team it is, of course, tough to be without two of our top horses at the championship. The top priority, however, is the complete recovery of Showtime and Desperados. They will have the necessary time to do so.”
She said that Dorothee Schneider plans to compete Sammy Davis Jr. at Balve, the German championships, June 8-11 and seek a spot on Germany’s Nations Cup team at Aachen July 19-23 to qualify for the Europeans.
Monica said the focus is on the 2018 World Games in Tryon, North Carolina with the goal of qualifying for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Isabell Werth who rode Weihegold OLD, ranked No. 1 in the world, on the Olympic team in Rio de Janeiro as well as to her third World Cup title in Omaha in March has three other horses competing at international Grand Prix.
Sönke Rothenberger, 22 years old, and the 10-year-old Cosmo that was also on the Rio team, has returned to competition this year achieving personal best scores.
