While great horsemen like Dr. Reiner Klimke, Willi Schultheis, and Fritz Tempelman are considered the foundation dressage riders, a younger pack of talented riders are now on their way to establishing themselves in dressage history. Acclaimed dressage rider Isabell Werth is one of those persons who is heading for a gold remembrance plate in the Hall of Fame of equestrians. Instructed, trained, assisted and mentored by one of the beacon trainers in dressage history, Dr. Uwe Schulten Baumer, Werth has completed her achievements' list with every single title there is to be won: German, European, World, World Cup and Olympic Champion.
The two most important mounts who provided her this hail and praise were Nissan Gigolo, a 16 year old Hanoverian by Graditz, and Fabienne, a Westphalian mare by Fruhlingshaft. On her way to success, Werth regularly was submerged with setbacks. This past July 1999, on the beautiful island Graf Inselwerth in Bad Honnef, Germany, she talked to the DressageDaily Team about her vision on dressage and success in past, present, and future.
Down to Earth
Isabell Werth has always been a down-to-earth dressage rider. Her trusty Gigolo has been her partner through thick and thin and together they conquered the world. Werth has remained focused and kept both feet on the ground. Even though she has "excellent help" the multiple medallist still grooms her own horses when she can, brings in their water and digs ditches round her stalls when the tent on the show ground is being flooded by rain storms.
"Riding is more than riding," she claimed. A strong personal bond with the horse is a first step to success. "First you have to build up a relationship, you have to love your horse and then all the rest is just fun." Werth describes 'riding' as the coronation of a relationship between man and horse that is based on trust. When her busy schedule allows it, she accompanies her horses during their flight to international competitions. "I'm too nervous to sit at home, or to go in business class on the plane, or just wait on my horses in a hotel." Werth finds it "quite normal" that a strong personal bond with each horse is necessary.
Secret to Success
Until now, no nation has ever succeeded in breaking Germany's streak as ruling dressage country. Germany's domination is threefold according to Werth: First of all the Germans have good horses. They employ great accuracy in the selection of breeding stallions and the matchmaking of brood mare and sire. Secondly, Germany has a tradition of producing great trainers, which have the ability to pass on their knowledge in an efficient way. Most of the good trainers avoid short cuts and the pushing of young horses to a high level. Thirdly, Germany is lucky to have a huge amount of talented riders, who have many opportunities available to them to develop their talents.
"All these things together form a good basis which produces good combinations between trainer and rider, "For example Monica Theodorescu and her father Georg, or Dr. Uwe Schulten-Baumer and myself," Werth explained.
Staying Focused
One of Werth's winning qualities is her ability to stay focused. According to her, it's not a special trick she applies when she rides. "You learn it by riding a lot of competitions. You get experience and the importance of the competition also matters. Of course, the personality of the rider depends on whether you have the talent to concentrate, to fight and to control your nerves."
Although Werth possesses a rational part that applies the 'focus-button' in her head, Isabell admits she can be superstitious. "When I'm on my way to a show and I see a black cat or when I come across many red lights, I think "oh my God". I have a pair of running trousers that I love to wear prior to a competition. When I have a bad show, I put them back in the closet. I also have a blouse that brings good luck. I wore it brand new at my first big championship. There are small holes in it now and I save the blouse for only the important tests."
1999 began as a year with great promise. The Werth/Schulten-Baumer stable was full of horses that "could be the German Team" commented one of the sport's leading dressage judges. As a fate beyond anyone's control, it all began to unravel: in April Isabell's best reserve horse, Nobilis Amaretto, died of a severe colic attack. During CHIO Aachen in June, her Olympic and World Equestrian Games Gold Medal mount Nissan Gigolo pulled a tendon that disabled the combination for the 1999 European Championships. Even during those dark moments, there was a ray of light. "The owners of my former Grand Prix horse Welcome (Hanoverian, by World Cup I) immediately offered him as mount for the European Championships. I could not start Welcome because I did not ride the qualifiers with him. It was a wonderful gesture, one I will always be greatful of."
Instead, Isabell saddled her successful Hanoverian gelding Nissan Anthony FRH (by Argument/Trak) with whom she qualified for the 1999 European Championships German Team. In Arnhem, Anthony rode a nice Grand Prix test and the German Team won the Gold Medal. After a less accurate Special, Werth pulled him out of the competition for the individual placings. The much hyped showdown between Werth and Van Grunsven for the Gold Medal was not to be and this resulted in some speculation in the press that she did to avoid losing her number one position in the world. "It was all so untrue" she explained, with a look of sadness in her eyes as she described what happened. "Anthony had a high temperature, just like my teammate's horse Chacomo. The day after the finals, Ulla Salzgeber's Rusty had the same problem. There must have been a virus in the stalls of our team."
With her ability to "draw a line under it, and move on," Arnhem was the first championship where Werth could sit back, relax and observe. "I got the chance to watch many of the rides, something I usually do not have the opportunity to do," she explained. "It was now someone else's turn to be scrutinized, and I was able to have a new perspective on being in that position."
What Lies Ahead
Dr Uwe Schulten Baumer is in charge of the purchase of new talent. With Gigolo starting back at CDI Stuttgart in November 17th to 21st 1999, Isabell also has set her sights on the talented Angelli a nine year old Hanoverian by Akzent II competing in Prix St Georg/Intermediare 1. Werth is also very enthusiastic about Richard Kimble, a five year old Westphalian gelding by Ribbeck. Aleppo S OLD, an Oldeburger gelding by Argentinus, is Isabell's newest Grand Prix mount. "He has no Grand Prix weaknesses, but he needs more experience, more concentration and relaxation in the test."
Werth is the ruling dressage rider who made her big debut at the Olympic Games in 1992 where she won team gold and individual silver. In 1996 she won the Olympic Team and Individual Gold in Atlanta, and in 1998 the Team and Individual Gold at The World Equestrian Games in Rome. Isabell Werth has earned her ticket to stardom, but the question remains whether a new group of young talents will present themselves at the upcoming Olympic Games in Sydney. "It's a normal development," Werth shrugs. "A new generation introduces itself and the younger have to fight for a top ten spot. When you feel the breeze of others in your neck, you know you are good." Werth also has her 'other life', which is her education and earning her law degree. "I go home on Monday to a different world with my studies and exams".
Focusing, keeping her perspective and giving credit to her trainer and mentor Shulten-Baumer and her horses is the essence of Werth's being.
By Mary Phelps/Hathaway and Astrid Appels