The selectors of the German Olympic Equestrian Committee (DOKR) announced the team that will represent Germany at the 2015 European Dressage Championships in Aachen on 12 - 16 August 2015.
The team was officially announced before the final CDIO Grand Prix freestyle in Hagen: Kristina Bröring-Sprehe, Matthias Alexander Rath, Isabell Werth and Jessica von Bredow-Werndl will defend the title at the European Dressage Championships in Aachen this year.
“It was our intention to put an end to speculations and provide all riders the opportunity to completely concentrate on the task ahead,” said Klaus Roeser, head of the dressage selection committee, on Sunday 12 July. “Even though the team selection was certainly no surprise any more after the performances shown here in Hagen.”
Anabel Balkenhol and Dablino FRH were nominated reserve rider, Fabienne Lütkemeier and D’Agostino, Hubertus Schmidt and Imperio as well as young rider Sanneke Rothenberger and her Deveraux OLD were also entered on the longlist.
“I was very satisfied with the performances of our riders at the CDIO. There are two team members with performances of more than 80% with Kristina Sprehe being certainly slightly in the lead at the moment,” German National Coach Monica Theodorescu optimistically said with regard to the forthcoming championships. The second bearer of hope who exceeded the mark of 80% twice, convincingly securing first place, is Matthias Alexander Rath with his black stallion Totilas.
Although there were some minor mistakes in the CDI Grand Prix Special on Sunday, the rider from Kronberg came to a positive conclusion: “Toto was willingly performing today, and particularly piaffe and passage were even better than in the Grand Prix. Unfortunately, we had some more severe, but unnecessary mistakes, for example the salute and the first pirouette. But now we have the time to work on it.” Exactly until August 9 when the four team riders will move from the training facilities of National German Coach Monica Theodorescu to the Aachen Soers.
Host Ullrich Kasselmann drew a positive conclusion after the first CDIO in Hagen, sharing the opinion of the riders and trainers. “We saw extraordinary sport, and although this was the third big equestrian event within a couple of weeks only, there was a huge expert audience who has given the riders fantastic support,” said Kasselmann.
A statement that Matthias Alexander Rath underlined as well: „The stadium is an impressive setting for the dressage competitions. I already enjoyed it in 2005 as spectator when my step-mother Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff competed at the European Championships. The conditions in Hagen are simply perfect.”
Approx. 7,000 visitors followed the competitions of the CDIO that finished with the CDIO-tour freestyle on Sunday. Kristina Bröring-Sprehe and Desperados FRH won the test like with the competitions before, followed by Isabell Werth with Don Johnson FRH and Jessica von Bredow-Werndl in the saddle of Unee BB. “This was an incredible, super weekend for me. It is now important to keep the form and to completely concentrate on Aachen, “ said the newly-wed rider from Dinklage.
The special prize, donated by the Liselott Schindling Foundation for the most successful rider of the tournament, went to the Dutch Diedrik van Slifhout.
Photos © LL-foto
Related Links
Eurodressage On the Scene at the 2015 European Dressage Championships
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2015 CDIO Hagen