Don Auriello on the Road to Recovery, to Return in Spring

Dressage

Sweden

Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven, a Swedish multiple Olympian and team bronze medal winner at the 2017 European Championships, has told Eurodressage that her number one Grand Prix horse Don Auriello is on the road to recovery.

Don Auriello is 15-year old Hanoverian gelding by Don Davidoff x White Star. He is owned by Tinne's longtime sponsor Antonia Ax:son Johnson.

Don Auriello's last show was the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, where the pair placed 8th in the Kur to Music. They did not appear on the World Cup circuit and missed out on 2017 Dressage in Florida. In May 2017 Tinne officially confirmed that the horse was injured to a ligament and would not be fit on time for Swedish team selection for the 2017 European Championships. Instead, Tinne qualified on the team with Paridon Magi.

Vilhelmson annually travels to Wellington, Florida, to spend the winter months in the sun instead of the snow. Eurodressage asked whether Don Auriello would make his come back there, but the gelding will not be shipped to Florida. Vilhelmson confirmed that her horse is on the road to recovery but he will only pick up showing again in Europe in the spring.

"He’s well on his way. I plan and hope that he will compete in the spring in Europe. It's too early in Wellington," said Tinne who did not want to pin point an exact show for the come back. "About Don Auriello, I ‘m just so superstitious so I’m scared to say it out loud."

Tinne will be taking four Grand Prix level horses to Florida. With Paridon Magi (by Don Primero x Napoleon) and Benetton Dream (by Brentano II x Rotspon) she'll be focusing on the CDI big tour and with her rising stars Esperance (by Sorento x Rousseau) and Etoine (by Vivaldi x Balzflug) she's going to do national classes.

"Esperance will make his debut at national Grand Prix, and I hope Etoine will go Intermediaire II," Tinne explained.