The United States' second highest scoring Grand Prix dressage horse, Guenter Seidel's Coral Reef Wylea, sustained an injury and will be out of contention for the 2014 World Equestrian Games.
"Unfortunately she will be out of work for a few months," Seidel told Eurodressage.
Wylea is a 14-year old Westfalian mare by Weinberg x Saluut and owned by Gwendolyn Sontheim Meyer. The 53-year old Guenter Seidel received the ride on the chestnut mare in December 2012.
Seidel and Wylea were the 2013 U.S. reserve Grand Prix championships and were currently lying in second place on the U.S. WEG Ranking list with a score average of 72.777%. Steffen Peters and Legolas are in the lead with 75.919%.
Wylea's injury comes as a major set-back for U.S. dressage sport as America is struggling to produce mid seventy percentage scoring horses at the moment.
Guenter is one of America's most decorated dressage riders but has no back-up Grand Prix horse at the moment.
"I don't have any really promising horses coming up at the moment," Seidel admitted. "I ride quite a bit of horses of clients and have my own young one, but nothing which is going to step up into the FEI level for me right now."
Seidel is very hopeful of his own 7-year old Westfalian gelding by Rock Forever x Ferragamo. He acquired the bay four years ago in Germany and he is currently schooling fourth level.
"He will be Prix St Georges by the end of this year," Seidel added.
Photo © Risto Aaltonen
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