Bettina Hoy and Ringwood Cockatoo will miss this summer’s Olympic Games.
The German rider had to prove her horse’s fitness and form at Hünxe last weekend, after he incurred an injury at Aachen two weeks ago, but he was unable to compete and so has lost his place in the squad.
In a statement on the German Equestrian Federation website Bettina says: “Ringwood Cockatoo is recovering well from his injury, but he is not completely right and so he is not ready for the Games. I’ve worked for the past four years with the Olympics in mind to give myself another chance of a medal. I am very disappointed.”
The 45-year-old was one of the favourites for an individual medal in Hong Kong. She had been in line to win individual and team gold at the Athens 2004 Games before ruling herself out of a medal when she passed through the start gates twice in the show jumping.
Her place goes to Andreas Dibowski and Euroridings Butts Leon.
Ringwood Cockatoo will be aimed at either Burghley or Pau in the autumn instead.
The German eventing team is now:
- Frank Ostholt and Mr Medicott
- Ingrid Klimke and FRH Butts Abraxxas
- Peter Thomsen and The Ghost Of Hamish
- Hinrich Romeike and Marius Voigt-Logistik
- Andreas Dibowski and Euroridings Butts Leon
