Showtime, the multiple medal-winning ride of German dressage rider Dorothee Schneider, has retired from competition aged 17.

The Sandro Hit gelding is to bow out at the Internationales Festhallen Reitturnier Frankfurt on Saturday (16 December), having won European and Olympic medals during his stellar career.

“The moment has come, it’s Showtime. A very special horse, especially for me, leaves the tournament stage. What indescribable emotions,” said Dorothee yesterday (12 December).

Dorothee found Showtime as a three-year-old, with her friend and owner Gabriele Kippert.

“It was love at first feeling,” said Dorothee. “I always felt the need to tell everyone how great he was, because he simply deserves to be seen. Not everyone initially shared this belief.

“He was a bit shy, and introverted and he often hid behind me, even though I tend to have these traits myself. We fitted together perfectly and became a great team over the years – not just in sport, but also in our private lives.”

Showtime came up through young horse classes with Dorothee, and competed in the young horse World Championships for five- and six-year-olds. In June 2015 he made a winning international grand prix debut aged nine, at the Fritzens-Schindlhof CDI4* in Austria.

The following year Dorothee and Showtime made a big impression in Aachen with +80 scores, and they were selected for the German team at the Rio Olympics, where they won individual bronze on Showtime’s championship debut.

At the 2019 Europeans they helped Germany to team gold, and claimed double individual silver with a +85% in the grand prix special and +90% in the freestyle. Showtime then had nearly two years off competition, but returned in May 2021 and that summer was part of the gold medal-winning team at the Tokyo Olympics.

“Two Olympics and one European Championships, all with an incredible amount of commitment, fun and passion,” said Dorothee.

“Today, Showtime is no longer shy, but a radiant prince whose self-confidence has grown impressively in the arena and at home. He realised what he was capable of and how special he was, and not just to me. With his unique style, he makes many hearts beat faster – especially mine.”

Dorothee said the decision has now been made to retire Showtime from competition aged 17.

“He has achieved everything and much more. A long sporting journey that gave me countless goosebumps is coming to an end. In my opinion you only get a Showtime like that once in your life, if you are that lucky, and his place in my heart is infinitely large,” she said.

“When we say goodnight to each other and good morning, the joy is written on both of our faces. I can hardly put this feeling into words, and the time after the sport will also be marked by moving moments.”

Dorothee said she and Showtime have “14 unforgettable years behind them”, and she hopes that they have “many more” together.

“No matter where the road takes us or where we both grow older, as long as we live, we will travel together – that is without question,” she said.

Showtime will take part in a “farewell performance” at the Internationales Festhallen Reitturnier Frankfurt.

“This is the perfect setting for us, it is the most beautiful indoor tournament ever, and organised by my home club, the Frankfurt tournament stable Schwarz Gelb. A big thank you to the Linsenhoff/Rath family for this wonderful opportunity,” she said.

“I look forward to accompanying my and Showtime’s loyal companions, including my dear friends and Showi’s owners, Gabriele Kippert and Eva Maria Mann. In addition, his grooms and many people from and around my team who have accompanied us and our successes over the years, and in many cases made them possible.”

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Germany have begun their campaign to secure a sixth successive championship team title in the grand prix at the European Dressage Championships in Hagen, Germany.

The home side, comprising Isabell Werth, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, Dorothee Schneider and Helen Langehanenberg, have taken an early lead in the team standings with Dorothee producing a super test on the 13-year-old Faustus 94, scoring 74.98% and going into the top spot on the leaderboard at this early stage.

Faustus is Dorothee’s reserve ride, and received a late call up to the European Dressage Championships team to replace her double Olympic ride Showtime FRH, who was ruled out of competing at Hagen with an injury.

The Falsterbo II x Forrest xx son, who has clocked up several plus-75% grand prix results this year so far, tried hard for his rider in the Hagen arena, producing bold extensions and super canter work.

“I think the highlights in this test was the canter work. He has a really super, uphill canter,” said Dorothee. “We had a mistake on the centre line at the end – a small canter – which was expensive. But I’m very happy. This is the first time he has come to a championship for Germany. For his first start, I’m very proud.”

The next rider for the German side will be Helen Langehanenberg, riding her Tokyo travelling reserve horse Annabelle at 2.41pm (1.41pm BST). Isabell Werth (Weihegold OLD) and Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (TSF Dalera BB) will compete tomorrow.

Gareth Hughes is the first rider out for Britain, taking to the arena today at 11.13am (10.13 BST) with the 11-year-old Sintano Van Hof Olympia. Lottie Fry will also be in action for Britain later today riding the 12-year-old stallion Everdale, at 2.59pm (1.59pm BST). Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin will ride the grand prix tomorrow (Wednesday 8 September).

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The British Tokyo Olympics dressage team will ride for the team medals on Tuesday, 27 July, after finishing second on the leaderboard and qualifying to compete in the grand prix special. All three British riders – Lottie Fry and Everdale, Carl Hester and En Vogue, and Charlotte Dujardin on Gio – have also qualified for the freestyle on Wednesday, 28 July, where they will compete for the individual medals.

The top eight teams from the grand prix competition will progress to fight it out for a place on the Tokyo Olympics podium. A dominant performance by the last-to-go world number one Isabell Werth and her reigning world and European champion Bella Rose 2 earned 82.5%, elevating her to the top of group F. Behind her in second was Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin who produced a simply stunning display with the inexperienced 10-year-old Gio to earn a grand prix personal best as a combination of 80.93%.

Charlotte’s score – the fourth highest across the two days of grand prix competition – secured Britain’s place as a team in second behind Germany.

“To me that is like winning tonight, because I came out knowing he couldn’t have done any more,” said an emotional Charlotte after her test. “It’s not always about winning or losing, it’s about what you can do with your horse. That was one of those special moments, that emotion just runs though your body because you feel so proud, having that partnership with your horse.”

Denmark sit third, their super results from Nanna Skodberg Merrral (Zack) and Cathrine Dufour (Bohemian) from Saturday (24 July) boosted by a group-topping test from Carina Cassøe Kruth and Heiline’s Danciera today.

The remaining teams to qualify as part of the top eight are: the USA, the Netherlands, Sweden, Portugal and Spain. All teams will start the special on a clean slate, however – no scores or placings will be carried forward to the team final.

With the two top in each group booking themselves an automatic berth in the grand prix freestyle, there was a tense wait for those who finished just below. This included Britain’s Carl Hester, who finished fourth in what was an exceptionally strong heat, but whose score of 75.12% was higher than some of those who finished second in other groups. However, Carl will progress as one of the six best across the whole grand prix, who did not finish in their group’s top two.

The other combinations to have qualified as part of these six are the USA’s Steffen Peters (Suppenkasper), the Netherlands’ Hans Peter Minderhoud (Dream Boy), Denmark’s Nanna Skodberg Merrald (Zack), Portugal’s Rodrigo Torres (fifth in Carl’s group with Fogoso) and Spain’s Beatriz Ferrer-Salat (Elegance).

Tokyo Olympics grand prix: individual results by group

For more results, visit: olympics.com

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The final rider in group five, Germany’s Dorothee Schneider, produced a workmanlike dressage test on Showtime FRH, to take the lead with 78.82% at the Tokyo Olympics. Their marks were trending at 80% until the canter work, but his first pirouette ground to a halt and Dorothee lost a stirrup. The scores plummeted from eights and nines to fours, which proved especially costly, as pirouettes carry double marks.

The pair are ranked four in the world and highly touted for a medal.

“All the extension and trot work, he was extremely good and in front of me, and he has a very good hindleg coming into the passage,” Dorothee said. “The first pirouette was very expensive for my score. He was not really in front of my inside leg, so I couldn’t ride him forward into the stride and he was tense. So he stopped, and I am not happy about that, but it happens. The second pirouette was good, and the flying changes, so there is positive stuff.

“We have to think about the pirouette, but I can prepare it in the next few days,” she added.

“He listens to everything I ask him”

Sweden’s Juliette Ramel saved the best until last, with her final centre line clinching 73.369% and the second qualifying berth for Wednesday’s grand prix freestyle. She was riding her team stalwart, Buriel KH, a 15-year-old gelding by Osmium. She was disappointed by a few errors – notably in the one-time tempi changes.

“It was annoying to have three mistakes, but the rest felt pretty good,” said Juliette, who is riding alongside her sister Antonia who came into the team when Patrik Kittel had to withdraw. “Buriel has so much character – he tells you exactly what he likes and what he doesn’t. But when I ride him, he is very with me and listens to everything I ask him.”

Marlies von Baalen finished just outside the automatic qualifying spots in third, riding Go Legend for a score of 71.615%. The Totilas son is a newcomer to international grand prix this season. Marlies felt there was room for improvement.

“My horse felt good, and I think we had some very nice parts,” said Marlies, 40. “In the first piaffe we had a little miscommunication, we had a few mistakes in canter and there were a couple of things that weren’t very fluent.”

“He wanted to crawl under a rock”

Australia’s Kelly Layne had a day to forget when Samhitas reared up in the piaffe right in front after the judge at C, after a promising start. The rest of the test was unsettled, leaving them on a score of 58.35%.

Kelly said she had “a rockstar out in the warm-up” but the 12-year-old Sir Donnerhall gelding suffered from stage fright in the big ring.

“Outside he was like, ‘bring it on’, but he suddenly realised he was alone in there,” said Kelly, 46. “He got a little bit inside himself, like he wanted to crawl under a rock and not be there. But every time I said ‘you’ve got to keep going’, he kept going.”

Kelly had been forced to withdraw from Rio team selection due to injury, but came off the reserve list to compete in Tokyo.

“My horse is still a bit green, and that showed tonight,” she said. “But I am thinking for the future for that horse, and for me, to come to this championship. You learn so much. I think it can just catapult you forward.”

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The Tokyo Olympics dressage competition gets underway today (24 July), with the grand prix, which runs over two days. At these Olympics, the grand prix serves two separate purposes: it acts as a team qualifier for the grand prix special on Tuesday (27 July), with the top eight teams going on to compete for the team medals, and it also determines who will qualify for the Tokyo Olympics grand prix freestyle, which determines the individual medals on Wednesday (28 July).

Only 18 combinations will progress through from the grand prix to the freestyle. The 60 starters (15 teams of three plus 15 individuals) will ride in six groups of 10, with riders distributed across these groups according to world ranking. The 18 that will progress to the freestyle comprise the top two pairs in each of the six groups, plus the six next best across all the groups.

As we have discussed in our Olympics previews, this Games is especially unpredictable for many reasons. But H&H dressage editor Polly Bryan has analysed the start list, and had a go at predicting which combinations will make up the 18 that will qualify for the Tokyo Olympics grand prix freestyle. Let’s see what she thinks…

Group One

Joao Victor Marcari Oliva (BRA) – Escorial

Nanna Skodberg Merrald (DEN) – Zack

Dong Seon Kim (KOR) – Belstaff

Kazuki Sado (JPN) – Ludwig Der Sonnenkoenig 2

Mary Hanna (AUS) – Calanta

Inna Logutenkova (UKR) – Fleraro

Yvonne Losos de Muniz (DOM) – Aquamarijn

Lottie Fry (GBR) – Everdale

Therese Nilshagen (SWE) – Dante Weltino

This is a strong group to kick off proceedings at the Tokyo Olympics dressage. The Swedish pair Therese Nilshagen and Dante Weltino are the best-ranked pair, in 18th, hence their position at the end of the group, but it is Britain’s Lottie Fry and Everdale, ranked 36th, whose grand prix scores have been consistently higher over the past couple of seasons. I would expect Lottie to lead this group and secure her spot in the freestyle. If Therese and Dante Weltino can find their best form, I would expect them to go through too, but it could be a close call between them and the Danish pair Nanna Skodberg Merrald, who have posted consistent mid-70s grand prix scores in the short time they’ve been together. Don’t rule out Yvonne Losos de Muniz, and Mary Hanna, either.

Group Two

Edward Gal (NED) – Total US

Beatriz Ferrer-Salat (ESP) – Elegance

Dina Ellermann (EST) – Donna Anna

Francesco Zaza (ITA) – Wispering Romance

Maria Caetano (POR) – Fenix De Tineo

Chris von Martels (CAN) – Eclips

Inessa Merkulova (ROC) – Mister X

Antonia Ramel (SWE) – Brother De Jeu

Cathrine Dufour (DEN) – Bohemian

This is a fascinating group. In theory, Cathrine Dufour should walk it – she and Bohemian achieved plus-83% several times in 2020, and 80% on their last outing, and are ranked number six in the world. But Edward Gal’s Total US, while too new to this level to have made much headway up the world rankings as of yet, has scored in the high 70s in each of their three international grands prix so far. I think Cathrine and Edward will book tickets to the freestyle, but Spain’s Beatriz Ferrer-Salat, Sweden’s Antonia Ramel and Austria’s Victoria Max-Theurer are likely to be in strong contention for one of the six “lucky loser” places.

Group Three

Jose Antonio Garcia Mena (ESP) – Sorento 15

Carl Hester (GBR) – En Vogue

Larissa Pauluis (BEL) – Flambeau

Aleksandra Maksakova (ROC) – Bojengels

Alexandre Ayache (FRA) – Zo What

Rodrigo Torres (POR) – Fogoso

Sabine Schut-Kery (USA) – Sanceo

Henri Ruoste (FIN) – Kontestro DB

Hans Peter Minderhoud (NED) – Dream Boy

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER) – TSF Dalera

This is going to be a hugely exciting group to finish things up on the first day of grand prix, and Britain’s Carl Hester will face hot competition. Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, ranked second in the world, is one of the favourites for individual gold and I would expect her to easily finish in the top two today, based on recent scores – her last three grands prix have all earned over 81%. If Carl and En Vogue can match their best international grand prix score – 77.5% in May – I think they will also go through. But the USA’s Sabine Schut-Kery, Finland’s Henri Ruoste and the Netherlands’ Hans-Peter Minderhoud all have the form to muscle their way into the top two. Whoever finishes third will likely end up as one of six extra qualifiers.

Group Four

Severo Jurado Lopez (ESP) – Fendi T

Christian Schumach (AUT) – TE Quiero SF

Caroline Chew (SGP) – Tribiani

Tatyana Kosterina (ROC) – Diavolessa

Heike Holstein (IRE) – Sambuca

Laurence Roos (BEL) – Fil Rouge

Lindsay Kellock (CAN) – Sebastien

Simone Pearce (AUS) – Destano

Carina Cassøe Kruth (DEN) – Heiline’s Danciera

Adrienne Lyle (USA) – Salvino

Based on their recent form, I expect this group to come down to a battle between the USA’s top ranked rider, Adrienne Lyle, and Denmark’s Carina Cassøe Kruth, both of whom have several very strong grand prix scores on their recent record. My money would go on Adrienne to edge it with Salvino – they are the only members of this group to have scored 80% at grand prix, and she achieved that as recently as April this year. Australia’s Simone Pearce and Destano could also be in the mix, but I think Ireland’s sole dressage representative Heike Holstein would have to better her best by a significant margin with the lovely home-bred mare Sambuca to move forward to the freestyle here.

Group Five

Marlies van Baalen (NED) – Go Legend

Shingo Hayashi (JPN) – Scolari 4

Martha Fernanda del Valle Quirarte (MEX) – Beduino Lam

Domien Michels (BEL) – Intermezzo Van Het Meerda

Kelly Layne (AUS) – Samhitas

Estelle Wettstein (SUI) – West Side Story OLD

Nicolas Ehlinger Wagner (LUX) – Quater Back Junior FRH

Morgan Barbançon (FRA) – Sir Donnerhall II OLD

Juliette Ramel (SWE) – Buriel KH

Dorothee Schneider (GER) – Showtime FRH

On paper, Germany’s Dorothee Schneider should walk this group with the lovely showtime FRH, with whom she could well win an individual medal. They haven’t competed very much since the 2019 Europeans, where they won two individual silver medals, but they produced an 81.52% grand prix on their last outing in June. Juliette Ramel and Buriel could well end up being Sweden’s leading combination after the withdrawal of Patrik Kittel, and I am confident that they will qualify for the Tokyo Olympics grand prix freestyle. But whether that is as one of the top two, or as a “lucky loser”, may well be up to France’s Morgan Barbançon, whose grand prix scores with Sir Donnerhall II are remarkably consistent, hovering very close to the 72% mark.

Group Six

Virginia Yarur (CHI) – Ronaldo

Yessin Rahmouni (MAR) – All At Once

Hiroyuki Kitahara (JPN) – Huracan

Maxime Collard (FRA) – Cupido PB

Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) – Gio 

Florian Bacher (AUT) – Fidertraum

Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu (CAN) – All In

Joao Miguel Torrao (POR) – Equador

Steffen Peters (USA) – Suppenkasper

Isabell Werth (GER) – Bella Rose 2

And so to the final, and arguably most interesting group, of the six to close out the grand prix competition here at the Tokyo Olympics. I think that a couple of the six additional qualifying combinations will come from this group. World number one Isabell Werth will bring the action to a suitable climax, but all eyes will be on defending Olympic champion Charlotte Dujardin. She may only be ranked 109th with Gio, but this is reflective of their lack of international outings, not of their ability, and I would fully expect Charlotte to give Isabell a run for her money. My feeling is, though, that the sprightly little Gio will improve as the competition goes on, so while Charlotte will certainly not be sitting quietly in this test, I think we’ll see a higher score from them in the special. The USA’s Steffen Peters and Portugal’s main man Joao Torrao will have to improve on their best scores so far to make the top two, but a high-70s mark is within reach for them both, so I expect to see them in the top 18 as well.

So, who will qualify for the Tokyo Olympics grand prix freestyle?

After crunching the numbers for each of the six groups, here are the 18 combinations I would expect to make it through to the grand prix freestyle, and to compete for an individual Olympic medal:

Lottie Fry (GBR) – Everdale

Therese Nilshagen (SWE) – Dante Weltino

Nanna Skodberg Merrald (DEN) – Zack

Edward Gal (NED) – Total US

Antonia Ramel (SWE) – Brother De Jeu

Cathrine Dufour (DEN) – Bohemian

Carl Hester (GBR) – En Vogue

Henri Ruoste (FIN) – Kontestro DB

Hans Peter Minderhoud (NED) – Dream Boy

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER) – TSF Dalera

Carina Cassøe Kruth (DEN) – Heiline’s Danciera

Adrienne Lyle (USA) – Salvino

Juliette Ramel (SWE) – Buriel KH

Dorothee Schneider (GER) – Showtime FRH

Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) – Gio

Joao Miguel Torrao (POR) – Equador

Steffen Peters (USA) – Suppenkasper

Isabell Werth (GER) – Bella Rose 2

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The German Olympic dressage team for Tokyo Olympic Games has been announced, and will head to Japan as favourites for the team gold medal.

German team trainer Monica Theodorescu and the German Olympic Equestrian Committee have now officially selected the following riders and horses:

• Isabell Werth and Bella Rose 2 (first reserve: Weihegold OLD; second reserve: Quantaz)
• Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera
• Dorothee Schneider and Showtime FRH (reserve: Faustus)

The travelling reserve will be Helen Langehanenberg with Annabelle 110.

Frederic Wandres (Duke Of Britain FRH) and Benjamin Werndl (Daily Mirror 9) have also been named as non-travelling reserves.

The selected team is the same trio that won the gold medal at the 2019 European Championships in emphatic style, with Isabell Werth once again riding her world and European champion Bella Rose, now aged 17.

Germany will also arrive in Tokyo as defending Olympic champions, having won the team gold medal in Rio, but only one combination from the 2016 German Olympic dressage team will compete in this year’s Games – Dorothee Schneider and the 2019 individual silver medallist Showtime FRH.

Isabell, Dorothee and Jessica filled all three top spots in every test at the final German selection trial, which took place at the Kronberg CDI this weekend. In the grand prix special, the test that will decide the team medals in Tokyo, Isabell and Bella Rose triumphed with a score of 85.59%, followed by Jessica and Dalera on 84.76% and Dorothee and Showtime in third on 82.57%.

Article continues below…

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Earlier in June, Jessica prevailed over her teammates at the German national dressage championships, riding Dalera to 84.88% to finish just under 1% ahead of Isabell and Bella Rose in the grand prix special, and posting 93% to win the freestyle.

The British Olympic dressage team is due to be announced this week, following the release of the nine nominated entries earlier this month.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

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Dorothee Schneider has won team silver and gold at the past two Olympics, and is three-pronged for Tokyo – but competition is hot for a spot on the brilliant German team, says Alice Collins

WITH more than 400 results on the FEI database, Germany’s Dorothee Schneider is one hard-working lady. Add her national results to that, and she’s ridden a dizzying number of centre lines.

For someone who competes so much, the past year has been anything but normal for Dorothee. But she – and everyone else – is slowly emerging from the world’s weird Covid year and she has three irons in the fire for the postponed Tokyo Olympics.

At the time of going to press, Dorothee’s top horse Showtime FRH had just made a stellar return to competition with a plus-82% grand prix special at Munich CDI4*, albeit under unexpected circumstances: Dorothee broke her collarbone in a horror accident when grand prix horse Fohlenhof’s Rock N Rose collapsed and died at a national show in April.

But her impressive comeback just three weeks later proved that Showtime, ranked fourth in the world, is in the form of his life.

Her other two top horses at the level, DSP Sammy Davis Jr (ranked 19th) and Faustus 94 (36th) are also raring to go.

“Only once in my life will I have such an amazing horse as Showtime,” says Dorothee, who has been riding Gabriele Kippert’s 15-year-old by Sandro Hit since he was three. “I prepared ‘Showy’ over the past year and he is in great condition. He adores food – particularly bananas – so I have to be careful he doesn’t get too fat, but he is really ready for the Olympic qualification process now.

“With so many good horses and riders in Germany it is very difficult to be one of the best three combinations, but we will do our best.”

The pair are well positioned for their best to be good enough for a team spot: Isabell Werth fills the top two spots on the rankings with Bella Rose 2 and Weihegold OLD, while Jessica Von Bredow-Werndl is third with TSF Dalera BB. The Germans are looking hot prospects for team gold.

DOROTHEE has been to two Olympics before – London and Rio – and each time has won a team medal riding a very young horse.

When she rode Diva Royal – the charming black mare with oversize ears that flopped out to the side – to team silver and individual seventh in 2012, Dorothee had never even ridden at a championship before.

“We came late to the team before London and it was a big experience for me to ride for Germany,” says Dorothee, who borrowed the 10-year-old mare from her student Stella-Charlott Roth. “We were a young team [Dorothee, Helen Langehanenberg on Damon Hill and Kristina Bröring-Sprehe on Desperados] and none of us had been to an Olympics before, so we were really happy with the silver. We were also the first team to live in the Olympic village – dressage riders had never been in it before – so that was very special.”

London was an incredibly intense introduction to championship riding.

“It was overwhelming,” admits Dorothee. “The arena was amazing and there were 20,000 spectators there. Diva Royal was not the most exuberant, but she had amazing rhythm. She was always swinging with every step and never wary of her surroundings. It was a big feeling to be in the team with this mare.”

Their Black Swan freestyle soundtrack and performance was one of the crowd favourites.

Another Olympic moment that stands out for her came four years later in Brazil. She had been selected with Showtime, who was only 10 but had made a big impression at Aachen that summer, posting three plus-80% scores with only a year at grand prix under his belt.

“In Rio, the grand prix special was amazing,” she says. “Again I had a young horse and there was a lot of pressure for the team medal, so we had to do a really good job. With a young grand prix horse you can’t expect them to be mistake-free in every test, but he got over 82% – a big new best for him. Winning team gold was extremely emotional.”

Showtime has grown up a lot since Rio, and is now a more confident, reliable partner.

“He’s really ready for this year,” says Dorothee. “In Rio he was so young, but now he really understands his own ability to perform the movements. When I sit on him, I feel his pride to work with me. Now he’s experienced and knows what comes when we go into a test.

“I remember the first time I sat on him thinking, ‘Wow, this is an amazing young horse!’ I could directly feel his ability to take the weight on the hindlegs for the higher levels.

“I did young horse competitions with him and the world championships as a five- and six-year-old. In the beginning he was a little nervous and anxious, but we developed into an amazing team for the grand prix sport.”

Not only can Showtime get his game face on when required, but he’s sweetie in the stable.

“He’s very lovely and always friendly,” grins Dorothee. “He’s always motivated, even though he loves eating. He loves bananas so much he has a fake one on his stable door to play with.”

A YEAR of the pandemic has meant that Dorothee has spent more time than usual at her base, Gestüt St. Stephan, a 50-box yard south-west of Frankfurt.

“The time at home has actually benefited my team,” she says, picking out the positives from a difficult year. “Before, I was away a lot, and I have been able to have a look at my employees and the horses and plan things better. I’ve enjoyed more time with my husband, my stepchildren and the rest of my family.

“I was also able to ride 10 to 12 horses a day. The young horses are in really good shape now and the grand prix horses well prepared, without too much travelling recently. I was also able to spend more time helping my riders here. Of course I miss the competitions and going out with the horses, though.”

A seasoned competitor, Dorothee combines the assuredness that experience brings with the reality of always striving to improve.

“I’m confident in what I do,” she explains. “It’s not that I think I’m perfect, but I know my horses and I are well prepared. We can do the big tests together very well as a team.

“We’re in an Olympic year and I know I have good horses and they’re fit. I can’t wait for the chance to present them and to try to qualify for the Olympics with good performances.”

There is strong competition in this world-leading dressage nation.

“There are seven combinations in the Olympic squad and all the riders obviously want to be selected, so we have to perform very well in the few competitions we have. Aachen, which is normally one of the big observation shows, is postponed this year so the selection process is a little different, but I’m very motivated and excited.”

And although Showtime had nearly two years off competition, since the summer of 2019, that was at the Rotterdam European Championships. He was in spectacular form, helping Germany to team gold and claiming double individual silver with plus-85% in the special and plus-90% in the freestyle – just behind Isabell Werth and Bella Rose in both.

With the 90% barrier broken, Dorothee has no plans to change her The Show Must Go On soundtrack, but she may tweak the floorplan.

“I’ll stick with that freestyle; I already got over 90%, so what more do you want,” laughs Dorothee. “Showy hasn’t actually done that freestyle many times because he was injured, and the music really suits him.”

The music served them well in Rio, but Dorothee is realistic about the long and uncertain road to any Olympics and a little reluctant to make any predictions.

“If we make it to Tokyo, the first step is to perform very well for the team and hopefully to get a medal,” she says. “Anything beyond that…” she trails off.

“But, in Rotterdam, you could see that the horse has the potential to do an amazing job. So we do have a chance to be up there with the first few riders. It’s a really big target though, and it depends on so many things.

“With such an amazing horse like him, I think it’s normal to hope. But with horses you can be in a good position and then quickly not in such a good position any more.”

Dorothee knows that a career in horses always throws up surprises – she highlights her grand prix special test in Aachen in 2018.

“I was in the test on Sammy Davies Jnr and I could hear the crowd murmuring,” she says. “And then I see that there’s a rabbit running around in the arena. Sammy’s eyes got very big, and I could hear people laughing. You never know what will happen in dressage.”

This feature is also available to read in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 3 June 2021

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The 2016 Olympic bronze medal-winning combination, Kristina Bröring-Sprehe and Desperados FRH, will not compete at this September’s World Equestrian Games in Tryon.

The 17-year-old Hanoverian stallion, by De Niro x Wolkenstein II, has been declared unfit to compete at next week’s CHIO5* in Aachen, which forms the final mandatory German team selection trial.

“Unfortunately the time is too short before Aachen for Desperados. I’m very sorry, especially for Kristina,” said Klaus Roeser, head of the German selection committee.

As well as securing an individual bronze medal in Rio with their 87.14% grand prix freestyle, “Despi” and Kristina helped Germany to team gold, having won team silver in London four years earlier.

The stallion was withdrawn from contention from last year’s European Championships in Gothenburg due to injury but after 16 months out Despi returned to international competition in March this year at the Dortmund CDI4*, winning both the grand prix and special with plus-79% scores.

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Just two of the combinations have been to a championship before.

The pair went on to triumph at the Hagen CDI4* in April, looking almost back to their best with an 83.85% winning grand prix freestyle, but the stallion was then withdrawn from the German championships in Balve in early June with an injury, which Kristina stated at the time had nothing to do with the previous one. It’s now been confirmed that Despi has not regained enough fitness to compete in Aachen next week (17-22 July), which he would have to do to qualify for team selection for Tryon.

Even without Desperados, the combinations in contention for a place on the German team look extremely strong, with Isabell Werth having Bella Rose back in action alongside her European champion Weihegold OLD, European silver medallists Sonke Rothenberger and Cosmo on top form and gold medallists Dorothee Schneider and Helen Langehanenberg set to compete in Aachen, the latter just four weeks after giving birth to her daughter Finja.

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

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Olympic silver medallist Spencer Wilton has welcomed an exciting young horse to his Berkshire base.

The six-year-old Sandro Hit x Ehrenwort mare Santa Maria arrived last week from Hof Kasselmann in Hagen, Germany, and will be aimed at grand prix.

“I’m as sure as you can be at this stage that she is potentially a very good grand prix horse. On paper she has all the credentials,” said Spencer, who represented Britain at the 2017 European Championships in Gothenburg with Super Nova II.

“It all came about through Emile Faurie, who works for the Kasselmanns,” he explained. “When we were out at the Europeans in August I told him I had some clients keen to buy a young horse, and he mentioned that there were some lovely ones at Hof Kasselmann.

“I competed in Darmstadt in September and we went via Hagen to view horses, then returned a month later to see Santa Maria again,” added Spencer. “From the first moment I sat on her I was looking forward to riding her again. Mechanically she is brilliant — the way she moves and uses her body — and she seems to have a fantastic work ethic.”

The bright bay mare, who was bought for Spencer by Alex and Marcia Mouradain, sold at the 2016 PSI auction for €300,000 (£267,000) and went on to qualify for the 2017 Bundeschampionate under Nicole Wego and finish fifth in the five-year-old dressage horse final in Warendorf.

She is a full sister to Dorothee Schneider’s successful international grand prix horse St Emilion.

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“We wanted something with good bloodlines and breeding potential. With embryo transfer it is quite feasible for her to continue her sport career with breeding on the side,” said Spencer. “She arrived at my yard the same day I arrived home from holiday in Sri Lanka, so it softened the blow of being back when she was there the next morning.”

Spencer and his team have named the mare Darcey, after the ballerina Darcey Bussell — “I’m a big fan of hers!” said Spencer.

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Germany is sending a highly competitive dressage team to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Normandy next month.

After their dual wins at Aachen last week (17-20 July), Totilas and Matthias Rath (pictured top) spearhead the team.

The pair won the Nations Cup grand prix and the grand prix special, in a shock defeat of Olympic gold medal winners Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro.

Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill NRW, Kristina Sprehe and Desperados FRH and Isabell Werth and Bella Rose (reserve horse Don Johnson) complete the team.

Reserves are Fabienne Lutkemeier and D’Agostino, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (Unee BB) and Dorothee Schneider with Forward Looking.

Stay up to date with the latest news in the run-up to, and during, WEG on Horseandhound.co.uk

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The German dressage team for the London 2012 Olympic Games has a fresh new look, after multi-Olympic gold medal winner Isabell Werth did not make the squad.

The team, who will all be making their Olympic debuts, will be:

• Helen Langehanenberg riding Damon Hill
• Kristina Sprehe riding Desperados
• Dorothee Schneider riding Diva Royal

The German individual will be Anabel Balkenhol with Dablino.

The first travelling reserve is Monica Theodorescu on Whisper with Fabienne Lutkemeier and D’Agostino as second reserve.

It is understood that Isabell Werth declined the position of first reserve with Don Johnson.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now