Ciao, Bella! Aachen swansong planned for Isabell Werth’s superstar mare

Isabell Werth’s star mare Bella Rose 2 will compete one final time at Aachen, before retiring from the sport — Isabell Werth ( GER) riding Bella Rose 2 during the Grand Prix - Team and Individual Qualifier for the Olympic Dressage Competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games held at Equestrian Park in Setagaya-ku in Tokyo in Japan between the 23rd July and 8th August 2021

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Isabell Werth’s multiple Olympic, world and European medal-winning mare Bella Rose 2 will compete one final time in a fitting swansong to her glittering career.

The 17-year-old (Belissimo M x Cacir AA) will take to the white boards once more at CHIO Aachen 2021 (10-19 September), which will also host a farewell ceremony for the dressage star.

The chestnut mare added Olympic individual silver and team gold in Tokyo to her spectacular CV. She is also reigning world and European champion, and helped Germany to the team titles on both occasions. Bella Rose was also part of the gold medal-winning side at the 2014 World Equestrian Games, where she finished second to Valegro in the grand prix on 81.53%, but was withdrawn from the rest of the competition owing to injury, marking the start of her three-and-a-half year absence from the sport.

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Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.

Ciao, Bella! Aachen swansong planned for Isabell Werth’s superstar mare

“Where else?” said Isabell, on Aachen providing the setting for Bella Rose’s final competition.

“We always feel obliged to a special extent to put in a top performance and give this outstanding crowd as much back as possible.”

Aachen is a special venue for the pair. It was one of the first international shows the mare contested on her return to competition in 2018, following more than three years out owing to injury.

The combination won the grand prix and the special, which they repeated the following year with a full house of victories at the show, including scoring 90.45% in the freestyle.

“[We] want to demonstrate our abilities in our last appearance on the big, international circuit,” Isabell added.

They will now be gunning to make it onto the CHIO Aachen winners’ board one final time before Bella Rose bids farewell to the sport.

Show director Frank Kemperman is keeping plans for the farewell ceremony under his hat, but has promised an emotional farewell for the superstar mare.

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