Isabell Werth’s Bella Rose 2 has had her first foal

Isabell Werth and Bella Rose 2 pictured in the Tokyo Olympics grand prix — 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)

Bella Rose 2, Isabell Werth’s former world and European champion and Olympic team gold medallist, has welcomed her first foal aged 19.

“We are very happy that Bella Rose gave birth to a healthy colt last night (13 March),” said Isabell.

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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.

Medal-winning mare ‘very proud’ of her first foal

Bella Rose’s retirement was announced following the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where she and Isabell won individual silver and team gold.

“I love this horse and I hope she loves me too,” said Isabell following the pair’s grand prix special test in Tokyo.

“It’s such an amazing feeling – all riders who know how difficult it is to build up a horse to this point know how I feel – it’s a gift.”

In November that year Bella Rose returned to win the Stuttgart CDI4*, but this was her final competition for almost four years owing to soundness issues – forcing her to miss the 2015 Europeans and the 2016 Rio Olympics.

She made a remarkable comeback in 2018, returning to competition with an international win at the Fritzens CDI4* in Austria – which Isabell described as “the best day in my life as a rider”.

In September 2018 Isabell and Bella Rose were crowned world champions at the World Equestrian Games, also winning team gold. The following year they won double gold at the European Championships, in Rotterdam, Germany.

When Bella Rose’s retirement was announced following Tokyo, the plan had been for her to make one final appearance at the Aachen CHIO, but this was cancelled owing to Bella undergoing colic surgery in September 2021.

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