âIâm feeling really, really happy, Johnny was fantastic today and Iâm very proud!â, Werth said after claiming the maximum 20 points and moving into equal-seventh spot on the league leaderboard alongside Gal and Portugalâs Goncales Carvalho.
It was Galâs score of 80.900 that Werth was chasing when she entered the arena as last rider to go, the Dutchman producing powerful trot extensions and great elevation in passage and trot half-pass from the 13-year-old stallion with which he won the opening leg of the current Reem Acra series in Odense, Denmark in October.
But from the moment Werth set off she had winner written all over her, the often-naughty Don Johnson completely under her spell and responding to every instruction with enthusiasm and accuracy as he racked up a massive score of 84.125. High artistic marks were the order of the day, with the Ground Jury recognising the harmony between this pair who have sometimes missed out on the big moments because Johnny was in cheeky mood and just wouldnât concentrate. It seems those days are over now, and at last the 46-year-old rider is being repaid for her patience.
She said today that she has now enjoyed three great performances with this horse, at the FEI European Championships in Aachen (GER) this summer, at the third leg of the new Reem Acra series in Stuttgart (GER) where they finished second behind Spainâs Beatriz Ferrer-Salat and Delgado, and then again today. She puts it all down to maturity in the horse in which she never lost faith.
More serious
âHe has a bit more experience with age so he has become more serious. He has settled down and he are I are growing together now – we know each other really, really wellâ said the 46-year-old athlete whose extraordinary list of career accomplishments includes double-gold at the Atlanta and Beijing Olympic Games, five gold medals from the FEI World Equestrian Games⢠and eight from FEI European Championships. She said the horse she calls âJohnnyâ has matured in both body and mind. âHeâs in great shape and heâs much easier to ride now because he has become one horse. A year ago it was difficult for him to carry his whole body in balance, but now heâs really one complete horse and the picture is totally different to how he was two years agoâ she added.
âI said it felt really good two weeks ago in Stuttgart and now we have done three great Freestyles in a row which is just fantastic. Iâm especially happy because Johnny has often been in the shadow of my other horses but now heâs standing in his own light! He has a very strong personality and heâs really special. He is always positive, and yes he has been a bit naughty but he can always make me laugh. It has been a case of trying to balance his big character with his body so that he could do his best work. Heâs right there now, and he feels settled, so for me this feels just great!â
Result: 1, Don Johnson FRH (Isabell Werth) GER 84.125; 2, Glockâs Voice (Edward Gal) NED 80.900; 3, Unee BB (Jessica von Bredow-Werndl) GER 80.075; 7, Glockâs Romanov (Hans Peter Minderhoud) NED 75.825
Source and picture: FEI
