German dressage star Isabell Werth has paid tribute to her medal-winning trip Don Johnson, who has been put down aged 24 after an extended and comfortable retirement.
German-bred Don Frederico gelding “Jonny”, with whom Isabell gained European workforce gold in 2013, and bronze on residence soil at Aachen two years later, had suffered an untreatable leg fracture.
Isabell shared a video of Don Johnson on-line, displaying him because the “chief of our retirees’ herd”, roaming in fields along with his pals.
“Pricey Jonny, you have been a very particular character horse… for practically 15 years, a millipede who turned a mannequin athlete,” she mentioned.
“You have been at all times there each time a celebration was being thrown, at all times able to ship a particular dance efficiency.”
Don Johnson, owned by Madeleine Winter-Schulze, was ridden by Isabell all through his worldwide profession.
In addition to their European medals, they notched up 55 wins in grands prix, grand prix specials and freestyles throughout Europe between 2011 and 2019. They have been unbeaten between November 2016 and the next September, scoring 16 wins in a row.
They represented Germany at three different European Championships and contested the World Cup Remaining in 2013, ending fifth individually.
Jonny final competed in 2019; he and Isabell ended a run of six consecutive wins with victories within the CDI5* grand prix and freestyle in entrance of a house crowd at Frankfurt.
“You stayed true to your self and to us till the very finish,” Isabell mentioned. “Thanks for the particular moments and years.”
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H&H information editor
Eleanor is an skilled journalist who spent over eight years working for native and nationwide newspapers earlier than becoming a member of H&H as information editor in March 2016. Enthusiastic about equine welfare and exposing the reality, Eleanor has reported on all features of the business, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage guidelines to mules. Her sport of selection is showjumping, during which she competes her personal horses, and he or she additionally enjoys reporting at native leaping reveals via to worldwide championships.
