“I had a very good year! It started very well in Basel already with a Grand Prix win with Clooney, and two weeks later we won again in Zürich. After that Clooney got a break. Unfortunately, he suffered from colic and needed surgery when the planned break was over. During that time I had my second horse Chaplin in a very good shape, and had a great season with him. Then Clooney got back again and Chaplin got injured in Aachen… That was a bit a shame this year – that I never had both of my best Grand Prix horses at the same time.
We worked hard to get Clooney back as fast and as strong as possible – after his surgery we took long walks with him for 3-4 hours a day, we rented a treadmill for him and he got a camera in his box so that we could check him all the time. We put a lot of effort in getting him back in good shape quite fast. Already early on in the training he felt strong, and the last two shows before Tryon he was fully back.
Clooney came back very well and jumped a lot of clear rounds in good classes. Out of thirteen big rounds, he did twelve clears – that is amazing. Obviously the silver medal in Tryon was great and everything that came with it. Clooney got a break after the WEG, and then I brought him back for the indoor season. Then to finish first and third in the World Cup and to end within the top five with a double clear in the coolest class – the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final in Geneva – was just great.
I must say it was a very successful year all around. We won the Global Champions League team ranking with the London Knights and I had some great Grand Prix placements with my other horses on 2*-3* level, which gives me a lot of hope for next year.
Clooney is in a great shape and I have very nice second horses to step up behind him.”
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