Dressage World Cup dropouts narrow field at indoor championships

Two big names have dropped out of next week’s FEI World Cup finals in Omaha due to horse health issues.

Defending champion Hans Peter Minderhoud of the Netherlands bowed out when Glock’s Flirt came up lame. Then Jessica van Bredow-Werndl of Germany–who already was in Omaha–had to send her regrets after Unee BB colicked before getting on the plane to the U.S.

While it would have been fun to see them in action at the Cup, the odds are that the winner will be Isabell Werth of Germany, the most decorated Olympic equestrian ever, on Weihegold OLD.

U.S. entries in what is now a 16-horse field are Laura Graves (Verdades), Kasey Perry-Glass (Goerklintgaard’s Dublet) and Steffen Peters (Rosamunde).