Totilas, Germany’s best hope for a dressage individual gold medal at next week’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, has been ruled out of the competition.
Support
The famous black stallion now ridden by Matthias Rath, has been withdrawn from the Games following an injury.
“Totilas kicked himself against an existing ganglion, which was followed by a painful reaction,” said a statement on Rath’s official website. “For the whole team and me the wellbeing of the animal comes first and therefore we mutually decided against the participation in the World Equestrian Games in the Normandy.”
Comeback
Rath and Totilas had been absent from competition for two years before making a strong comeback in May.The pair secured a double victory at the CHIO Aachen in July, before withdrawing from the final Freestyle in order to concentrate on their preparations for WEG.
“This yearand the comeback of Toto has been amazing and I was thrilled for competing in the WEG. Totilas was in fantastic shape and canceling the games on this short notice is unbelievably hard for me,” Rath added.
Dressage fans will now be denied the chance to see the dressage behemoths Totilas and Valegro go head-to-head at a Championships for the first time since the Europeans in 2011.
Favourites
It’s disappointing news for the German team, who were firm favourites to win team gold.However, they will still field an extremely strong squad even without their superstar, withHelen Langehanenberg (Damon Hill NRW), Kristina Sprehe (Desperados FRH) and Isabell Werth (Bella Rose) now being joined byFabienne Lutkemeier and her talented Hanoverian gelding D’Agostino.
Rath believes they are still on target for gold even without Totilas, writing on his site: “Girls, you’ve got this!”
Following the news, British team member Carl Hester wrote on Twitter: “Huge sympathies to all Totilas connections and the public who were so looking forward to seeing him compete. Wishing Toto a speedy recovery.”