Brenner to test new horse in Mannheim

Germany’s Rio 2016 Para equestrian team silver medallists – Elke Philipp, Steffen Zeibig, Carolin Schnarre, and Alina Rosenberg – are waving the flag for the home nation at this year’s three-star international competition, part of the annual Horse Fair in Mannheim from Monday (8 May).

World and European gold medallist Hannelore Brenner will also join her compatriots after her horse’s injury forced her to pull out of Rio 2016. Now the Mannheim show will be a further test of Brenner’s relationship with her new horse, Kawango, who she debuted at April’s competition in Waregem, Belgium. Kawango comes on the scene following the retirement of Brenner’s previous horse, on which she won all her medals, Women of the World.

“I tried two different ways to ride Kawango in Waregem so the results didn’t matter,” Brenner said. “He is a really special horse and we have to find a way to be better together. I am sure it will work, and I’m looking forward riding him in Mannheim!”

Angelika Trabert, another of Germany’s top riders and multi-Paralympic medallist, will also perform in front of a home crowd.

Running until Tuesday (9 May), the competition in Mannheim will see more than 40 riders from across Europe and as far as Uruguay, Mexico and Saudi Arabia compete

The Netherlands’ reigning European and world champion Rixt Van Der Horst will compete on Uniek N.O.P. Uruguay’s Alfonsina Maldonado will be hoping to build on her recent successes at the competition in Deauville, France, where she picked up two third place finishes, the best results of her relatively young international career so far.