Bologna, September 16, 2022 – Andrew Nicholson (NZL), who is now training the Swiss team, holds the record for World Championships completions – 7 – a record that cannot be broken this weekend (Karin Donckers, BEL, is the nearest with 5 completions). Nicholson also has the most top 10 finishes in World Championships – 5 – along with the late Richard Meade (GBR).
Senna Vervaecke, Gonzalo Blasco Botin, Amanda Pottinger, Lea Siegl, Sam Watson and Alina Dibowski all have parents who have competed at championship level. Felix Vogg’s grandfather, Roland Perret, competed in the 1956 Olympic Games.
The last time the British team led the dressage was in Jerez de la Frontera (ESP) in 2002. They eventually finished in bronze position.
Alertamalib’or, ridden by Astier Nicolas (FRA), is by Yarlande Summersong, a stallion that won team and individual silver at the Open European Championships at Pratoni del Vivaro in 1995 with Marie-Christine Duroy (FRA).
Aistis Vitkauskas (LTU) had threaded the Ukrainian colours into his horse’s plaits for the first horse inspection; he explained that it was a decision by all Lithuanian riders to support the country that is their near neighbour.
Nicolas Wettstein (ECU) speaks five languages and has three passports. He is to be a father in November.
The two Polish individual riders, Jan Kominski and Malgorzata Korycka, are engaged to be married
Arianna Schivo’s father, Gian Marco, represented Italy in the 1972 Munich Olympic Games in the high jump
The Brazilian team here at Pratoni – Carlos Parro, Marcello Tosi and Marcio Carvalho Jorge – is formed of the same riders as in 1998.
Nicolas Wettstein (ECU) is chief executive of a natural pharmaceutical company in Geneva – he has only two horses and rides at 5am.
Hanna Wind Ramsgaard (DEN) trained as a carpenter and does building maintenance for a kindergarten.
Harald Ambros (AUT) is a dentist and has competed in 11 senior championships.
Malin Josefsson (SWE) is a part-time vet.
Sam Watson (IRL) is co-founder of Equiratings.
Gonzalo Blasco Botin (ESP) is a financial analyst in Madrid.