Ireland’s leading dressage rider Anna Merveldt has decided not to compete at the World Equestrian Games. Currently ranked 52nd in the world, the Italian-based rider said “I informed the Horse Sport Ireland [HSI] dressage high performance committee last week that I will not be travelling to Kentucky. I have extensive training commitments in Italy and Germany and would be away for three to four weeks. It is a long time to be away.” She confirmed that despite the best efforts of both HSI and Dressage Ireland to provide funding it would still prove too expensive for her in terms of income foregone. “I had a good conversation with Robert McCormick [Dressage Ireland Chairman] and both he and HSI have been very supportive but it will still be too expensive for me. I’m always proud to represent Ireland and will be competing with Coryolano at Fritzens-Schindlhof in Austria next week. I hope to compete in Aachen next month and the European championships in Rotterdam are part of my plans for 2011.” Anna’s withdrawal comes just two weeks after reigning Irish national dressage champion Yvette Truesdale confirmed that her Kentucky mount Has to be Fun is out for the rest of the year. German-based Judy Reynolds is now the only Irish dressage rider qualified for and intending to compete in Kentucky. However her preparations suffered a setback last week when her horse Remember could not travel to the international show in Achleiten, Austria. The Jo Hinnemann trained rider is instead to compete alongside Merveldt in Fritzens.
