DressageDaily: Glorious Victory at CDI Oldenburg, German Good Bye Present for Lisa Wilcox

Monday November 15, 2004

Glorious Victory at CDI Oldenburg, German Good Bye Present for Lisa Wilcox

Aboard the Oldenburg stallion Relevant (by Rubinstein), Lisa Wilcox won the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special at the CDI Oldenburg with powerful scores of 71.70% and 73.96%. It was a glorious victory for Wilcox, who had shown little in 2004 and had to struggle hard to be ready in time for 2004 Olympic Games, where she won team bronze. Last week, American Lisa Wilcox announced that she will be leaving Gestut Vorwerk to become the head trainer of Stall Schatzmann in Switzerland. It was Lisa's final competition ride aboard Relevant, the horse to which she owes her international stardom.

Wilcox has been working as head rider of one of Germany's biggest stud farms, Gestut Vorwerk in Cappeln, for seven years, but now the time has come to make a change. "Lisa received a very profitable offer, which we couldn't outbid if we wanted to secure the financial future of our stallion station," Gudula Vorwerk said. "We wish Lisa all the best in the future. Though we regret that she is leaving, we can only thank her for her collaboration and help these past years."

Dr. Samuel Schatzmann, a former Swiss Olympic team medallist, was eager to hire Wilcox for his private stable in Oftringen, Switzerland. "I decided to hire Lisa Wilcox, because I think she is an extraordinary good and horse-friendly trainer," Dr. Schatzmann explained, adding that "Lisa will be training my sport horses at the farm."

Wilcox will be moving to Switzerland in January 2005 and will have to say goodbye to all her fabulous Vorwerk horses: Relevant, Royal Diamond, Jazz Time, Rubinero, Revan and many more. At the CDI Oldenburg, Wilcox thanked her German audience for supporting her throughout the years.

Wilcox is Germany's favorite dressage rider and has captured the hearts of many spectators, riders, trainers and judges. With tears in her eyes, she rode her final victory lap on "Relli" in Oldenburg. "I'm going towards my new job with tears in my eyes and a smile on my face," Wilcox said. The German audience said good bye to its favorite dressage rider in the country with a standing ovation.

by Astrid Appels of Eurodressage.com