Emmelie Scholtens: World Cup final close at hand

38-year-old Emmelie Scholtens is in super form with her 11-year-old stallion Indian Rock. She recently won the FEI Dressage World Cup Freestyle in Neumünster with 81.565%, a personal best for this duo. There, Scholtens defeated the current leader in the standings, the Swede Patrik Kittel and is now, after the World Cup in Gothenburg, in a shared 10th place in the standings and that means, with one qualification to go, a real chance of a place in the Finals.

Emmelie had not really taken this into account, her sights set on the Olympics. "I have to start weighing things up now. I am still in doubt because it is quite an event after all, and I want to discuss with the national coach and the owners (Black Horses BV and Ad Valk) after The Dutch Masters whether it is wise to change my schedule. It shouldn't become too much for Indian Rock."

Indian Rock
The licensed KWPN stallion is special to Emmelie in more ways than one. "I have been riding him since he was three years old and he is a descendant of Apache who I also rode. They are very similar." In 2019, she started Apache in the World Cup final in Gothenburg. "In addition, Indian Rock has a great character and is incredibly talented. He can sometimes be a bit impressed by such a big hall and the audience, but he trusts me blindly and if I say it's good, it's also good for him. He is incredibly sweet and does not behave like a stallion at all. He is easy to ride and does everything for me."

The Dutch Masters
Emmelie also competed at The Dutch Masters in 2018 and 2019. In 2018, she started with Apache in the World Cup and finished 5th then as she did in 2019 with Desperado. Emmelie enjoys coming to 's-Hertogenbosch: "It is such a wonderful competition and top organised for the riders, horses and visitors. I have very good memories of it, especially with Apache. Those were my first World Cup competitions back then."

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Photo: FEI/www.sportfotos-lafrentz.de/Stefan Lafrentz