I haven’t got the tapes yet but looking for comments about Satchmo. Scorewise, it looks like he performed well considering he was the second string horse for IW.
Isabell Werth has been quite emphatic that Satchmo is NOT NOT ‘a replacement horse’. He is a star and a diva, and proved complicated to train to any consistent standard–as I think eveyone knows.
i have always had a sneaking suspicion that there was something physical, and that the time off the radar screen was probably what ‘solved’ the problem. Certainly, he seems to have managed to find his form just at the right time, LOL.
uhh, icky translatation a la babelfish/ me from isabell’s own website:
<<Satchmo is both my problem child and my hope for the future.
Satchmo Hannoverner, born 1994, father Sao Paulo x Legat.
A brilliant mover, in addition, a horse, which makes its rider work for even simple things.Victory and defeat sometimes separated by only one eye- lash . He can go outstandingly - iand then, in the middle of the test, decide to follow whatever is in his own head.
He was bought in 1996, as a stallion, at the Verden Stallion auction by Dr. Uwe Schulten-Baumer. Since Satchmo was already at that time rather impudent, he was assigened to Isabell (as opposed to Dr. Schuten-Baumer’s daughter, Elena).
"Satchis strength is its elasticity, its ease. It is flexible like a feather/spring, into the last fiber of his body ", says Isabell, of the horse who dumped her several times before thery worked out a truce.
If I can succeed in bringing him to trust me, to work with me, then it will be amazing–it will not matter what mistakes happen–he will overcome everything.>>
If she can get him to work consistently, I am confident he will be positively brilliant. That will be the trick. I don’t know Satchmo, but I am well acquainted with one of his half brothers whose description could also be the above. Not a horse for everyone, but positively stunning once they trust you. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Ms. Werth as she’s got her work cut out for her, that’s for sure. I suspect it will pay off handsomely in the long run!!
Satchmo (VideoClip)
A videoclip of Isabelle and Satchmo for last year at Den Bosch.
http://www.horsedances.net/2006Isabelle004.htm
This clip is commented by Anky van Grunsven, and she already predicted that this was to become a top-combination.
Theo
Thank you, THeo! Wish I could understand Dutch!
Looks like the “long run” may be sooner than one thinks! 
A very short recap.
Anky stated that Isabelle is a very talented rider with a lot of guts and rider skills, and that she always loves to battle with her. Furthermore she stated that she only had seen this horse at the PSG, but that she expected that this combination would become top of the bill within reasonable time.
Further she commented on some technical details and how well Isabelle solved the problems she encountered during this test.
just a small clip from the German newspaper ’ Die Welt’ - highly respected and conservative…this is how they talk about things…:
"Getrübte Vorfreude herrscht jedoch in der deutschen Dressurequipe. Die viermalige Olympiasiegerin Isabell Werth muss bei den Welttitelkämpfen auf ihr Spitzenpferd Warum nicht verzichten. Der zehnjährige Wallach zog sich eine Prellung im rechten Hinterbein zu und kann nicht trainiert werden.
Als Reaktion auf den Ausfall von Warum nicht beschloss der Dressurausschuss des Deutschen Olympiade-Komitees für Reiterei (DOKR), dass Werth in Aachen mit dem ebenfalls nominierten Satchmo starten soll. Die Dressurwettbewerbe beginnen am Dienstag mit dem Grand Prix. "
meaning in short and in a very dry way that since Warum Nicht got a contusion on his right hindleg- Isabel HAS to ride Satchmo. No other comment- just like that- very dry…and here she comes and wins- boy I am sooo proud of her- I can’t wait until she’s too old to compete and comes and clinics…she is a real rider…at least that’s my opinion…and everyone I know in Germany- and I know a few - think that way…
