Olympic and European dressage champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl has given birth to her second baby, a daughter, with husband Max von Bredow.
The baby, named Ella Marie, was born on Thursday, 11 August, the morning after German rider Jessica had watched her brother Benjamin finish fourth in the grand prix freestyle at the Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Championships, from the delivery room at the hospital.
“Yes, she’s here,” said Jessica. “ I watched my brother’s phenomenal performance from the maternity room yesterday evening.”
“Every child begins the world again,” Jessica later posted on social media as she announced the birth, quoting philosopher and poet Henry David Thoreau.
She has already got home to her Aubenhausen base, and introduced Ella Marie to the horses, including her top mare, the Easy Game daughter TSF Dalera BB.
Jessica’s pregnancy prevented her from competing at the Dressage World Championships, and thus a crack at the “triple crown” – holding world, European and Olympic titles simultaneously. Her last major competition with was the World Cup Final in Leipzig, Germany, in April, which she won.
But while Jessica had to follow the World Championships from home – and the hospital – her brother Benjamin was instrumental in helping Germany claim team bronze, on his championship debut with Famoso OLD. The pair also came fifth in the special and fourth in the freestyle, both with personal best scores.
“So damn proud of you and Famoso. Riding one personal best after the other at your first championship at seniors level is just crazy,” Jessica said in support of her brother after the grand prix special.
Following Benjamin’s brilliant freestyle performance for 85.89% she said: “There were so many wonderful goosebumps moments, every day you outdid yourselves again. And this is just the beginning.
“I am incredibly proud of my brother Benjamin, Famoso, his owner Flora Keller, Aniko Hornik – representing our whole team in Aubenhausen and all coaches (equestrian, fitness or mental), physiotherapists, vets, farriers… simply all who belong to it!”
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‘The fear of mistakes knocked on my door every day’: Jessica von Bredow-Werndl on the ‘mental toolbox’ that helped her win Olympic gold
‘She leaves her heart in there for us’: Jessica von Bredow-Werndl claims World Cup title on last major outing before baby break
‘He doesn’t want to make any mistakes’: German debutants impress with second personal best of World Dressage Championships
A new Olympic champion is crowned – how Jessica von Bredow-Werndl won gold in Tokyo
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