According to the rider he is not too confident that he will make the final cut. Only the top three will make it to the finals and although he is currently placed in seventh place on the rankings, he finds himself considering that it won't be enough. With strong competitors as Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Fabienne Lütkemeier he's not sure he can make the cut. Therefore he decided that it would be best to focus on the outdoor season as well. Heading into the winter he will make good use of the indoor events and will be well prepared when the outdoor season starts.
Schmidt claims "It wasn't an easy decision, but it's taken now: I won't try any further to qualify Imperio for the World Cup final".
His horse Imperio (by Connery) was last year chosen as the 'Master stallion of the year'. He made an excellent impression during his strong Grand Prix at the CHIO in Aachen.