A striking and very welcome reunion on Tuesday afternoon in Riesenbeck, Germany: Jana Wargers made her official return to the competition ring. Following the birth of her son Louis on July 7, the top German rider—affiliated with Ashford Farm—made her presence felt on course for the first time again, doing so right at the reins of her well-known success mare, Dorette OLD (by Dollar du Murier).
Wargers kicked off her return quietly in a 1.35m class, in which the combination immediately logged a clear round. Subsequently, the duo appeared as the very first starter at the fence in the 1.40m main class. With only three calculated time penalties on the scorecard, Wargers guided the 17-year-old chestnut mare straight to a creditable 13th place.
"Everything still feels a bit rusty, but this is pure enjoyment"
"It's obviously incredibly cool to be back at a show, especially with Dorette," an enthusiastic Wargers says. "Of course, everything still feels a little bit rusty and bumpy; the real fine-tuning is still missing. I will certainly need some more time to get completely back into the rhythm, but it brings so much joy. I am extremely grateful to everyone who supports me—our families and the team at Ashford Farm, who are once again making fantastic horses available to me. It's wonderful to be able to combine motherhood with riding."
Temporarily taken over by Zanotelli
During Wargers' pregnancy, the impressive Dorette OLD didn't stay in the stable. Ashford Farm stable rider Marlon Modolo Zanotelli temporarily took over the ride, competing the mare at the World Championships in Aachen, among other events. With Wargers in the saddle, the 17-year-old daughter of Dollar du Murier previously claimed victory in the Grand Prix of Riyadh (2025) and two editions of the FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona (2023 and 2024).
