Isabell Nowak's Siracusa OLD is no longer with us
Paralympic medalist Isabell Nowak loses her best horse
from Dominique Wehrmann 
Very sad news about para-dressage rider Isabell Nowak!
Photo: sportfotos-lafrentz.de On Instagram, Isabell Nowak announced that Siracusa OLD died on August 3, 2026, as a result of an esophageal obstruction. It was already the second time this year. The first incident occurred at the German Championships in Balve, where the pair had hoped to defend their title from the previous year. Fortunately, the veterinarians on site were able to help him immediately at the time. After that, he was actually doing fine again—until Siracusa struggled with another esophageal obstruction yesterday. This time, any help came too late.
As Nowak reports: “We lost him within a few hours.” It’s a terrible blow: “Siri leaves a void in my life that will surely never be filled. Together, we showed the world how to dance through the arena with ease, creating unforgettable moments,” she writes. Siracusa was 15 years old.
Paralympics, European Championships, and more
Before Siracusa OLD—a son of Sir Donnerhall from Oldenburg, bred by Paul Schockemöhle’s Lewitz Stud—came to Isabell Nowak, he competed under the Hungarian flag at the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses at ages five and six and then became a junior horse. Ridden by Eva Vavrikova of the Czech Republic, he competed in the U18 European Championships in both 2019 and 2020. The pair also competed internationally in the Young Riders category before Siracusa OLD transferred to Isabell Nowak in 2023.
It was a case of two people seeking and finding each other. A year later, the former police officer—who had to give up her job after an accident that left her with a cervical spine injury—and her new partner, Siracusa, were part of the German team at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, where they won bronze in the team competition. They also each placed fourth in the individual competition and the freestyle event in Grade V.
At the 2025 European Championships in Ermelo, they were part of the German gold-medal-winning team, and at the German Championships in Balve, they won silver in 2024 and gold in 2025.
Read more about esophageal obstruction here.
