Isabell Chung

Taiwan’s rising dressage star.

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Isabell Chung is a 20-year-old Taiwanese dressage rider competing at Intermediate I. Born into an equestrian family and trained by her father, riding is very much a family affair for Isabell. Named after the world renowned dressage sensation Isabell Werth, this young Taiwanese rider was certainly destined for dressage.

Tell us about your riding background and how you got to where you are today.

I grew up in the stable. I did my first competition when I was eight years old. I participated in the FEI challenge several times. Last year, I placed second at a national competition and I took part in Taiwan CDIY. This year I will start riding Intermediate I level tests. Since childhood, my dad has been giving me dressage lessons, and I use summer and winter vacations to go train in Europe.

Horse riding is not very common in Taiwan, but there are more and more equestrian trends developing. Other than that, our equestrian federation organises five to six dressage and showjumping competitions per year. Most Taiwanese riders practise showjumping. The horses who are ridden for competition are mostly imported from Germany and the Netherlands. I am really lucky to be born into an equestrian family, so my riding career started when I was very little.