Breeding Bundeschampionate
Wandres takes two titles, while a £1m horse collects the six-year-old gold
Bun de sc ham pi on ate, Warendorf, Germany
FREDERIC WANDRES, last year’s winner of the six-year-old Bundeschampionat on Fior, repeated the feat in the five-yearold division, riding Zucchero OLD (Zonik x Prince Thatch).
The Oldenburg stallion, who had narrowly missed out on a medal at the World Breeding Championships this August, looked even more swinging, relaxed and supple here than in Ermelo, and was able to show off his world-class walk and flawless simple changes. He was the only five-year-old to score a 10 this year, awarded for suppleness.
“Zucchero felt really super. I had a smooth feeling with him throughout all the days, including in the warm-up arena in the days before the show,” said Frederic, revealing that the horse’s recent training had been less intense. “After Ermelo, he was often out in the paddock because we decided quite late to travel to Warendorf. Maybe this turned out to be a good decision, because it meant he was not over-asked after Ermelo, where he also did a fantastic job.
“I’m especially happy about the 10 for suppleness — that’s what we are working for,” he concluded.
The Zonik son, who looks exactly like his sire, had sold last year through the PSI auction for €370,000 (£333,000) to Asian investors Star Horses, who then trusted the Kasselmann family to continue his education and career on German soil.
Another Zonik son, Zum Glück — under Robin van Lierop — picked up the bronze medal.
Frederic also won the fouryear-old mares and geldings section on Bitcoin OLD (Bordeaux x Rubinstein). The chestnut gelding, one of two Bordeaux offspring in the medals in this class, will be sold at the PSI auction this winter.
“Bitcoin also got a 9.5 from the test rider for his training — so maybe we are doing something right at home,” joked
Frederic, in-house rider at the Kasselmann stable.
This class had, unusually, two Bundeschampions, as president of the ground jury Carsten Munk felt so unwell while judging that he had to receive medical attention and leave the competition. The second half of the class was, therefore, only judged by his two remaining colleagues, and it was decided that because of the change, the fairest solution for all competitors would be to run two championship sections, resulting in two sets of medals.
With 8.6, Bitcoin still produced the highest score of the class; the second gold went to Hermann Gerdes and Caty OLD (Sir Donnerhall I x Fürst Heinrich). With this victory, the mare followed in the footsteps of her two full sisters Cindy OLD and Candy OLD, who won titles in 2013 and 2017 respectively.
‘I LOVE THIS HORSE’
THE most advanced class, the sixyear-old division, went to Rudolf Widmann and Revenant (Rock Forever x Sir Donnerhall I), a
£1m PSI auction purchase in 2016, now owned by the Bavarian thoroughbred and sport horse stud Ammerland.
“Revenant was 100% concentrated and always with me. We both had a lot of fun in the arena and really enjoyed it. He’s an unbelievable stallion with an unbelievably good character — I love this horse,” enthused Rudolf.
The picture-perfect stallion impressed with expressive, ground-covering, secure flying changes and flowing half-passes.
The four-year-old stallions were dominated by Eva Möller, first and second respectively on the Australian-owned Dante Quando OLD (Dante Weltino x Fidertanz) and Valverde (Vitalis x Ampere), who is proving popular with breeders and sired the price highlight of the recent Borculo foal auction (€81,000).
Eva picked up a third medal when she won the three-year-old stallion division on Helgstrand Dressage’s So Unique 2 (Sezuan x Donnerhall), collecting nines across the board.
Sandra Kötter and Feingefühl (Fürstenball x Farewell III) triumphed in the three-year-old mares and geldings division with the championships’ secondhighest score, gaining a 10 for age-appropriate training and praise from the judges for her exceptional willingness. The mare is owned by breeder and Warendorf first-timer Gaby Heyer-Hammerlage, who considers Feingefühl her “legacy horse” as she received her greatgrand-dam as a foal from a cousin four weeks before his death.