like that, the breeding itself is part mystique, part science. It’s a dash of this with a dollop of that, combined with that intangible certain something that can make a good horse, well, brilliant. Last summer Team Germany repeated their golden winning ways from 2008 and claimed the eventing team gold as well as individual gold at the London Olympics. The Germans hadn’t seen a team medal in eventing since 1992 in Barcelona where they earned the bronze. At the highest level of the sport, it’s evident that
Eventing: T
he event horse: a jack-of-all-trades, the equine triathlon equivalent, the horse that can do it all. With a description
the type of horse that competitively navigates the phases has changed, and German event horse breeding is doing its best to keep up with the changing times.
Technical is the Name of the Game The eventing scene has evolved in Germany over the past
few years as the sport continues to grow and international standards evolve. Dirk Schrade, a member of the German Olympic eventing team in 2012, has seen the sport develop, especially at the higher levels. Each phase, he says, continues to place more technical demands on the horse and rider. As Dirk sees it, not only has the dressage and show jumping become more difficult, but the cross-country courses require stamina, boldness and a greater degree of technical finesse. “The horses have to be better trained and ridden. My
personal feeling about those increased demands—they were necessary and are still necessary to improve and to make it [our sport] better because now you see very good riding. This allows for better media coverage that supports our sport,” he states. “Ten years ago in Germany, there were still championships with about half the competitors
By Katie Shoultz
The Crown of Germany’s Equestrian Sports
Dick Schrade and King Artus at the London Olympics.
being amateurs. Now you see only professionals in the championships.” Dirk’s seasoned Olympic teammate and international
competitor Ingrid Klimke echoes the same sentiments, especially regarding the cross-country phase. “With the courses being more technical, we don’t need the big gallop machine but still a horse that can speed up quickly and has the stamina to last for more than ten minutes and can go fast between the jumps while collecting more for the technical elements.” Despite the greater degree of difficulty, the sport
continues to become more popular in Germany and their country’s recent successes only bolster the growth. Well- known breeder Julia Schmid of Lonsee, Germany, has bred and sold event horses to international superstars including Michael Jung and Karen O’Connor. Julia sees this increased interest in eventing as beneficial for breeders because it provides another avenue for talented horses. “Traditionally, show jumping and dressage have been the main equestrian areas in Germany; most of the young riders and especially the breeders want either one or the other and develop that
Warmbloods Today 31
Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography
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