The Odenburg Association's Dressage and Riding Horse Champions in Höven

Three-year-old stallions

The name says it all— Diamantd’Or by Dynamic Dream-Vitalis, bred by Wieghaus-Vorwerk GbR, Neuenkirchen-Vörden, trotted to the front of the field among the three-year-old stallions under his co-owner, the Spaniard Santiago Damil of Flicka Ventures GmbH in Fürstenau. His scores were impressive: 9 for trot and walk, 9.5 for canter, plus 8.5 for rideability and conformation. This resulted in a total score of 8.9 for the new Oldenburg Champion.

Epic Zone PS by Escanto PS out of the elite mare Secret Zone PS by Secret (breeder: Gestüt Lewitz, owner: Gestüt Lewitz and Lone Boegh Henriksen) under Brandi Roenick, who had previously ridden the sire to the Bundeschampionat title. The dam, Secret Zone PS, is also the dam of Grey Tonic by Grey Flanell from Station Beckmann, who has been the talk of the town ever since his performance test victory last year. That’s no coincidence. The granddam is the World Championship-designated mare Zantana Rs2 OLD, owned by Marieke van der Putten. This Zantana is not only a half-sister to the Olympic horse Total U.S., but also the dam of the licensed stallions Fürst Zonik PS by Fürstenball, who has since been victorious in advanced-level competitions under Isabel Freese, and Debutant PS OLD by Deparon, who caused a sensation three times at the National Championships in Warendorf before being sold to young rider Rose Oatley, with whom he now competes in the Young Riders Tour. Epic Zone received an overall score of 8.7 (trot and walk 8.5, canter 9, training 9, conformation 8.5).

The bronze medal went to ObsidianCadillac by Obsession Taonga out of VbPrSt. Dirty Dancing by De Niro (breeder: Laisbo Horses ApS, Denmark; owner: Karsten Schuck), ridden by David Taylor. With Jimilian by Jovian, the youngster has a licensed half-brother who, like himself, was once a Vechta auction horse.

Four-year-old mares and geldings

For the first time, the championships for four-year-olds were not decided as part of a riding horse competition; instead, the finalists competed in a Class A dressage horse competition, similar to the new format of the National Championships, which is being piloted this year.

In the four-year-old fillies and geldings class, there was a one-two finish for the breeding farm owned by Weihegold’s owner, Christine Arns-Krogmann, who thus demonstrated that she continues to maintain other excellent filly lines. The victory went to Pommery Look OLD (by Florida TN out of El./St.Pr.St. Pandora by Sir Donnerhall-Lavauzelle AA-Inschallah AA), whom she bred and presented, successfully defending her title from the previous year. She also placed fourth at the 2025 National Championship. Like all Arns-Krogmann horses, she was presented by Alina Schneider, who earned a perfect 9.0.

The daughter of the 2020 Reserve Champion Stallion thus once again confirmed the impression she made at the 2025 Elite Mare Show, where she was awarded the 1c prize. Her dam is also a Brillantring mare, having been awarded the 1e prize in 2011. She has already produced the licensed stallions Don de Niro by De Niro, Filou by For Romance I, First Man by For Romance II, and a son of Viva Gold OLD. Her daughter, Passion by Grey Flanell, was awarded the Oldenburg Main Premium qualification and is now competing successfully in Class S dressage competitions, as is Perla Negra by Negro.

The second successful horse from the Arns-Krogmann breeding stable, ridden by Alina Schneider, was Princess Negra by Santos out of OLHPrSt. Pajala Negra by Desperados. She received a score of 8.26 for her performance.

In third place, with a score of 8.14, was Soul Mate XT OLD by San Amour I out of Flower Crown by El.H. Foundation (breeder and owner: Dr. Stefan Tietje, Alfhausen), ridden by Sina Aringer. The fact that the gelding’s name also includes “OLD” is because he won silver last year.

Four-year-old stallions

American Brandi Roenick had every reason to be beaming last weekend, as she not only won the title of champion four-year-old stallion with Dynamite by Debutant PS (see above) out of Fantasy by Feinrich (breeder: Philipp Mücke, Moosburg; owner: Bollmoor Partner GmbH & Co. KG) as the Champion of the four-year-old stallions. With a score of 8.84, he left the rest of the field far behind. Last year, the youngster had been presented by Rose Oatley, whose family is behind Bollmoor GmbH & Co. KG.

The silver medal went to Sir Thunder von Bellin (by Sir Donnerhall I out of Fulinda M by Armani; breeder and owner: MJS Gestüt von Bellin GmbH & Co. KG), one of the horses trained by Leonie Richter for Gestüt von Bellin. The dam produced Freedom Freedea by Franklin 2024, one of the participants in the Elite Mare Show in Rastede.

Santiago Damil of Spain—who, among other things, is Charlott-Maria Schürmann’s trainer—is a breeder and, through Damil Ventures GmbH, also the owner of the bronze medalist Detto d’Amore by El.H. Dante Weltino out of Sandrina by Sandro Hit. Jordi Cabre Munoz presented him for a score of 7.62.

Five-year-old dressage horses

The second champion for Dynamic Dream last weekend in Höven was Dynamic Pur by Finesse out of Finest – Dancier (breeder: Wieghaus Vorwerk GbR, owner: René Tebbel Stallion Station, Emsbüren). Under Friederike Tebbel, the stallion was one of the most striking performers at the tryouts for the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses, but at the second tryout early last week, he was too distracted to make the cut for the World Championships. In Höven, he danced his way to victory with a score of 8.22.

. His mother’s full sister is currently competing successfully at the Prix St. Georges level. In addition, the maternal line produced Legurio, ridden by Frank Sloothaak, who has enjoyed success in international show jumping competitions. His sire is the champion stallion Dynamic Dream, who has shaped modern dressage horse breeding in recent years with his offspring’s powerful movements.

Second place went to Bonds’ daughter Be Epic, by Frederica out of Florestan I, bred and owned by Dr. Katharina Paschertz of Cloppenburg/Bethen, who is also the breeder of her sire, Bonds. Maren Maier presented Be Epic, earning a score of 8.16. The mare competed as a four-year-old at the Elite Mare Show in the castle park in Rastede.

Third place went to Bella Morena by Moreno out of Bonita Le Fleur by For Dance (breeder: Gerd Sosath, owner: Rosemarie Türnau), ridden by Madita Rentz. Bella Morena was the 2024 Brillantring Mare in Rastede. Her grandmother, the El./StPrSt. Bonita, also produced the licensed stallion Fine Future by Federer.

Six-year-old dressage horses

Global Player OLD, the former champion stallion who went on to become World Champion of Young Dressage Horses and European Junior Champion, sired the champion of the six-year-old dressage horses, the licensed Globall by El./VbPrSt. Cardinale by El.H. Fürstenball – Sandro Hit (breeder: Arnold Wegbünder, Nordhorn). Eva Möller presented Goball, earning a solid 9.02. Last year, he was still ridden by Leonie Richter, who at the time was still working as a trainer for Helgstrand Dressage and rode the youngster to seventh place at the Bundeschampionat. Helgstrand Dressage A/S is still listed as Globall’s owner. However, it was recently known…that the stallion was sold to an up-and-coming Italian rider, Matteo Borghesi. He trains with Eva Möller’s husband, Dr. Ulf Möller.

With a score of 8.32, Bon Bolero OLD by Bon Vivaldi out of Finele by Fürst Romancier – Rubin-Royal (breeder: Matthias Alexander Krug, Butzbach; owner: Heinz Ahlers, Hatten) and Eike Bewerungen in the saddle. Bon Bolero is a Grand Prize winner and was a finalist at the Bundeschampionat as both a three-year-old and a four-year-old, after becoming Oldenburg State Champion as a three-year-old and finishing second as a four-year-old.

The third medal for Christine Arns-Krogmann’s breeding program went to Weihforca OLD by Fynch Hatton out of El./OLHPrSt. Weihdira by De Niro – Fürst Heinrich, also ridden by Alina Schneider. The mare took the Brillantring two years ago at the Elite Mare Show in the castle park in Rastede. Weihegold is her great-grandmother. Her direct dam, Weihdira, also produced the licensed Seattle by So Perfect. The granddam, El./StPrSt Weihcine, produced the successful S-level mare Weihvirgin OLD by El.H. Vitalis and the reserve champion of his licensing, Dodo Weihgand by Diamond Hit.

Nominated for the National Championship

Following the Riding Horse Championships and the Mare Show, the Oldenburg Association has named the horses that will represent Oldenburg at the National Championships. Among the officially nominated three-year-old fillies and geldings are the new champion Spotlight as well as the winning filly Benaira MB by Bonds, who placed seventh in the riding horse class—though she competed there under her racing name, Blanca 66.

Among the three-year-old stallions, the winner, Diamant d’Or, and the silver medalist, Epic Zone PS, are confirmed. The bronze medalist, Obsidian Cadillac, is a reserve.

The Oldenburgs make up the largest contingent among the four-year-old fillies and geldings. Four horses have been officially nominated in this category: A Magic Moment HJN, Emma Gold, Pommery Look OLD, and Princess Negra.

Among the four-year-old stallions, Dynamite was the only one definitively nominated by the participants in Höven. Still, he won’t be alone in Warendorf. Also confirmed is last year’s silver medalist, the now four-year-old former champion stallion La Paix, who was absent from the State Championships last weekend.

You can find the overview, including the finalists, here.