Hanami – A horse that’s dear to my heart, a family horse, and a Road2LA horse all in one

Special horses, special stories—and that goes for Hanami, too, Pia Leuwers’ promising young horse, who is supported by the Road2 LA initiative. And since one phrase rarely comes alone, here’s another: The future needs its roots—Bingo!

Hanami and Pia Leuwer—this is the story of two who have known each other practically from the very beginning. And there’s more: Not only has Pia Leuwer trained this gray mare, born in 2017, from practically the very beginning, but she also knows her dam inside and out. That’s because Hanami is a daughter of Cascada, who competed successfully in cross-country events up to CCI4*-S under Leuwer. The pair has 35 international starts to their credit.

Her mother had already competed internationally

Cascada, a Holsteiner mare, has a pedigree that makes eventing and show jumping riders salivate: Cascadello-Heraldik xx-Lord—a pedigree that really catches the eye. Cascadello, the sire of internationally successful horses who ranks 19th (2025) on the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) list of the best sires in show jumping, is Professor Bernd Heicke’s favorite horse. This major patron of German eventing—who, among other things, owns Julia Krajewski’s Olympic champion Amande de B’Neville, who gave birth to her second foal in 2026—breeds horses at the Fohlenhof stud farm. It is not uncommon for these horses to then go to Pia and Ben Leuwer for training.

The Boss’s Favorite Stallion

Ingrid Heicke, Bernd Heicke’s wife, also had a favorite stallion: Hambacher, a Holsteiner grandson of Heraldik xx, whose sire, H-Ekwador, competed internationally in dressage for Poland. Before Cascada’s riding career was set to begin, she was bred once: a true “Heicke couple’s favorite horse” was born—Hambacher crossed with Cascadello—Hanami, named after the uplifting feeling that overwhelms the Japanese when they witness the cherry blossoms. Delicate yet powerful, full of radiance. A fitting name, as it turned out.

“Something Very Special”

Whenever Pia Leuwer is asked about Hanami, she quickly starts gushing. Even though the mare has always been somewhat overshadowed by other horses—Cascoblanco, for example. When Leuwer won the Bundeschampionat with him in 2023, Hanami finished fourth. “But somehow, even back then, I sensed something very special in Hanami.”

Continuously on the path to the top

“Hanami has climbed the ranks,” says Pia Leuwer, summarizing the Westphalian mare’s career. In 2022, she placed sixth at the Bundeschampionat; in 2023, she placed fourth; in 2024, the pair won an international CCI2* event; and in October 2025, they celebrated their first victory at the four-star level at the CCI4*-S in Strzegom.

Hanami and her mother share some similarities. “They’re nice horses, but they also crave attention from their humans. They want to be spoken to personally,” explains Pia Leuwer. Cascada was a horse who impressed people above all with her willingness to perform. “Sometimes that’s the only reason she mastered tasks that some people wouldn’t have thought she was capable of.” And her daughter? She’s just similar in many ways.

Lots of horsepower

Even at the age of four, it became clear that the gray mare had “plenty of power.” The challenge was to channel that energy in the right direction. “At first, she always gave 120 percent, and you had to ‘cool her down’ a bit. “She’s always motivated,” says her trainer. And after a brief pause, she adds, “a luxury problem.” When competitions run long, that’s exactly the kind of horse you need—one that brings energy, a strong canter, and a love of movement.

Dressage isn’t exactly the ambitious gray mare’s favorite discipline. “At the start of the season, we need a few dressage exercises to help her regain her concentration and focus.” The rest? That just comes naturally. The secret to success? “You have to take her as she is, and then she’ll give it her all!”

Pia Leuwer is not alone in her assessment. “Ben says he knows how I feel, too.” Ben, her husband and the father of the child Pia Leuwer is expecting in the summer of 2026, has taken over training the gray mare during Pia’s pregnancy. Pia wants to get back in the saddle as soon as possible. She says she’s grateful that the Heickes are sharing in their joy and aren’t putting any pressure on them.

Given the mare’s quality, Pia is making that happen all on her own. By 2027, she should be able to secure a qualifying result in a CCI4*-L event. That would give her the momentum she needs to look ahead to the Olympic year on“Road2LA.”And who knows—maybe she’ll be riding alongside Ben in Los Angeles, the same Ben who saddled Zuccini, the talented horse with the spelling mistake. That would be fitting, given the family’s beloved horses that are all gathered here.