Old and new faces – including Olympic eventer – among German team for European Dressage Championships
Ingrid Klimke is among the riders who will represent Germany at the European Dressage Championships (26-31 August) – as she makes her second team appearance in her second discipline.
On 5 July the five-time Olympic eventer was named on the dressage team with 14-year-old stallion Vayron NRW, the day after the pair won the Aachen CDI4* grand prix special with 74.13%. Ingrid took the ride on Vayron in November; he was formerly campaigned by Daniel Bachmann Andersen, including at the Paris Olympics.
The 2025 Europeans, in Crozet, France, will be Ingrid’s second team appearance at a dressage championships. She was part of the bronze medal-winning team at the 2022 World Dressage Championships with Franziskus. The pair missed out on Paris as Franziskus sustained an injury, and his retirement was announced in December.
The German team features old and new faces; Isabell Werth and Frederic Wandres return – having represented their country at the Paris Olympics, the 2023 Europeans, and the 2022 World Championships – and Katharina Hemmer steps up to make her championship debut.
The German team for the European Dressage Championships (in alphabetical order):
Katharina Hemmer and 13-year-old gelding Denoix PCH
Owners: Nancy Gooding and Hubertus Schmidt
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Breeder: Friedrich Kuhlmann
Breeding: by Destano, out of a mare by Pik Noir
Ingrid Klimke and 14-year-old stallion Vayron NRW
Owner: Rudolk Spiekermann
Breeder: Heinrich Sterthoff
Breeding: by Vitalis, out of a mare by Gloster
Frederic Wandres and 15-year-old gelding Bluetooth OLD
Owner: Hof Kasselmann
Breeder: Gestut Lewitz
Breeding: by Bordeaux 28, out of a mare by GB Riccione
Isabell Werth and 11-year-old mare Wendy De Fontaine
Owners: Chateau De Fontaine and Madeleine Winter-Schulze
Breeder: Kurt Gosmer
Breeding: by Sezuan 2, out of a mare by Blue Hors Soprano
Isabell’s reserve horse is Special Blend
Owner: Helgstrand Dressage
Breeder: Hannelore Weber
Breeding: Sezuan 2, out of a mare by Blue Hors Hotline
The reserve combination is:
Matthias Alexander Rath and 12-year-old stallion Destacado FRH
Owner: Gesutat Schafhof and Friderike Lohse
Breeder: Henrich Giesselmann
Breeding: By Desperados, out of a mare by Londonderry
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.