Christopher Hector looks at the results…

Thiago GS and Alexander Matthias Rath win the 2021 Nürnberger Burg Pokal qualifier at München Riem with a score of 72.706. The pair win the right to contest the final at Frankfurt in December…Photo sportfotos-Lafrentz.de

Do young horse class winners go on to win in the big sport? Well it would seem that the German competition for young horses, the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal  has consistently spotted future stars. Like the mare Wahajama UNICEF who won the final with Ann Kathrin Linsenhof back in 2002 – and now we have Thiago, a son of Wahajama, herself a Burg-Pokal winner. Thiago is by Totlilas, and ridden by Ann Kathrin’s step son, Matthias…

The Nürnberger Burg-Pokal is a class for 7 to 9 year old horses, and was devised by visionary the late Dr Reiner Klimke as a bridge to the Big Tour. Over the years, the class – held every year in December at Frankfurt Horse Show – has produced an astonishing number of international stars…

The very first winner, in 1992, was the darling of German dressage at the time, Nicole Uphoff. She was riding Sir Lennox (by the Thoroughbred, Shogun out of a mare by the Grande son, Glander). The Germans were desperate to find a horse to replace the great Rembrandt, whose career had come to a sorry end at the Atlanta Games, when the pair were left out of the team, Nicole claimed the right to ride as the reigning Gold Medalist, and then proved the selectors were right, the bay gelding was a shadow of his former glory and finished in 14th. Sir Lennox initially looked promising, with two 2nds at the München-Riem CDI in 1996, but the bubble burst the next year when he finished 12th in the GP and 15th in the Special at Aachen and the search went on for something Nicole could ride…

Sir Lennox – not the answer…

The next year’s winner, Ehrengold (Ehrensold / Rheingold) competed Grand Prix but it was a less than stellar career with Klaus Balkenhol.

In 1994, Martina Hannöver took first place on Rubinstein (Rosenkavalier / Angelo xx) and the pair went on to almost win a place in the German team for Atlanta. While he was always rideable, Rubinstein was never a great mover:

Martina remembered it well: “You had to motivate him pretty good to make look something special. Rubinstein and me, the special thing was the harmony, that’s what dressage means, and that’s what came over – the harmony.”

He was never a big mover?
“Never, never, but when he was going without mistakes, he had a super walk, he did super super pirouettes, super transitions, so that is what Rubinstein was.”

You had to manufacture an extended trot?
“Yes… we were happy with a 7, at least we didn’t try for an 8. That mark came out of canter – medium canter with flying change, and we got another eight with the transition to walk and the walk pirouette. I learnt with this horse to take a risk when it makes sense, and when it doesn’t, to just accept what you get, and not ask for more and make things worse because you’ve got the horse tense.”

Martina lost the ride and Rubinstein went to Heike Kemmer, and the magic was lost. Nicole Uphoff rode the horse for a season, but she could not get Rubinstein motoring again – his weaknesses, the lack of power and scope, particularly in the trot, were glaringly apparent.

Still he was a very popular stallion, siring 90 licensed sons, but alas none of them amounted to much. His most successful competitor was Relevant, who we will meet later…

next Isabell Werth wins her first Burg-Pokal

1995 and the amazing Isabel Werth took the first of her three Nürnberger Burg-Pokal trophies, this time riding Aurelius FRH. Aurelius was sold by Dr Schulten-Baumer to Madeleine Winter-Schulze. He was then ridden at Grand Prix level both by Mrs Winter-Schulze herself and also by Karin Rehbein.  He was by Acapulco out of a Cavalier mother.

Isabel won it again the next year, this time riding, Giorgio by Graf Lehndorf out of a Wendulan (Wendekreis) mare. He was the winner of the Otto Lörke prize the following year, and was then sold to Nicki Barrett in England.

A real star – Chacomo, getting to know the Sydney 2000 arena

Then came 1997 and Chacomo, and at last, a real Grand Prix star with Alexandra Simons-de Ridder. The gelding’s breeding was all Holsteiner, by Calypso I out of a Marmor mare, and just 26% ‘blood’. The horse was discovered by Alexandra’s husband, Ton, in a friend’s barn, he had been a birthday present to the friend’s wife, and was not for sale. Twelve months later, the wife was about to become mother, and Ton moved quickly to buy the horse. Sadly, after being one of the stars of the German dressage team at the Sydney Games, Chacomo became sick, and died.

Relevant and Lisa Wilcox star at the WEG in Jerez in 2002

The next year, Nicole Uphoff was once again in the winner’s box on the Rubinstein son, Relevant (by Rubinstein out of a mare by the Gotthard son, Goldlöwe) at the Burg Pokal. Nicole left the Vorwerk Stud, and the ride on Relevant went to the American Lisa Wilcox, and the handsome chestnut went on to a fine competition career – team silver and individual 5th in the Freestyle at the Jerez WEG, and 2nd in the Freestyle in the Open Europeans of 2003. After the dispersal of the Vorwerk stud, he stood in England until his death in 2017.

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In 1999, the winner was another Holsteiner, Cockney (Caretino / Corso) ridden by Nadine Capellmann. Again, although the gelding made it to Grand Prix, he was never a star, and was sold as a thirteen-year-old to a young rider.

The class was won in 2000 by yet another from the marshes, Miss Holstein (Romino / Corso – dam sire two years running!) ridden by Karin Rehbein. The horse was being prepared for Grand Prix in 2002, when a dispute between owner and trainer, put an end to all that.

Heike and Bonaparte

In 2001, it was Heike Kemmer and Bonaparte (Bon Bonaparte / Consul). The pair went on to win the Otto Lörke prize for the best up-and-coming young Grand Prix horse in 2002, and was named Hanoverian of the Year. They won team gold at the Athens Games, the 2005 Euros and the 2006 WEG. Their moment of glory was at Hong Kong, where they won team gold and an individual bronze, even if it wasn’t a vintage year for dressage.

The next year it was Wahajama-UNICEF (Warkant / Acapulco) with Ann-Kathrin Linsenhof. The mare had been a young horse star with Holga Finken, winning the World 5 year old title. She had a reasonably successful Grand Prix career with Ann-Kathrin – sixth in a world cup final in 2006 and wins at Dortmund.

Wahajama and Holga Finken winning at the Bundeschampionat

Karin Rehbein was back winning in 2003, this time with Cherie (Don Primero / Lanthan) who had won a world young horse title two years earlier.

Cherie and Karin Rehbein at Aachen

The pair were competing well at Prix St Georges level, when the owner, removed her two horses and Cherie’s career came to an end. It was more or less the end for Karin Rehbein, but she will always be remembered for her partnership with Cherie’s grand-sire, Donnerhall.

Elvis and Nadine Capellmann

Nadine Capellmann won the title in 2004 on Elvis VA (Espri / Garibaldi) with a still record score of 81.17%. The pair went Grand Prix the following year, and the year after that were in the German team at the Aachen WEG. They again won team gold at the Beijing Games, and the Hanoverian gelding was retired in 2012.

Monica and Whisper at the Windsor Euros 

In 2005, it was Monica Theodorescu and Whisper (Welt Hit I / Weltstar). The pair won the Otto Lörke in 2007, and that same year won team silver at the Europeans. Whisper finished his career in style, winning the Grand Prix of Aachen in 2012, his final year of competition.

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Comic Hilltop FRH and Carola Koppelmann – Pic Frieler

Comic Hilltop FRH (Come On / Platon) competed at the Bundeschampionate and the World Young Horse champs with Ingrid Klimke, before he won the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal, with Carola Koppelmann. The pair went on to place 9th in the Grand Prix at Bremen, before the stallion ended his days standing at stud in Italy.

Augustin and Victoria Max-Theurer

In 2007, Victoria Max-Theurer took the prize the following year riding the magnificent stallion, Augustin OLD. The stallion was bred by Victoria’s mother, Sissy, by a stallion she purchased, August der Starke (Argentinus / Landadel) out of a Rohdiamant mare. The pair  won lots of Grand Prix in Austria and in the Max-Theurer’s new home in Cappeln. Augustin OLD was 8th in the Grand Prix and 6th in the Special and the Freestyle at the 2014 WEG.

Third win for Isabel, this time with El Santo

2008 and it is Isabell Werth’s third victory, this time with El Santo NRW (Ehrentusch / Rhythmus). The Westfalien gelding has won over €75,000 which is a lot for a dressage horse, and competed in three World Cup finals, a 6th at Las Vegas, a 5th at Lyon and a 4th at den Bosch. He started his Grand Prix career in 2010, with a win at München-Riem.

Blind Date and Victoria Max-Theurer 

Brigitte Wittig and Blind Date won in 2009. The mare is by Breitling W, a Grand Prix performer with Brigitte’s husband, Wolfram, and out of a Donnerhall mare. Brigitte and Blind Date won their first Grand Prix in 2011 in Luxembourg. They won the Grand Prix and the Special at Bremen in 2012, but by June, she was being ridden by Victoria Max-Theurer. Since then the pair have won over 30 Grand Prix.

Rassolini and Kathrin Meyer zu Strohen

Next year it was Kathrin Meyer zu Strohen riding Rassolini (by the Rubinstein son, Rubioso N out of a Silvano N mare). The previous year, Kathrin had ridden the stallion into 4th place in the world six year old champs. He was purchased for German born, American dressage trainer, Jan Ebeling to ride. The pair placed 1st at the Del Mar CDI-W in 2015, their last competition appearance was in April 2017, when the horse was 3rd in a CDI-W at Del Mar.

2011 and Carola Koppelmann is back in the winner’s circle, this time with Desperado OLD (Dressage Royal / Rouletto). The horse had already won a world five-year-old title with Nadine Plaster, but in 2011 was purchased for Carola. They competed at Grand Prix level in two shows in 2013, in Munich they were third in the Grand Prix and second in the Special. That was the last time they competed, and in 2017 came the news that the gelding had died.

 

Burlington FRH and Charlott-Maria Schürmann –  Photo Dressage-News

The next winner is one of my personal favorites, Charlott-Maria Schürmann with Burlington FRH, another by the fabulous Breitling out of a Rohdiamant mare. Charlott-Maria was only 19 at the time of her win, the pair went on to score excellent placings in the 2017 World Cup season. Their last international performance was at Hagen in April 2018 when they were 9th in the Freestyle.

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Do Burg-Pokal winners go on? Well yes, Weihegold and Isabel.
And the 2019 winner, Total Hope, is her son

The 2013 winner is an out-and-out star, Weihegold (Don Schufro / Sandro Hit) then ridden by Beatrice Buchwald. Beatrice’s boss, Isabell Werth took over the ride at the beginning of 2016 for a first at Amsterdam CDI-W, and since then, the pair have won over 20 times, including wins at the Europeans and an amazing three World Cup Finals in a row, before covid caused the cancellation of the last two finals.  The mare has won €792,301 thus far in her amazing career.

2014 winner, Samba King is by Sandro King (Sandro Hit / Calypso I) and out of a Lancet mare. He was purchased for Franziska Eisemann-Rath and she competed the gelding in young horse classes in 2014. Pregnant with her first child, she handed the ride to husband Matthias, who rode him to victory in Frankfurt. At Jerez in 2016, the pair won an Intermediate A, since then, seemingly, the horse has not competed.

Santiago and Dorothee Schneider

The 2015 winner also seems to have disappeared – Santiago (Stedinger / Dacaprio) carried Dorothee Schneider to a decisive victory, but since then, the last recorded performance was a 2nd in the Prix St Georges in Aachen in July 2016.

Isabel Freese and Vitalis

In 2016 victory went to Isabel Freese and her ride, the Dutch bred stallion, Vitalis (Vivaldi / D-Day). They went closest to equaling Elvis’ 81.17% with a score of 79.22%. Vitalis has certainly had a checkered career. He first came to notice at the 2009 Westfalien licensing, where he was crowned reserve champion, and leased by the State Stud in Warendorf to stand for the next two years, covering a huge number of mares. In 2011 he was put into training with Hans Peter Minderhoud to prepare for the KWPN licensing – where the commission rejected him. He appeared in the Five-year-old World Championships with Hans Peter’s stable jockey Marieke van der Putten for an 18th place, and the following year with his new owner, Danish born, American based owner, Charlotte Jorst. In September 2015, he was sold back to Germany, to Paul Schockemöhle, which is why the ride went to PSI stable rider, Isabel Freese. The pair had two wins at Inter 1 Freestyle and Prix St Georges, at Ermelo, since then, nothing. But Vitalis is proving an interesting sire…

Isabell and Flamboyant

In 2017 the final was won by Isabell Werth and QC Flamboyant MV but it was a controversial decision, since even Isabell at her press conference thought the prize should have gone to the second placed, Escolar and Hubertus Schmidt…  Isabell’s Flamboyant seems to have disappeared, but Escolar is now an impressive Grand Prix competitor, and on the German Olympic Squad.

Should they have won? Escolar and Hubertus Schmidt

In 2018, the final was won by one of the regular stars at Frankfurt, Dorothee Schneider riding First Romance.

In 2020, Dorothee and First Romance won the Short GP at Mannheim, and the Grand Prix of Pohlhelm and Luderigsburg-Monrepos.

In 2019, it was Isabell Freese and Total Hope who took the crown. The young stallion is bred for the job, by Totilas out of Weihegold, but he also has a pretty special rider in the saddle. I complemented Isabell on the transformation of the youngster…

I saw Total Hope at the World Championships in Ermelo then now here in Frankfurt, and I think you have done an amazing job in a couple of months between then and now…

“Thank you very much. We are trying of course, that he gets stronger, that he gets closer from behind and more in self carriage, but also being careful not to do too much because he is so talented, but he is still a young horse. He is very supple like a rubber ball, actually it makes it very easy and he learns very very very fast.”

Did you have any problem areas that you had to work through with him?

“The only problem we have with him is that he is very much stallion like, he has a lot of hormones. So it’s always the first days at a show with other horses because he’s a matcho. He knows he’s a stallion. When I get into a ring, it’s all fine.”

This year’s Burg-Pokal was held behind closed doors because of Covid, and it was something of a family affair – the venue was Schafhof, the Linsenhof/Rath family home, and the winner was Destacado FRH (Desperados FRH / Londonderry) ridden by Matthias.

The pair started 2021 promisingly with a 4th in an Inter II at München Riem, with a score of 74.053%.

Matthias and Destacado at the World Championships
(photo Kenneth Braddick, dressage-news.com)

Summing Up:

The Burg-Pokal finalists over the years have gone on to win eight Olympic gold medals, five silver and four bronze. We’ve seen what the winners did, but finalists who went on to glory include: Farbenfroh, Beauvalais, Diva Royal, Desperados FRH, Damon Hill NRW and Showtime FRH. Finalists went on to win 129 medals at international and national championships, and Burg Pokal graduates include Piccolino, Renoir, Warum nicht FRH, Sterntaler-Unicef, D’Agostino FRH and Bella Rose. Oh yes, and they picked up twelve European championship gold medals, nine silver and eight bronze. Wow!

In passing, it’s interesting that while our role of honour features a number of mares, none of them seem to have produced star progeny – unlike the famous jumping mares. Perhaps the most successful was Wahajama, who produced a Fürst Romancier mare, Funky Valentine who had one placing in an A level test, and Thiago, a premium stallion in Baden Wurttemberg. You might hazard a guess that there were a fair few embryos floating about…

Wansuela Suerte and Hubertus Schmidt, dressage mares have not been producers like the showjumpers

Nothing from Fabienne or Wansuela Suerte but after finishing 34th with Victoria at the Europeans, Blind Date may well be headed for her mother’s brood mare band.

Weihegold has a huge number of offspring by stallions like Sir Donnerhall and Totilas but so far, only Total Hope has done anything interesting. She has produced state premium mares and mare show winners, but time will tell if any of these make it to the Big Sport.

Okay so we’ve looked at the winners, and perhaps we have detected a move towards more successful horses in the more recent finals – but what about the depth. Let’s look at the 2014 Nürnberger Burg Pokal finalists: Isabel Bache – Riverdance; Bianca Baum – Holly;  Charlott-Maria Schürmann – Edward; Esther Maruhn – Wilson Pickett; Matthias Alexander Rath – Samba King; Wibke Bruns – Wiener Classic; Therese Nilshagen – Dante Weltino OLD; Matthias Alexander Rath – Danönchen; Emma Kanerva – Capo; Tessa Frank – Fürst Nymphenburg; Oliver Oelrich – Floriscount; Hartwig Burfeind – Lapagenos; Juliane Brunkhorst – Rom; Dorothee Schneider – Kiss Me; Isabell Werth – Emilio.

Another star, Dante Weltino

There’s a couple of obvious Grand Prix stars in that lot. Dante Weltino (Danone / Welt Hit II) was one of the new stars to shine at the recent Europeans with Swede, Therese Nilshagen, while Isabell Werth’s Emilio (Ehrenpreis NRW / Cacir aa) has won Grand Prix at Lyon, Aachen, s’Hertogenbosch, Göteborg, Geneva, Fritzens, München-Riem, Stuttgart and Perl.

And another – Emilio

But what about the rest?

Riverdance (Rascalino / Alabaster) won two small tour tests at Aachen in 2014, and then nothing comes up. Holly (His Highness / Walt Disney) was one of a squad of expensive horses purchased by Sara Marburg, who made her fortune with an internet hosting company. Ridden by Yeliz Marburg, Holly’s best placing in 2017 was a 2nd in an Inter I at München-Reim. Charlott-Maria Schürmann’s Edward (Embassy / Fabriano) had considerable success in Young Rider classes – the pair were members of the German silver medal winning team at the 2013 Young Riders Euro Champs – but he seems to have disappeared after qualifying for the 2014 Nürnberger Burg-Pokal. Charlott-Maria continues to star with her Nürnberger winner, Burlington.

Esther Maruhn’s Wilson Pickett (Wolkentanz / Ravallo) won a short Grand Prix this year, then went back to competing – with success – at S level. We have already discussed Samba King, what about Wibke Bruns and Wiener Classic (Sandro Hit / Weltmeyer)? The FEI records some small tour placings, including a win at Cappeln, in 2014, nothing after that.

Danönchen (Danone / Rohdiamant) won an Inter I with Matthias at Hagen in 2015, since then he has been ridden with great success in Junior competition by Liselott Marie Linsenhoff (Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff / Klaus Martin Rath).

Emma Kanerva’s Capo seems to have disappeared, while the two Florencio sons, Fürst Nymphenburg (De Niro) and Floriscount (Donnerhall) seem to have decided – like their sire – to rest on their Young Horse laurels.

Hartwig Burfeind’s Lapagenos and Juliane Brunkhorst’s Rom seem to have disappeared, while Dorothee Schneider’s Kiss Me (Kaiserkult / Sandro Hit) won an Inter I in September of last year.

What does that tell us? That Herbert Rehbein’s observation that when you get to Prix St Georges, Grand Prix seems to be just over the valley – trouble is to get there you have to climb a mountain range, still rings true. It also proves that the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal is a very useful tool for bringing along the next generation of Grand Prix stars…

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The 2019 winner was Total Hope, a son of 2013 winner, Weihegold. Total Hope and lots of the other bloodlines that feature in this article are available in Australia from International Horse Breeders, go to www.ihb.com.au

Total Hope

and Winning the Burg Pokal