Franziskus and Ingrid Klimke, Medal Winners

Words Christopher Hector, photos Ros Neave, Tanja Becker and K-H Frieler

THM first met Ingrid Klimke’s ride, Franziskus, back in 2015 when the pair were starting out. Ingrid told us:

“Franziskus has so much quality, everything is easy for him, so much power, and from his build he is so much sitting on his hindquarters, so uphill, everything is easy for him.” Wilfried Gehrmann, an expert in in hand work assists.

Right from the start, it’s forward to the hand

“He is quite tall and he is really full of himself. I got him at the end of his five-year-old year, he was already determined to have his way, it took quite a while and some really big discussions, and he has realized that it is not only his choice, which way to go, which gait, what we do.

I had three months when I was not really sure if he is not a man’s horse – he is quite tall and strong and has such a presence – will he realize that it is nicer to be in a team with me, a team player?

But he had so much quality, so much power, and from his build he is so much sitting on his hindquarters, so uphill, everything is easy for him. I asked for a change, and it was a wonderful change, I asked his owners, did anyone teach him changes? No, but he could do one change. Then I taught him four, three, two times changes, now I teach him the ones, because I didn’t know what else to do.”

Will he piaffe?

“I think so. Passage is very easy because he has such a nice front. In the piaffe steps he was a little bit quick, but now he starts to learn. He is seven and while he is breeding so much, I haven’t competed him too much.

We next saw Ingrid and Franziskus competing in the Nurnberger Bürg-Pokal in 2017. Moving towards Grand Prix.

Ingrid and Franziskus experiencing the big time at the Frankfurt Horse Show

Easing into top level competition – warming up at Aachen in 2019 – photo Becker/Equitaris

In the 2020 Grand Prix at Frankfurt Horse Show, Ingrid and Franziskus qualified for the Tokyo Games and were added to the German Squad. Ingrid qualified for Tokyo on Franziskus for the dressage, and Hale Bob for eventing.

Ingrid Klimke’s ride, Franziskus (Fidertanz / Alabaster) looks a million dollars when he steams across the diagonal and wow, the final trot diagonal took your breath away. 74.913 (first with one, second with three, fourth with the other). Pic K. H. Frieler

They didn’t make the Tokyo team, but made their big-time debut at the World Championships at Herning 2022 and were part of the Bronze Medal Team. In the lead up to the Paris Games, they are looking hopeful for inclusion. Ingrid has many Championship and Olympic Eventing Medals, but this is her first Dressage Medal, following in the steps of her father, the late Dr Reiner Klimke…