Michael Klimke's most successful Grand Prix horse, the licensed Hanoverian stallion White Foot (by World Cup III x Golfstrom I) has been sold to the Japanese dressage rider Yoshitaka Serimachi of the Japanese Crane Riding Club.
Although Serimachi already has a large collection of top Grand Prix horses, including Alvaro, Intelleto and his current favourite Rousseau, White Foot is a welcome addition with the Olympics coming up.
White Foot was sold at the 1993 Verden Elite Auction for a then top price of 107,000 DM. White Foot disappeared into a training barn in Germany, only to later appear as Prix St Georges horse under Michael Klimke. White Foot had then already switched owners three times. His German discoverer sold the chestnut to Switzerland, where he was then sold to the Japanese Kazuko Oda, who also owned Klimke's mount Raikito. Klimke quickly brought the stallion to Grand Prix and produced his best successes ever in his international career since his European Young Rider Champion's title.
Klimke has trained the Japanese dressage team prior to the Olympics in Barcelona and Atlanta, and is regularly tutoring Japanese dressage riders, including Serimachi. Serimachi made his first debut aboard White Foot at the CDI Stadl Paura in Austria. The pair finished 44th in the Grand Prix with 61.29%.
Image copyrighted: Dirk Caremans
Related Links
Scores: CDI Stadl Paura 2003
Michael Klimke and White Foot in 2001 German B-Team
Horsemagazine: Klimke Keeping the Flame Alive