With overwhelming dominance did German Katharina Winkelhues win the 2003 European Pony Championships Dressage at Necarne Castle in Irvinestown, Ireland. Riding her steady partner of three years, the liver chestnut Dressman, Winkelhues rode record scores in the "walled garden" ring at the Euro Championships. Winning all three classes with respected magical scores of 74.89%, 76.06% and 76.04%, Winkelhues was untouchable and took home her fourth golden medal and her second individual title.
The combination Winkelhues/Dressman has been a success story from when they first met in 2001. Katharina immediately qualified the pony for the European Championships in 2001 and won the consolation finals with a 71% score. In 2002 and 2003 they won the individual title. Any dressage enthusiast with some insight could have seen that Winkelhues would unstoppable in this year. During the 2003 show season she already claimed the Preis der Besten and Bad Salzuflen Dressage Derby title, and the European title was only a formality.
Winkelhues lives in Cologne, Germany, and is trained by her parents Wolfgang and Gaby Winkelhues. She took up riding on a Shetland pony named Mickey, but it was pony Victoria who got her acquainted with the competition ring. At the 1997 Autumn Elite Auction in Munster, the Winkelhues's bought the licensed stallion Dressman Son (by Dressman).
This pony put Katharina in touch with Theo Schurf, owner of Dressman. They agreed that Katharina would be competing both Dressman and his licensed son Don Joshi for three years. Despite an astronomical leasing fee, the Winkelhues's had to drive 200 kilometres daily to train the pony at Schurf's stable in Bedburg, Germany.
The legendary licensed pony stallion Dressman (by Domingo x Niklas) is an investment worth making. He took four riders to gold medals at various European Championships. The 14-year old Westfalian pony was bred by Mr. Sondermann from Haltern, Germany,. He won the German Bundeschampionate three times and was introduced to the FEI classes and European Championships as a 6-year old by Astrid Buer. Afterwards he was also ridden by Desiree Schurf, Kira Kroncke and Katharina Winkelhues.
Katharina Winkelhues is 15-years old and still has one more year to go in the FEI Pony division. Besides riding, she enjoys playing the piano.