The Hanoverian licensed stallion Jonggor's Weyden passed away today following an acute colic attack. The 22-year old liver chestnut stallion did not survive despite an immediate operation. He was humanely put down on the operation table.
Weyden was by Western Star x Grande. He was the most expensive horse sold at the 1988 Hanoverian Stallion Licensing in Verden, Germany, and became one of Holland's most successful team horses under the Dutch/German Sven Rothenberger. At the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Rothenberger and Weyden won team silver and individual bronze. He also became reserve World Cup Champion in 1997 and won the Dutch Grand Prix Champion's title in 2001 under Sven's wife Gonnelien.
Weyden was discovered by Rothenberger in Germany in 1995. "I discovered him at a show in Germany," Sven reminisced. "There was one really spectacular horse and he was always in the training arena at the same time that Weyden was being trained by Mr Fritz Stahlecker, and five dealers thought that I was running behind the other horse. I just let them think that. No-one thought about Weyden, and I said to myself, this is a stone that has to be cut and polished. I went to Mr Stahlecker and I said please sell me the horse, or let us make a deal. I think you have a jewel but no-one sees that at the moment. No-one thought that Weyden was good."
Weyden is owned by Rothenberger's father-in-law Adri Gordijn of Stable De Ijzeren Man in Weert, The Netherlands, where he was kept up for stud. De Ijzeren Man stated that "Weyden is the only approved dressage stallion that ever won an individual medal at the Olympic Games."
Rothenberger characterizes Weyden as a soldier. "Mr Stahlecker wrote 70 pages of how to handle Weyden," Sven said. "And I read that book. When you go in that box and you stand with your finger in front of Weyden and you say 'Weyden put your feet correctly together', he does."
Weyden was licensed for the Hanoverian, Oldenburg and KWPN verband and has two licensed offspring: Pardon and Weyrudo. The Rothenberger family still owns the son Wembley who competed under Gonnelien Rothenberger at small tour level and who is now a junior rider's horse for Sanneke Rothenberger.
Photos copyrighted: Mary Phelps/Phelpsphotos.com
Related Links
Jonggor's Weyden Retired From Competition
Scores 1996 Olympic Games
Horse Magazine: Sven Rothenberger and Weyden