German A-team rider Helen Langehanenberg has announced that she will be retiring her 13-year old Oldenburg Grand Prix mare Responsible from competition. "Resi" will become a broodmare.
Responsible is an Oldenburg mare by Rohdiamant x Freudenprinz, which enabled Langehanenberg's break through at international Grand Prix level. The combination has been quite successful between 2006 and 2012. They were third in the 2006 Nurnberger Burgpokal finals, moved up to Grand Prix and recently took a second place at the 2011 World Cup Qualifier in Odense and a fourth place in Stockholm. They were 13th at the 2011 German Dressage Championships.
"I started thinking about it during the winter," Langehanenberg told German magazine St. Georg about the surprising retirement of Responsible. "Resi has performed so much and actually achieved everything. Last winter she was second in the world cup qualifier with almost 80%. People always say you have to stop at the top. We are at that point now."
Owned by breeder Gabriele Mertens-Gahlen, Responsible will now continue as a brood mare. She will be put in foal to Langehanenberg's number one Grand Prix horse Damon Hill NRW (by Donnerhall x Rubinstein) as soon as the black mare comes in heat.
"It was always clear that she would become a broodmare. The time is right now," Langehanenberg added. "She has earned it and now she's fit and healthy and can still produce many foals."
Langehanenberg will be focusing on qualifying Damon Hill for the German Olympic Team. In case her liver chestnut stallion becomes off, Langehanenberg will have no high scoring reserve horse at her disposal after the retirement of Responsible. Helen is currently introducing Sissy Max-Theurer's Furst Khevenhuller to its first Grand Prix level competitions.
Source: ST.GEORG
Photos © Astrid Appels
Related Links
Eurodressage Photo Database: Responsible OLD
Rath and Langehanenberg Added to the German A-Team