British European Championship team bronze winning Michael Eilberg has received the ride on the P.S.I. auction price highlight horse Der Designer.
The 7-year old Hanoverian bred stallion Der Designer (by De Niro x Weltmeyer) was acquired by Moscow based Russians Elena Knyaginicheva and Russian eventing rider Georgyi Rtischev for 1.1 million euro at the 2011 PSI Auction in Ankum, Germany.
Under Russian rider Inna Tzydrenkova the black licensed stallion competed at the 2012 World Young Horse Championships in Verden, but had to retire in the preliminary test. At the same event Knyaginicheva saw Michael Eilberg win the 6-year old division and World Champion's title with Woodlander Farouche.
"Elena and Sergey contacted me after watching me ride in Verden and asked if I would take on the ride," Michael Eilberg told Eurodressage. "My dad (Ferdi) went over to see him and really liked his type and thought he had fantastic gaits, so we took him on."
Der Designer arrived in the Eilberg stables already six months ago and Michael has taken his time to carefully trained the black stallion.
"We have spent some time getting to know each other and I am very excited about him. I hope to start some competitions with him soon," Eilberg added. Michael has set his sights on making a small tour debut with Der Designer no sooner than 2014.
Elena Knyaginicheva also owns PSI Auction highlight Sa Coeur (2.3 million euro) which won the 2013 World Young Horse Championships under Eva Möller.
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