The brand new 2015 Japanese Grand Prix dressage champion Kiichi Harada has leased Christoph Koschel's 15-year old Grand Prix horse Tiesto as a 2016 Rio Olympic hopeful.
The 42-year old Kiichi Harada captured his first Grand Prix title in his career in November aboard the 12-year old Dutch warmblood gelding Egistar (by Cabochon x Kaiserstern xx). He won the Grand Prix with 66.100% and the Special with 66.960%. Harada is a former eventing rider who has switched to dressage in 2014. He is regularly coached by Jurgen Koschel.
The 15-year old Dutch warmblood Tiesto (by Gribaldi x ) is Christoph Koschel's number one Grand Prix horse at the moment. Tiesto made his first claim to fame under Norwegian Siv Morberg and later on as an FEI level horse under Hasse Hoffmann who sold him to Belgian WEG team rider Laurence Vanommeslaghe. The big liver chestnut was too big to ride for Laurance and moved to Koschel's yard to be sold. Christop ended up buying the horse himself and successfully competed him at CDI's in Wellington, Hamburg, Compiegne, Falsterbo and Perl.
"Harada leased Tiesto as a Rio hopeful," Koschel told Eurodressage. "I didn't wanted to sell him and now he will stay in our stable. He goes very well with Harada in training. Tiesto is in really good shape."
Photo © Astrid Appels
Related Links
Kiichi Harada Wins 2015 Japanese Dressage Championship
Grand Prix Horse Tiesto Sold to Laurence Vanommeslaghe
