French Grand Prix team rider Karen Tebar has retired her number one horse Falada M from competition. The 18-year old Hanoverian mare by Forrest xx x Grande mare will be honoured in a private retirement ceremony at Tebar's home stable in Waiblingen, Germany. Tebar's closest friends as well as Falada's breeder will be attending this party to honour the mare's achievements and thank her fans.
With a total of twenty-one victories in the Grand Prix and Special, Tebar and Falada were one of France's most successful Grand Prix combinations ever. They competed in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen. The pair finished 11th at the 2005 European Dressage Championships in Hagen. The were French Dressage Champions in 2006.
Falada arrived in Tebar's stables as a six year old and Karen trained her up to Grand Prix level with the help of her husband. Falada was a temperamental mare, often spooky and with a clear dislike for prize giving ceremonies. However, her power, energy and light way of moving with a perfect piaffe and passage were her highlights everyone will remember.
"Riders say you can never retire a horse too early and it usually happens too late," Tebar told Eurodressage. "I've thought a long time about this and I decided to retire her. Falada will be together with other mares, we'll breed her and hopefully she has a lot of beautiful years ahead of her. I think Falada has earned that we 'praise' her a little bit. Besides bananas and fondling her right ear, the greatest praise you can give her is having many people in front of her box and talking about her."
Tebar disclosed to Eurodressage that she will inseminate Falada with frozen semen of their own stallion Tullamore (by Torero out of Cilla II (by Harald x Aladin)). Tullamore won several Grand Prix test under Karen's father, Willy Schetter, but died three years ago.
"Tullamore was a great horse, with a big personality but what was so astonishing about him was that he was always on the rider's side. He was so professional in everything he did. That´s something which could be a good addition to Falada. If it doesn't work with the frozen semen, I´d like a stallion which Falada 'knows' from the competitions, such as Briar, or Floresco."
Karen Tebar's equestrian career of course has not come to an end. She has several younger horses in training of which much is expected. "2009 will be a year of building up," Karen told Eurodressage. She is paving the way with two 8-year olds and with her 10-year old Swedish warmblood mare Walesta Karen hopes to break through soon.
"I think Walesta is a world class horse but she still needs some time," Tebar disclosed. "She already does a very good piaffe and passage, very good pirouettes and great half passes, but she's a little hot. Her way of dancing makes you think a little bit of Falada. We'll see what happens. In any case, I'm motivated!"
Photos copyrighted: Alain Laurioux - Astrid Appels
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Karen Tebar Withdraws Falada M from French Olympic Team