2000 U.S. Olympic team bronze medallist Christine Traurig has a new Grand Prix horse to ride. Sponsors Janet Balmuth and Michelle Leonard joined Traurig in acquiring the 11-year old Westfalian gelding Louisdor.
Louisdor is by Laurenzius (by Laurentianer x Davignon I) out of Eridana (by Ehrentusch x Rigoletto x Situs). The horse achieved the all-time record sales price at the 2005 Westfalian Autumn Elite Auction in Munster when he sold for 370,000 euro to British Tony Pidgley. The last few years the horse registered as owned by Johann Hinnemann and the bay has been competed by Beatrice Buchwald. In 2009 Buchwald started showing the bright bay at A-level and moved to Prix St Georges level in 2012.
Traurig discovered Louisdor while shopping for clients at her trainer Jo Hinnemann's barn in Germany. "I was not even thinking about something for myself,” Christine told Dressage-News, “not even talked about it.”
Based at Albert Court Stables in Rancho Sante Fe, California, Traurig plans to compete the gelding at small tour level first at local shows in California.
"He shows talent and potential for evertyhing,” Traurig explained, “but I will definitely keep him in the small tour this year and keep working on the Grand Prix movements. He is very impressive, big, with unbelievable scope, a beautiful trot, great canter and great walk. He is a horse that gets a little nervous so we first have to make him confident and relaxed at the small tour while proceeding to Grand Prix."
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