Where Are They Now? Dramatic

Focus

Eurodressage F.O.C.U.S.

At the 2008 World Young Horse Championships in Verden on 3 August 2008, German Jana Freund weathered the storm aboard the tall black Hanoverian stallion Dramatic and won the 6-year old division. Fiona and Penny Bigwood's black stallion proved wind-proof that day and earned the World Champion's title with an 9.2.score.

Dramatic is bred by Reinhold Haferland and is by Don Frederico out of state premium mare Weltina (by Weltmeyer x Grenadier x Arsenik). He descends from the famous Wolgarune (by Wöhler) damline. He was licensed at the 2004 Hanoverian Stallion Licensing and in 2007 approved for the Rhinelander and Oldenburg society. He also passed the behaviour test at the KWPN headquarters in Ermelo and was approved for the KWPN society. He has sired one licensed son, Diego Star and produced two State Premium Mares.

Dramatic did his 30-day stallion performance test in 2006 in Adelheidsdorf and won it with a 9.03 dressage score and 7.75 jumping score. He was acquired as a youngster by British Grand Prix rider Fiona Bigwood, who was then based in Bergisch Gladbach.

After the performance test, Bigwood put the black stallion in training with Jana Freund, the head rider at stallion station Ferienhof Stucker in Weeze, Germany, with whom Bigwood co-operated frequently for young stallion training. Freund was also coached by Dieter Laugks, who was Fiona's trainer at the time.

Anders Dahl and Dramatic in 2009 (Photo © Ridehesten) Freund competed Dramatic for the first time in April 2006 in the riding horse tests and placed fourth at the 2006 Bundeschampionate for 4-year olds. In 2007 she competed the horse at L-level in Germany but did not make it to Warendorf. In 2008 he qualified to represent Germany at the World Young Horse Championships in Verden, where he stormed to the top of the ranking and title with an 9.2 final score.

Dramatic completely disappeared off the radar after the 2008 World Championships.

Where Is He Now?

Bigwood took the stallion home to train him as her own FEI prospect but the very temperamental and difficult horse proved not to be a match for her. In 2010 Dramatic moved to Emma Hindle's Brookhouse Stud in Erbach, Germany, where it was planned for Hindle to take the stallion to FEI level competition, but she never did.

Dramatic at Brookhouse Stud in 2010 Dramatic was gelded and returned to Bigwood, who had moved to Bourne Hill in the U.K.. However, it never really worked out. In a 2014 interview Fiona told Eurodressage that "unfortunately Dramatic, as talented as he had been, could never stand up to the pressure of high level competitions what made him too unreliable to pursue a career with him. He is happier now competing at junior level in Germany."

Freund also admitted that Dramatic "was a highly sensitive stallion and it was not always easy for him to focus on me. Still we somehow came on the same wavelength and we enjoy great moments together."

After six years Dramatic resurfaced at Arnold Winter's dealers yard in Germany to be sold. He was once competed by Winter's trainer Robert Acs at a regional show in Kreuth in March 2014. The Grand Prix rider Acs competed the horse at M-level and finished 3rd, 4th and 6th that weekend.

In May 2015 horse dealer Winter gave the ride on Dramatic to the Wiesbaden based rider and breeder Lisa-Marie Marx. She took up the challenging task of riding and competing the horse.

Lisa-Marie Marx on Dramatic at the 2016 CDN Hofgut Petersau "It was love at first sight," said Marx. "Already after half a round of walk I told my mother, 'he's the one'. I was immediately fascinated by his particular character and his fearful but honest eyes."

The pair made its show debut that same month in May 2015 at M-level at the regional show in Hammersbach-Langenbergheim. She showed him extensively that year at regional shows in Pohlheim, Wiesbaden, Mainz, Erbes-Budesheim, Rodenbach, and Florstadt. In April 2016 she returned to the ring at Arnold Winter's show in Neu-Anspach. The past two months she also rode him at S-level in Wiesbaden, Nussloch and Pohlheim.

"With a lot of patience and dedication I was able to win his trust. Our partnership is still developing and I'm getting my love and gratitude in return. He's not only my partner in the show ring, but also my best friend," Marx stated. "I am aware of his peculiarities and I know not everything will go optimally, but it is what it is, also for Dramatic. I like the way he is. It's an incredible feeling to give such a horse security and I'm proud that he proves his trust to me in many situations."