Nadine Husenbeth's medal winning Under 25 team horse Florida has been retired from competition. The 18-year old Rhinelander mare will slowly be prepared for a full retirement to the field.
Bred by Friedhelm Milthaler and owned by Helga Stevens, the chestnut Rhinelander bred Florida is by Fidermark out of Gondolette (by Grosso Z x Adlerfels x Dolorit)
The mare was first started as a 4-year old by Ursel Körschgen in 2003 and competed until 2006. In 2009 she returned the show ring under Klaus Husenbeth who competed her in S and small tour level classes that year. In 2010 Florida made the transition to Grand Prix level.
Nadine made her show debut on Florida at the regional show in Buchholz at small tour level in November 2011 and they jumped to Grand Prix in the autumn of 2012. Their CDI big tour debut was in Bremen in March 2013 and at the end of the year they won the 2013 German Under 25 Championships (Piaff Forderpreis) in Stuttgart.
Nadine Husenbeth and Florida have been a steady force on the international Under 25 scene from 2013 till 2016. They were members of the gold medal winning German team at the inaugural 2016 European Under 25 Championships in Hagen and placed fourth in the Kur to Music finals.
The pair's last competition was the 2017 CDI Wiesbaden in June, where they were fourth in the senior Grand Prix and Kur to Music. Husenbeth is now focusing on her young horses, the 5-year olds Faviola and Duracell.
"Florida always fought for me and we become a dream-team over the last years," Nadine told Eurodressage. "The gold medal at the U25 Championships last year was only one big highlight of our career."
Florida has now been retired from sport and will be slowly prepared for a full retirement to the field where she will become a companion of Klaus Husenbeth's former German WEG team ride Piccolino.
"Now Florida enjoys life at the paddock and we will adjust her step by step to a field retirement with Piccolino. So we hope that Florida and Piccolino will share a paddock soon. I think she has fun in the field. She always look like a mud monster."
The 18-year old was scheduled to be celebrated in a special retirement ceremony during the gala evening of the 2017 Hanoverian Stallion licensing in Verden, but this happening was canceled last minute. A new retirement ceremony will not be rescheduled.
"We thought about a special ceremony during the Gala evening of the Hanoverian Stallion Licensing, but the owner of Florida don't want such a special ceremony. So we cancelled it," Nadine Husenbeth told Eurodressage.
Photo © Astrid Appels
Related Links
Eurodressage Photo Database: Florida
Germany Wins Team Gold at 2016 European Under 25 Championships
Husenbeth and Skodberg Merrald On Top at the 2016 CDIO-U25 Braunschweig
Merrald, Bachmann, Husenbeth Top Three in the Under 25 at the 2013 European Dressage Championships
Nadine Husenbeth Wins 2013 Piaff Forderpreis Finals at CDI-W Stuttgart
Husenbeth and Florida Gain Golden Momentum in 2013 Piaff Forderpreis Finals