New Young Star for Sönke Rothenberger; Hope After the Fire

Dressage

Germany

A small light is shining at the end of the tunnel for German Olympic team rider Sönke Rothenberger. He acquired a new star for the future just a few days before a devastating fire wiped out their equestrian facility at their home Gestut Erlenhof in Bad Homburg.

The 3-year old Ticino is a Dutch warmblood stallion by Toto Jr x Jazz x Stuyvesant xx), who is approved with the Oldenburg and Westfalian society. Sönke describes the liver chestnut as one that "might be the light at the end of the tunnel.

"I bought this stallion several days before the fire," said Rothenberger. "Thank god we stabled him at Beatrice Buchwald's place (...), so he didn’t have to experience what we experienced."

Sönke's top horse Cosmo was rescued from the fire and is now at Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff's yard Schafhof, but his small tour horse St Anton sustained burns and is recovering at the equine clinic. His young star Luna is still in critical condition at the clinic, while young stallion Zum Gluck perished in the fire.

"Everything that seemed so important to me becomes secondary after this devastating fire we had to cope with a few days ago. I’ve lost long time friends like Kid and lost a horse which I put so much hope into and who really made my day each time I got to ride him, Zum Glück. Luna, the mare I believe she has the quality to become one of the best horses in the world is still in intensive care. However going to her each day and seeing the power she has and the will she has to survive gives me hope," Sönke explained. "Kantate is the same, such a young horse with so much power and so much energy who really deserved better."

Sönke and his elder sister Sanneke were home when the fire broke out and both rescued as many horses as they could in the mayhem.

"The first few hours I really thought, horses are the most loving and giving creatures on this planet. However I thought I don’t want this pain anymore after a loss, like with Favo, I don’t want to wake up to something like this ever again knowing the creatures are helpless without my help," Sönke admitted.

The young Grand Prix rider, who won team gold at the 2016 Olympics, 2017 Europeans and 2018 World Equestrian Games, is traumatized by the experience but remains hopeful for the future.

"But these last few days seeing Luna, Kantate, Santiano and Cosmo fighting, I can only do the same and be there for my horses and then I feel I’m getting back more than I can describe in words, from these horses," he stated. "I will always keep you in my heart to those who I lost and I will always try to be there for the horses that survived! I love you."

Youngest sister Semmieke Rothenberger lost her 5-year old Westfalian mare Fayola (by Franziskus x Sir Donnerhall) in the fire and is coping with the aftermath.

"It feels like yesterday, still hoping to wake up from a terrible nightmare," she said. "Hurts so much to walk by these ruins and left overs from our „home“! It doesn’t feel cozy, warm and filled with love anymore. We used to walk through these stables everyday, with a smile on our faces looking at happy horses eating their hay. And now... it hurts looking at this. It’s filled with pain and devastation! We’ve lost some of our closest friends and partners. No words for this tragedy... there’s so much going on in my head and it breaks my heart putting it into words... this pain takes away my breath but it definitely supports us reading all of the lovely messages. Now please promise me to pray for Luna and Kantate who are in intensive care! They need all of your prayers... these two deserve to live after all that they have been through! So please pray for them. Our lost ones will watch over these two and our family."