Stieglmaier's Lukas Sold to South Africa

Dressage

South Africa

German Grand Prix rider Franziska Stieglmaier has sold her 2016 Piaff Forderpreis winner Lukas to South Africa. Lukas has become a Grand Prix schoolmaster for Samantha Foley.

Lukas is a 14-year old Bavarian warmblood by Lagiator out of Wenja (by Wenckstern x Lanthan).

The now 26-year old Stieglmaier discovered Lukas as a foal and trained him from young horse level up to Grand Prix. She first competed him as a 3-year old in 2008. By 2012 they reached small tour level and made their CDI debut in Brno in June 2012. . They stayed at international small tour level through 2013.

The pair only returned to the international arena in 2016, but at Grand Prix level. They competed in the Under 25 classes in Braunschweig, Munich, Salzburg, and topped off their best season in their career with the Piaff Forderpreis victory, the German Under 25 Championships. Stieglmaier was expected to make a big break through in the German division, getting the attention of team trainer Monica Theodorescu. They finished 12th in the 2017 German Senior Grand Prix Championships and successfully started in 2017 at CDI's in Caselle di Sommacampagna, Wiener Neustadt, Mannheim, Donaueschingen and Munich Indoor.

After that they were a year off from international showing, only to return in August 2018 at the CDI Donaueschingen, followed by their last international in their career, the CDI Oldenburg last November.

Stieglmaier is currently focusing on her new Grand Prix, the 10-year old DSP mare Dauphin (by Damon Hill x Montezuma) as well as her S-level ride, the 8-year old Hanoverian Samurai (by St Moritz Jr x Laureano).

The 32-year old Foley acquired Lukas in December 2018. Last year Foley showed the now 18-year old Oldenburg Chevalier (by Canaster II x Futuro) at Grand prix level and the now 17-year old Rhinelander Laval (by Laomedon x Rheinblick) at small tour level.

Foley is from Johannesburg, South Africa, but temporarily based with her trainer Australian Briana Burgess in Wallenhorst-Rulle, Germany. She has a Bachelor in Psychology and Communications.

"Together, the three of us have a wonderful partnership and training is going very well," said Foley. "I’m really excited about this horse as I feel Lukas and I are the perfect match. I’m really happy with him and I look forward to what the future brings for us. I am here now training in Germany for my first few shows and my goal is to start competing internationally towards the end of the year."