Bertrand Liegard Finds Successor for Star Wars in Franz Federleicht

Dressage

France

French Grand Prix rider Bertrand Liegard has lined up a successor for his 18-year old number one GP ride Star Wars. His sponsor Christophe Binnendijk purchased the 8-year old Franz Federleicht.

Renowned Breeding Line

Franz Federleicht is a 2012 born Westfalian by Franziskus out of Popgun (by Paradiesvogel x Sandro Hit x Brentano II). He is bred by Ansgar Reyering.

The horse's grand dam is Poetin II, the full sister of World Champion and Bundeschampion mare Poetin.

The horse has two full sisters registered with the German equestrian federation: Fearless WS (owned by Russian Grand Prix rider Elena Starr) and Fracesca (still owned by the breeder).

He sold as a colt at the 23rd Westfalian Foal Auction in Munster to Lebanese horse investor (Abdul) Karim Barake, who sponsors horses for French Grand Prix rider Alexandre Ayache to develop and sell.

Retained for France as 2024 Paris Hopeful

Franz Federleicht moved to Nice, France, where he was trained to schooling Grand Prix level. He was never competed.

"Like with almost all of our horses we do very little or rather not(hing) at all the young horse classes," Ayache told Eurodressage. "We schooled Franz up to Grand Prix. He is a horse with a very sweet character and has good gaits and is a fast learner. We are delighted that Bertrand, who is also our friend, found his next future Grand Prix horse."

The horse sold to the Belgian investor Christophe Binnendijk, who went from collaborating with French Olympian Ludovic Henry to sponsoring French team hopeful Bertrand Liegard.

Franz Federleicht could be an Olympic hopeful for Paris 2024.

Based in Belgium at Haras de la Ferme Rose, Liegard is also developing the 9-year old Hanoverian bred Furby de la Ferme Rose (by Fürst Nymphenburg x Londonderry) to Grand prix level.

Liegard and Star Wars

With Star Wars at the 2019 CDIO Compiegne

Bertrand Liegard made his international show debut at Grand Prix level on the Luxembourg sport horse registered Star Wars (by Show Star x Rosenkavalier), bred by Marc Nollomont.

They competed in their first CDI Grand Prix in December 2013 in Paris. They gained mileage over the years and as of 2015 they started to consistently score around 70 percent.

Liegard and Star Wars consistently competed at international Grand Prix level for seven years from 2014 till 2020, but never made on the French team for an international Championship. They did however represent France in the Nations Cup in Vidauban and Compiegne and rode at a few World Cup qualifiers, such as London and Mechelen. They recorded seven international victories in their career together.

At the 2018 French Grand Prix Championships they were fifth. At the 2020 Nationals this year they were fourth.

Star Wars will turn 19 in 2021 and Liegard was looking for a successor.