Eppinger's Family FEI Horse Rulaman Passed Away

Dressage

Germany

Bärbel Eppinger's internationally competed Oldenburg stallion Rulaman has passed away. He was 25 years old

Rulaman was a 1996 born Oldenburg stallion by Rubinstein out of Romanze (by Romadour II x Adjutant x Nonsens). He was bred and owned by Eppinger.

Born at Eppinger's Lerchenhof in Münsingen, Germany, Rulaman wasn brought into the world with the help of Bärbel's brother Heinert.

The stallion first proved himself in sport before he became a licensed stallion. He was at based at equestrian centre Wintermühle in Neu-Anspach, Germany, where Bärbel was working at the time as a trainer.

Family Competition Horse

The stallion made his sport debut as a 4-year old in 2000. Three years later he made his debut at small tour level at a local show in Neu-Anspacht in August 2003. In October 2003 his international debut followed at the CDI-W Kaposvar, where he finished in the top five in all three small tour classes.

In 2004, Bärbel handed the ride to her cousin Anne Eppinger-Lutkemeier, who rode him at L-level and M-level that.

In 2005 Bärbel and Rulaman made their national Grand Prix debut, again in Neu-Anspach. Their first international Grand Prix ride was at the 2006 CDI Wiesbaden.

In 2007 it was Anne's turn again on the stallion and she rode him in the junior level classes at the 2007 CDI-PJYR Bonn. She also won the bronze medal at the 2007 German Junior Rider Championships.

Rulaman was a real family horse as Eppinger regularly competed him herself at that time, at Grand Prix level, taking turns with Anne. Eppinger mainly focused on national level competition, although she also campaigned him at the CDI's in Kaposvar, Hagen between 2007 and 2010. They finished fourth in the GP Special at the 2008 German Professionally Dressage Riders Championships.

In 2012 Bärbel's 16-year old son Marc Eppinger competed the stallion the first time and last time at L-level at the local show in Münsingen in June 2012. It was the stallion's last competition start at age 16, the same age as his rider.

The horse achieved over 30,000 euro in prize money, a substantial amount at the time collected at national shows.

Breeding Stallion

He was first licensed for the Hessian breed society in Alsfeld in February 2005 when he was 9 years old.

In 2006 Oldenburg approval followed and in 2007 the Baden Wurttemberger verband approved him. He was offered at stud at Eppinger's yard as well as at the state stud Marbach in Gomadingen. He did not do a stallion performance test as he was accepted based on his sport results.

Rulaman did not make an impact as a breeding stallion with only 16 sport horses and 3 broodmares recorded in the FN database.

The last 10 years, Rulaman enjoyed his retirement to the field. An injury to his coronet band no longer properly healed and last week it was decided in the best interest of the horse to put him to sleep.

"He was a gift," Bärbel told Reiter Journal