Alassio's Boy Retired from Sport

Dressage

Austria

Franziska Fries' internationally competed Young Riders horse Alassio's Boy has been retired from competition sport. He competed at six European Junior/Young Riders Championships with two riders.

Alassio's Boy is a 19-year old Bavarian warmblood by Alassio out of Chantal (by Heraldik xx x Alexis Z). He is bred by Peter Merktle.

Bundeschampionate Finalist

Alassio's Boy was licensed at the Bavarian Stallion Licensing in Munich in January 2005 and did his 30-day performance test in November that year in Neustadt/Dosse, where he scored 8.65 for dressage and 8.44 for show jumping.

He was owned by Thomas Casper as a youngster and stood at Gestut Birkhof. Under Nicole Casper he made it to the Bundeschampionate three times in a row.

He won silver at the 2006 Bundeschampionate as a 4-year old stallion, in 2007 he was eliminated in the second round, after placing fifth in the first round. In 2008 he landed fifth place in the 6-year old dressage horse finals.

He only bred during his time at Birkhof and has 91 offspring registered for sport in Germany, 3 of them are successful at S-level

Sold to Austria

Franziska and Alassio's Boy at the 2011 Europeans
in Broholm

In February 2010, Alassio's Boy sold to Dr. Rudolf Fries as a junior rider's horse for his daughter Franziska.

Trained by Alfons Friedberger at the time, Franziska had competed Opal at the 2009 European Junior Riders Championships in Ermelo and wanted to step up a level with Alassio's Boy.

Their first year together they won silver at the 2010 Austrian Junior Championships and represented Austria at the 2010 European Junior Championships where they finished 24th in the individual test. A year later they were 18th at the European Junior Championships in Broholm and won gold at the 2011 Austrian Junior Championships.

In 2012 they moved up to Young Riders level, won silver at the Nationals, and were 40th in the individual test at the European Young Riders Championships in Berne. At the 2013 Europeans in Compiègne they were 38th in the individual test and fourth at the Nationals. In 2014 at the Europeans in Arezzo they moved to a 35th place in the individual test.

In 2015 Franziska took Alassio's Boy into the senior ranks at small tour level and campaigned him at several internationals until the spring of 2017.

Schoolmaster for Pengg

Pengg and Alassio's Boy at the 2019 Europeans in Italy

Trained by Christian Schumach, Fries was based at the same barn as the Austrian junior Chiara Pengg and when she transitioned from ponies onto horses, the match was made with Alassio's Boy.

Pengg and Alassio's Boy made their international debut at junior level at the 2018 CDI Wiener Neustadt and further competed at Zakrzow that year. Pengg opted for her second horse, Auheim's Feliciano, for the Europeans that year. Chiara, however, did win the 2018 Austrian Young Riders Championships with Alassio's Boy.

In 2019 they moved to Young Riders level and showed in Neustadt, Mariakalnok, Lipica, Achleiten and St. Margarethen. They were selected on the Austrian team for the European Young Riders Championships in San Giovanni in Marignano, where they landed 44th place in the individual test. Pengg did not show at the Austrian Championships that year.

In 2020 the pair did their last CDI together in Achleiten in the senior small tour.

Retirement

Yesterday, Alassio's Boy returned home to Franziska's for his retirement.

"When he came out of the trailer I felt like 12 years ago when I saw him for the first time at Gestut Birkhof, in awe and totally in love," said Fries.

To Eurodressage, an elated Franziska said, "I will still ride him at home because he is totally in shape, but we won't go back to the ring... so it's time for him to have fun and enjoy his life. Maybe he will teach my husband how to do the one tempi changes," she joked. "I am so happy that he has returned home. My heart jumps for joy!"