Bluebarry Dream, 2024 Paris Olympic Hopeful for Young-Shik Hwang

Dressage

Korea

Young-Shik Hwang, one of only two internationally competing Grand Prix riders for Korea, has acquired Bluebarry Dream as his 2024 Paris Olympic hopeful.

Bluebarry Dream is a 9-year old Hanoverian gelding by Benetton Dream out of Wisconsin (by Wolkenstein II x Calypso II x Graphit). He is bred and was owned by Axel Windeler.

Regional Show Record

The horse began his competition career as a 3-year old in 2015 under Dora Asendorf. He showed in two more test with two different riders, Sandra Frieling and Svenja Schumacher.

When he was a 5-year old Bluebarry Dream got more consistency under the Belgian Jerome Schneiders. He competed him through 2017.

Osborne and Bluebarry Dream at the 2019 CDR Schwanewede

In 2018 the chestnut moved to Spaniard Alvaro Osborne Diez in Thedinghausen, Germany. The new rider began competing the horse at regional events at M-level. In 2019 the pair moved up to Prix St Georges level. Their last show was in Schwanewede in August 2019 at small tour level, where he finished second in the Prix St Georges.

In 2020 Bluebarry Dream moved to The Netherlands to be further developed as a sales horse by Swedish Michelle Hagman. She showed him once in Verden in August 2020.

Korean Olympic Hopeful

Bluebarry Dream has now been acquired by Korean Hosub Hwang, the father of Young-Shik Hwang.

The 30-year old Young Shik Hwang had made his mark in Asian competition, winning the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou on Laura and the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon aboard Furstenberg. He was coached by Chang-Moo Shin in 2010 and in preparation of the 2014 Games he sought guidance from Martin Schaudt in Germany

Hwang and Bluebarry Dream at Balkenhol's

In 2018 the Korean leased Martin Schaudt's Despino to gain Grand Prix mileage. The duo was considerably successful at CDI's in Donaueschingen, Hagen, Munich, Fritzens, Cappeln, Stuttgart and Frankfurt. They obtained the individual rider slot for Korea for the 2020/2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo !

However, Hwang ended the collaboration with Schaudt and found new inspiration in Munster at Jörg Jacobs's yard. Hwang discovered Bluebarry Dream through the Balkenhol family.

"Because of the corona, I can't tell you my definite plans right now, but I hope to run the international competition until 2024," Hwang told Eurodressage. "In the future, I plan to train at Balkenhol's stable."