Naomi Winnewisser's Diamant NW Passed Away

Dressage

Switzerland

Naomi Winnewisser's former Swiss dressage team pony Diamant NW has passed away. He was 24 years old.

Diamant NW was a 1997 German Riding pony stallion by Hondsrug Don Gregory out of Cordina (by Aviso AA x Prince). He was bred by Andreas Sieg.

Licensed Stallion

The liver chestnut was licensed as a breeding stallion at age 9 in 2006 during the Holsteiner pony licensing. He did his HLP test the year before.

He was first competed as a 5-year old in 2002 by Jule Lena Marsau in show jumping classes, but in 2003 he was permanently switched to dressage when he came under the saddle of Julia Kempkes. She showed the stallion at regional shows in the North of Germany through 2006.

After a year break from competition, he returned to the arena under Christina Grave in 2008

Sold to Switzerland

Round the turn of the decade Diamant sold to the now late Marianne Kugler, the grandmother of aspiring pony rider Naomi Winnewisser.

They made their show debut in 2010 and became one of the dominating Swiss pony pairs. At the Swiss Pony Championships they won gold in 2011, silver in 2012 and 2013, and gold again in 2014.

The new pair made its international debut at FEI pony level in 2011 in Babenhausen, Germany. The same year they rode in the European Pony Championships in Jaszkowo, Poland, the first of four Euros they did together.

At the 2013 European Championships in Arezzo

In 2011 they placed 24th, in 2012 in Fontainebleau they were 37th in the individual test, in 2013 they were 11th in the Kur to Music Finals and in their last year together in 2014, they placed 9th in the Kur to Music.

Diamant's last international show was the CDI Biarritz in October 2014, where he won the Kur to Music with Naomi.

Retirement

Diamant NW did his last internationak show at the end of 2014 at the age of 17, but still competed in national shows at M-level "for fun" in Switzerland until 2017. He spent the rest of his life at Winnewisser's farm with daily turnout.

.On 14 December 2021, Diamant NW sadly suffered from a severe colic attack and could not be saved.

"Diamant had a colic last Tuesday morning. I drove with him to the veterinary clinic in Zurich. The vets tried everything. Unfortunately we couldn't help Diamant anymore," Naomi Winnewisser told Eurodressage. "I got Diamant from my grandparents 13 years ago. Diamant had a heart of gold and a great character. He fought for me in every competition and he always made me smile. I tried to give him the best possible life. „Didi“ was my best friend. I am so grateful for the wonderful time I had with him and I enjoyed every day."