Lyndal Oatley Premiers New Horse, Dante's Herzchen, and Wins in Ankum

Dressage

Australia

Australian Olympian Lyndal Oatley made her show debut on a new horse, Dante's Herzchen, and immediately claimed victory in the Prix St Georges at the CDN Ankum on 21 January 2022.

Oatley, who represented Australia at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, waved riding at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo with her new number one, Elvive. While the world elite was gathered in Japan last summer, Oatley let her eye fall on a new horse to secure her future in the sport, Dante's Herzchen.

The black mare is a rising 8-year old Hanoverian by Dante Weltino x Hochadel x Akzent I x Adlerfarn II, bred by Ilse Knief-Meyer.

Santiago Damil

The horse only began competing for the first time in 2021 as a 7-year old under previous owner, German based Spaniard Santiago Damil.

Damil premiered her in January 2021 at M-level in Unna-Massen, showed her in Mönchengladbach and Coesfeld, before he took her into the Prix St. Georges Special in the early summer in Kronberg, where all eyes were on the horse. The combination was also listed on the first participants list to ride the German selection trials for the 2021 World Young Horse Championships in Verden.

Dante's Herzchen to Eulenhof

Lyndal's parents Carol and Andrew Oatley bought the mare for their daughter and the black moved to their yard Eulenhof in Dulmen.

Taking her time to form a partnership, Lyndal took Dante's Herzchen out the first time to Ankum, where they scored a whopping 78.690% in the Prix St Georges for 7 - 9-year olds, leaving Helen Langehanenberg on Zaeta de Malleret (by Zonik x Sir Donnerhall) in her wake with 72.698%.

"Overwhelmed right now," Lyndal took to Instagram right after winning. "I can not put into words how proud I am of her! She gives you her all and if you give 100 % she gives 150%.

Lyndal added to Eurodressage that "she is such a pleaser, but needs some time, reassurance, and confidence. My type of journey."

Photos courtesy Vera Kirillova