Andrea John's Esperanto Passed Away

Dressage

Austria

Austrian Grand Prix rider Andrea John had to say goodbye to her retired number one, Esperanto. The gelding was euthanized after a paddock accident.

Esperanto was a 21-year old Hanoverian gelding by Escudo II out of Rhapsodie (by Rio Branco x Jet Stream xx x Wendekreis). He was bred by Johann-Christian Eggers.

Jumper Start

The black gelding began his career as a show jumper in Germany under Harald Lill. The horse was first competed as a 5-year old in 2006 in A and L-level jumping classes.

In 2007 Austrian Andrea John took over the ride and first showed him at L-level dressage in Germany. They moved to Prix St Georges level in 2009 and to national Grand Prix level in 2010.

Austrian Team Horse

Owned by Andreas Rackl, Esperanto made his international show debut took in February 2011 in Dortmund, where he scored 65.320% in the Grand Prix. They went on to show in Stadl Paura, Fritzens and Falsterbo that year and were in the running for a team spot for the 2011 European Championships, but did not make the cut. In 2012 they showed in Fritzens and Villach.

2013 turned out to be their career highlight year. After competing in Dortmund, Stadl Paura, Hagen, Villach, Aachen and Fritzens, the pair was selected on the Austrian team for the 2013 European Dressage Championships in Herning, where they were 33rd in the Grand Prix with 68.389%

Come Back

At the 2013 European Championships in Herning

After Herning, Esperanto had a 1.5 year break from CDI showing. They returned to the ring in May 2015 at the CDI Villach, but then another one year break from international shows followed.

Esperanto's last CDI was in May 2016 in Munich. He has 29 international starts to his tally.

Retirement

Based in Otterfing (GER), Andrea John continued to show Esperanto at national level through November 2019.

He was fully retired from sport in 2020 and spent his days as a pensioner at John's yard.

"Last week Esperanto broke his hip on the paddock and with dreadful pains afterwards we decided to put him to sleep," Rackl told Eurodressage. " Andrea, her team and I are very sad. He has been a wonderful friend and a great sportsmnn for many years, who alwaysfought for us and gave his best."