Cognac IX, Multiple European Championship Pony, Secured for Great Britain by Olivers Equestrian

Dressage

Great Britain

Cognac IX, a multiple European Pony Championship participant has been sold to Great Britain. Niki and Hermione Tottman of Olivers Equestrian sourced the palomino gelding in The Netherland for one of their clients.

Cognac IX is a 14-year old German Riding Pony by FS Charmbertin out of Mosella (by Waldemar x Forsyth Sadat).

From Churchill to Croissant to Cognac

Bred by Hartel Rainer in Germany, the palomino was originally named Sophienhöhs Churchill. He was licensed as a 3-year old at the Schleswig-Holsteiner Pony Stallion Licensing in 2011 in Neumunster and sold the Tackmann family, who renamed him Tackmann's Croissant.

He won bronze at the 2011 Bundeschampionate in the 3-year old riding pony stallion class.

Theodora Livanos

In 2013 he sold to Otto Hofer in Switzerland as a pony for granddaughter Leonie Guerra.

A year later Swiss based Greek rider Theodora Livanos secured him and took to pony to his first international shows. At the 2016 European Pony Championships in Vilhelmsborg they were 14th place in the Kur to Music finals.

Annabella Pidgley

Cognac IX moved to Great Britain in the autumn of 2016 as a new pony for Annabella Pidgley.

They showed at two European Pony Championships for Great Britain. At the 2019 Europeans in Strzegom (POL) they were 11th in the Kur Finals, a the 2020 Europeans in Pilisjaszfalu (HUN) they stranded in the individual test in 29th place

Yasmin Westerink

As Pidgley had reached the age limit, the palomino sold to Yasmin Westerink in The Netherlands.

The new duo gained valuable mileage at international shows in Opglabbeek, Exloo, Grote Brogel, Hagen, Zandhoven, Le Mans, Kronenberg, and Compiegne

Return to the U.K.

With Westerink having moved on to horses and junior level, the Tottmans connected with the Westerink family and secured Cognac IX for 13-year old Lily Cawley, one of Team Olivers Equestrian FEI pony riders.

Niki Tottman and Lily on Cognac in Holland

"He will soon travel from The Netherlands to be based and trained with us here at Olivers Equestrian," said Tottman. "This is the second FEI pony we have sourced for Lily, who has been based and training with us for the past two years. She has set her sights on the European Pony Championships."

Tottman already found Sulaatik’s Vingino (by Sulaatik's Versace x Mascalero) for Cawley earlier this year in The Netherlands.The pony was previously shown internationally by Dutch Lynn Peijnenburg.

"Vingino has been a fantastic schoolmaster to produce this talented young lady to FEI level," said Tottman whose Olivers Equestrian is an equine agency service sourcing top level horses and ponies for clients world wide.

"We are very excited about securing Cognac for our rider and bringing him back to the the UK," said Niki, who also coaches riders on their new equine partners. "We look forward to producing this new partnership, with the view to establishing his fourth European Championship appearance," she said.