Sönke Rothenberger and (Kjaerholms) Fendi became the grand winners of the 2022 Louisdor cup finals for Developing Grand Prix horses at the CDI Frankfurt on Sunday 18 December 2022.
The Louisdor Cup Finals are the German Championships for developing Grand Prix horses. Riders of all nations, but with a German FN licence, can compete on the show circuit and qualify for the Finals. This year five qualifiers were held - in Hagen, Wiesbaden, Kronberg, Donzdorf, and Ising - and the top two of each qualifier was eligible to compete in the Finals.
The 2022 Louisdor Cup Finals were the 16th edition of this highly celebrated show circuit for 8 to 10-year old horses. The circuit started in 2007 as a pilot project under the name "Medien Cup".
Record Score for Fendi
Those who were present at the first qualifier of the season at Hof Kasselmann in Hagen, new straight away that Sönke Rothenberger and Kjaerholms Fendi would be the ones to beat this season. The pair already displayed such quality and class at that show, that it was unlikely for them to drop down a level as the show season progressed. They did compete in one regular CDI this year, in Exloo in October, where the scores were slightly less euphoric (71.54% for second place in the classic Grand prix compared to their 76,681% Louisdor qualification score), but there was no doubt that they were the ones to watch in Frankfurt.
The Danish warmblood, who is originally named Kjaerholm's Fendi, was bought by the Rothenbergers in Denmark in June 201. Unfortunately they decided to drop the breeder's name when they registered him for competition in Germany. Over the years the horse was only very lightly competed: one month after purchasing him, Sönke competed Fendi in the 5-year old tests at the CDI Wiesbaden. A year later they did an M-level test in Darmstadt and in February 2021 they did their first S-test at the same venue. At the 2021 CDI Hagen they showed in the Nurnberger Burgpokal qualifier in Hagen and exactly a year later they clinched their Louisdor Cup ticket on the same turf.
In Frankfurt, the gelding excellent with his phenomenal expression in his passage. The piaffes were still a bit unbalanced and on the forehand, but the promise was there. Fendi has a great ability to collect and extended, which he show cased in the pirouettes and tempi changes.
"He's a very special total package," said Sönke. "It's a pure joy to mount this horse every day." This was Sönke's second horse which he presented in the Louisdor Cup. In 2015 he rode his former German team horse Cosmo (by Van Gogh x Landjonker) to a second place in the Cup. It was the beginning of a career full of team success which took Sönke to the 23016 Rio Olympics. They were a team fixture until 2019 after which the horse stopped competing.
FBW Lord of Dance
Bred by Dieter Schmid and owned by Alexander Beck, the dark bay was less flashy than Fendi, but scored well on harmony and accuracy. He was third in the warm-up round with 73.127% and moved into second place in the Finals with 73.240%.
Lindner has trained Lord of Dance up to Grand Prix level herself. She began competing the horse as a 5-year old in 2017 and took him from A-level to developing Grand Prix. After losing the ride on her top mount Sunfire, Ann-Kathrin had Lord of Dance take over the number one spot in the barn. This year she competed him in the senior Grand Prix tour at CDI's in Mannheim, Hamburg, Donaueschingen and Ludwigsburg.
Amanyara M
Svenja, a former German medal winning pony team rider and now a professional orthodontist, steered the 9-year old Hanoverian mare Amanyara M (by Ampere x Davignon) to a fourth place in the warm-up round (72.106%) and a third in the finals with 72.080%. The black Hanoverian mare is bred and owned by Hans-Jürgen Meyer.
Matchball and Qattani
The fourth place went Stefanie Wolf aboard the 10-year old Oldenburg gelding Matchball OLD (by Millennium x De Niro x Westminster).
Wolf, who has been training the black since the autumn of 2016 and rode him at three World Young Horse Championships as well as the 2020 Nurnberger Burgpokal Finals, concluded her partnership with Matchball in Frankfurt. They placed 7th in the warm-up (71.276%) and landed fourth place in the Finals (70.580%). At the end of the show the news became known that Matchball had sold to the Rothenberger family.
Five Qualifiers in 2023
Riding on the wave of succes, the Louisdor Cup circuit will continue in 2023 and five qualifiers have been scheduled for next year.
The circuit will kick off in Hagen, followed by Wiesbaden, Donzdorf, and Kronberg. The fifth and last station will be an indoor event again, to prepare the horses for Frankfurt. The final qualifier will happen in Guxhagen, while the finals return to Frankfurt as usual.
Photos © Stefan Lafrentz - Petra Kerschbaum
Related Links
Scores: 2022 CDI Frankfurt
Finalists for the 2022 Louisdor Cup in Frankfurt
Previous Winners
Total Hope Wins 2021 Louisdor Cup Finals for Developing Grand Prix Horses
Sandra Nuxoll and Bonheur de la Vie Reign Supreme in 2020 Louisdor Cup Finals
Senta Kirchhoff and L'Arbuste, Surprise Winners of 2019 Louisdor Cup Finals for Developing Grand Prix Horses
Blue Hors Veneziano Wins 2018 Louisdor Cup Finals for Developing Grand Prix Horses
TSF Dalera BB Wins 2017 Louisdor Cup Finals for Developing Grand Prix Horses
Sammy Davis Jr Wins the 2016 Louisdor Cup Finals for German Developing Grand Prix Horses
Rothenberger and Cosmo Win 2015 Louisdor Cup Finals' Warm Up Class at 2015 CDI Frankfurt
Brigitte Wittig and Balmoral W Win 2013 Louisdor Cup
Thomas Wagner and Very Keen Win 2012 Louisdor Cup Finals
Diva Royal Wins 2011 Tesch Inkasso Cup for Upcoming Grand Prix Horses
Werth's El Santo NRW Wins 2010 Medien Cup Finals
Dablino Wins 2009 Medien Cup Finals
Carabas Wins 2008 Medien Cup Finals
Floresco Wins 2007 HKM Upcoming Grand Prix Horse Finals
