Tessa Frank Loses Ride on Bundeschampion Atterupgaards Barcelo

Dressage

Germany

German professional dressage rider Tessa Frank has lost the ride on her 2022 Bundeschampion Atterupgaards Barcelo. Owner Maik Kanitzky has allocated the horse to a different rider.

Atterupgaards Barcelo is a Danish bred Oldenburg stallion by Bon Coeur out of Dicte (by Caprimond x Donnerhall). He is bred by Kristine Munch Nielsen.

Denmark

The stallion began his career in Denmark, although he was first licensed for the Oldenburg society in Germany in 2018.Three months later he was approved at the 2019 Danish warmblood stallion licensing in Herning. Barcelo is WFFS positive.

Owned by Helgstrand Dressage in partnership with the breeder, Barcelo was the high scoring stallion at the 2019 Danish Warmblood Autumn Stallion Performance Testing with 914,5 points.

In his Danish days he was competed only once. Anne-Mette Strandby Hansen rode him to a win with 94.00 points in the 4-year old qualifier for the 2020 Danish Young Horse Championships. The qualifier took place in Hobro, Denmark, in August. The actual Championships were cancelled due to corona.

Germany

In February 2021 he sold to German horse owner and breeder Maik Kanitzky of Gestut Heidehof in Leipzig, Germany. He allocated the ride to Tessa Frank.

Frank and Barcelo competed on the 2021 Bundeschampionate show circuit and attempted to qualify for the German team for the 2021 World Young Horse Championships in Verden. They did not make it to the second round for the German WCYH team, but in September were fourth at the 2021 Bundeschampionate for 5-year old dressage horses.

In 2022 they won the BuCha qualifier in Schenefeld. Frank received dispensation at the first German WCYH selection trial as she had become acutely ill upon arrival in Warendorf and couldn't present her horses. She had to go to the hospital for an oak processionary bite. In her stead Ann-Christin Wienkamp presented Barcelo at the first selection trial. A complaint was filed by a fellow competitor over Wienkamp's catch ride. The German federation made no statement whether they accepted this complaint. Frank rode him at the second trial but did not make the team.

Despite this set back in spring, the pair went to the 2022 Bundeschampionate in Warendorf in September, where they placed fourth in the preliminary round with 8.2 points to the title in the Finals on a score of 8.7.

Barcelo on the Move

On 25 March 2023, Frank confirmed that she has lost the ride on Barcelo.

"I thought we were meant to be together forever," Tessa wrote "Unfortunately, our paths parted very unexpectedly!!!! I am too deeply disappointed to be presented with completed facts after a 2-year great and very successful cooperation! Saying goodbye is sooooo hard and then from you."

She continued, "already on the first ride in Denmark I knew you were my dream horse !!! We went through ups and downs, we always believed in ourselves and in the end dreams came true, national champion. (...) We won't let anyone take away our incredible shared experiences and memories and they will last forever!"

Barcelo has moved to German Olympic team rider Dorothee Schneider. Her husband Jobst confirmed this to Eurodressage.