British Olympic medal winner Laura Tomlinson has made her return to the show ring with Grand Prix horse Rose of Bavaria and has also premiered a new rising Grand Prix horse, Superiore.
Rose of Bavaria
Rose of Bavaria is a 2010 born Bavarian mare by Bordeaux out of Rhapsodie (by Florestan x Sir Schölling x Ramiroff). She is bred by Rainer and Heidi Heuschmann.
The dark bay mare was first competed in Germany. Kerstin Kronaus finished 16th in the 4-year old warm up round with at the 2014 Bundeschampionate, while Rudolf Widmann piloted her to a 12th place in the consolation finals at the 2015 Bundeschampionate and 13th in the consolation finals at the 2016 Bundeschampionate. In 2017 they showed at small tour level.
The Bechtolsheimer family bought Rose of Bavaria for Laura in August 2018. Their international Grand Prix debut was at the 2019 CDI Oldenburg, while in 2020 and 2021 they campaigned for a British Olympic team spot with consistent score in the low and mid seventies. They didn't get selected on the highly competitive British team though. At their last CDI in Donaueschingen in August 2021 they booked a double victory with 74.152% in the Grand Prix and 77.277% in the Special.
Intermittent Competing
Rose of Bavaria has not competed internationally since Donaueschingen.
A one year break from national competition sport followed as Laura gave birth to her fourth child. In November 2022 she rode the mare to a double win at the CDN Hartpury and now five months later returned at the CDN Wellington on 1 May to place second in the Grand Prix with 75.440%.
"When I started riding again after my baby she got injured and it’s been a bit of a frustrating journey since then but I hope we are on track now," Laura told Eurodressage. "She does (CDI) Hickstead next week and then Wellington (Heckfield) and then I see what the selectors want me to do depending on our scores."
New Boy in the Barn: Superiore
(Superiore) at the 2019 CDN Redefin
The dark bay gelding was first trained and competed by Lena Waldmann and Hannah Milena Rother in 2017. In 2018 Spanish Judith Sarda took over the ride, while in 2019 Julia Kay and Hungarians Mate Garai and Berill Szoke Toth competed him at M-level. He did his first S-level test with Toth at his last competition in Germany, in Ankum in January 2020.
Superiore moved to Henri Ruoste's stable to be produced to Grand Prix level. He was not shown by Ruoste and recently sold to the Bechtolsheimer family.
"He is very sweet but timid," Laura said about this new fledgling, whom she also debuted with at CDN Wellington yesterday in the Intermediaire II. The pair scored a winning 71.030%.
"He was rather over enthusiastic with his legs seemingly on springs but I feel a lot of potential for the future when I become the pilot rather than the passenger," she said about Superiore's test.
Busy Weeks
Laura has also planned to debut her 9-year old Danish bred Søgaards Bon Royal (by Bon Bravour x De Noir) in the Intermediaire II soon.
The gelding was shown by Camilla Ahlers Pedersen for Denmark at the 2019 World Young Horse Championships and briefly by Danish Karoline Louise Skøt before selling to the U.K. Laura rode her first show with him in March 2022 at Advanced Medium level and in February 2023 they won the Prix St Georges at Prestige Equestrian.
"I have a lot going on at the moment," she said with a smile.
Photos © Astrid Appels - Stefan Lafrentz
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