WCYH Finalist Nymphenburg's First Ampere Moves On With British Young Rider

Dressage

Great Britain

Nymphenburg's First Ampere, a WCYH finalist and Bundeschampionate medal winner, has been sold to Great Britain and will continue as a young riders hopeful for junior rider Isobel Lickley.

First Ampere is a 12-year old Hanoverian by Ampere out of Wellness (by Weltruhm x Latimer). He is bred by Jan Siemsglüss.

Licensed Stallion

First Ampere was discovered by Helmut von Fircks of Gestut Nymphenburg as a foal.

The bright bay became a premium licensed stallion at the 2013 Hanoverian licensing in Verden and was later on approved for Westfalian, Oldenburg, Rhinelander and Mecklenburg breeding.

He did the 30-day Stallion Performance Test in Munster-Handorf in the autumn of 2014 and scored 7.53 for show jumping and 9,09 for dressage, finishing on a total of 9,49 points. He achieved his life-time licensed status through sport.

Bewerungen, Frank, Fischer

The stallion had a great career as a youngster.

Under Eike Bewerungen he was the 2014 Hanoverian Young Horse Champion and bronze medalist at the 2014. He showed only a few times in 2015.

In 2016 Tessa Frank took over the ride and she also earned bronze at the 2016 Bundeschampionate. He also competed with her at the World Young Horse Championships in Ermelo in 2016 and 2017 placing 9th and 6th in the Finals.

In the winter of 2017-2018 Lukas Fischer took over the ride on First Ampere and produced him to small tour level. They were 6th place in the 7-year old division at the 2018 World Championships in Ermelo

Cosima von Fircks

In 2019 First Ampere became the young riders' horse for Helmut's daughter Cosima von Fircks.

She competed him in one international show, in Mariakalnok where they won the Young Riders' nations cup with a triple victory. It was the pair's first and last CDI. In August 2019 they rode in the Nurnberger Burgpokal qualifier in Donaueschingen.

A two-year break from competition followed and von Fircks and First Ampere came back in September 2021 at a local show in Heile. In the summer of 2022 they rode in their first Grand Prix level test. Another long show break followed and in April 2023 they were back at small tour level with starts in Helle, Hamburg and Rastede. At the latter event they won the Oldenburg Regional Champion’s title.

Great Britain

In July 2023 Helmut von Fircks responded immediately to a reverse ad posted on Eurodressage in which an international young rider was looking for a suitable horse. He offered First Ampere to the Lickley family and a deal was made.

The 19-year old Isobel Lickley began her international dressage career in 2016 with the long-time British team pony and schoolmaster Gigolo. Between 2016 and 2019 she also competed ponies Valido's Sunshine and Mister Snowman, representing Great Britain at the European Pony Championships in 2016, 2018 and 2019.

She moved into the junior division in 2020 with Gracia (by Negro x Don Gregory) and competed Mount St. John Furstin Fugger (by Furst Heinrich x Weltmeyer) in 2022. Her last CDI was in June 2022 with the mare. Her last national show was on Gracia in December 2022.

Lickley now aims to ride at Young Riders level with First Ampere.

"I realised on my search for a horse that I need one who had been part of a family, to come and join mine," Izzy stated. "You have been so kind that I feel I also gained a whole new German family as well as a horse."

Cosima von Fircks added, "I have never met a horse that captivates people so quickly and wraps people around its finger not only with its beauty and quality, but above all with its funny character. Over the course of the year I noticed more and more how comfortable he feels in the small tour, so we decided that he should compete at this level and give a young rider the opportunity to learn from and grow with this special horse."