Marcela Krinke-Susmelj's Career Making Atterupgaards Molberg Passed Away

Dressage

Switzerland

Marcela Krinke-Susmelj's career making Grand Prix horse, Atterupgaards Molberg, has passed away. He was 22 years old.

Molberg was a Danish warmblood gelding by Michellino out of Athene (by Rambo x ). He was bred by Kristine and Michael Munch Sinding of Stutteri Atterupgaard.

Sanne Henningsen

Scouted and bought by Danish horse dealer Klaus Munkedahl as a youngster, Molberg was trained to Grand Prix level by Danish Sanne Henningsen.

With Hennigsen Molberg placed sixth in the 5-year old finals at the 2006 World Young Horse Championships in Verden and earned silver at the 2006 Danish Young Dressage Horse Championships. They returned to Verden a year later but were only 16th in the consolation finals for the 6-year olds. They were fifth at the 2007 Danish Young Horse Championships.

Hennigsen produced him to Grand Prix level. In 2010 they made their CDI debut at the highest level and campaigned at Vestfold, Norrkoping, Verden, Copenhagen, Saumur, and Odense. They were fifth at the 2010 Danish Grand Prix Championship and won team gold and finished fourth at Grand Prix level at the 2010 Nordic Baltic Championships in Drammen. They were nominated as team reserve for the Danish team for the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington, KY.

Marcela Krinke-Susmelj

In December 2010 the Danish warmblood was acquired by Irine Meyer, long time sponsor of Swiss team rider Marcela Krinke-Susmelj. He competed under the name Smeyers Molberg.

For Sanne Henningsen it was a big blow as it was the second time that the highly talented horse she trained from novice to Grand Prix level got sold before his career peak. She also produced Clearwater, who went on to win team bronze at the 2008 Olympics in Hong Kong under Anne van Olst. For Marcela Krinke-Susmelj a new door opened as Molberg was the successor for her career starting horse Corinth.

The new duo made its CDI show debut at the 2011 CDI Achleiten and from then on until the horse's retirement in 2018 they were Switzerland's undisputed number one and the torch bearer for Swiss dressage sport, which hadn't seen such a well performing pair since its heydays in the 1980s.

They represented Switzerland at the European Championships in 2011 (39th in the GP), in 2013 (18th in the GP Special), in 2015 (16th in the GP Special), and in 2017 (26th in GP Special). They spearheaded the Swiss effort at the World Equestrian Games on 2014 (16th in GP Special) and were the individual representatives for their country at the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016 (24th in GP Special). They competed at the World Cup Finals in Gothenburg in 2013 (13th) and in 2016 (10th), as well as the ones in Omaha in 2017 (12th).

They were Swiss Grand Prix Championships in 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2017.

Retirement

Molberg's last competition was the CDI-W Neumunster in February 2018. Krinke split from her long-time coach Ton de Ridder round that time and although she was invited to compete Molberg at the 2018 World Cup Finals in Paris she declined.

"Molle" was retired from sport at the 17. He spent his retirement at Horsefarm Effingen in Switzerland, where he enjoyed his free time in the fields with his senior buddy Lenz.

The bay gelding was put to sleep on 8 October 2023 following a severe colic attack.

"Molberg was for Marcela the one in a million horse," the Meyer family told Eurodressage. "He will be deeply missed by her and all of our family."