De Long, Former German Team Pony, Retired from Sport

Dressage

Germany

De Long, a former German team pony and schoolmaster has been retired from sport. The pony has returned from last stable, Gestut Erlenhof, back to his owner, the Merkt family.

De Long is an 18-year old Brandenburger bred pony stallion by HB Daylight out of D-S Roxy Brice (by Brillant x Royal Prince). He is bred by Susanne Olnhoff.

He was licensed as a stallion at the licensing in Radegast in January 2009 and did his 30-day performance test in Neustadt/Dosse in November 2010, scoring 8.26 points and finishing 5th out of 20 participating stallions.

Lea Nehls

De Long was first owned by Sabine Olnhoff and Anja Nehls. Under Lea Luise Nehls he finished fourth at the 2011 Bundeschampionate in the 5-year old pony class and won gold as a 6-year old at the 2012 Bundeschampionate.

He made his international show debut at the 2013 CDI Stadl Paura. Nehls and De Long were 8th at the 2014 German Pony Championships and represented Germany at the 2014 European Pony Championships in Millstreet, Ireland, where the duo won team gold, finished 6th in the individual test and 5th in the Kur to Music.

Philipp and Lea Merkt

With Nehls at the 2014 European Pony Championships

In 2015 De Long sold to the Merkt family as a ride for son Philipp Merkt.

The new duo made had its CDI show debut in June 2016 in Hagen and also competed in 2017 in Nieuw en St. Joosland and Saumur. After a short period as a junior on horse Felice in 2018, Philipp quit horse sport entirely.

In 2019 younger sister Lena Merkt began riding De Long, but only showed nationally

Schoolmaster

In 2020 Marlene Marie Binder campaigned De Long for the Merkt family and finished ninth at the 2020 German Pony Championships. They made their international debut a year later, showing at the CDI's in Compiegne and Hagen. They were one of four reserves for the German team for the 2021 European Pony Championships. They also finished sixth at this year's German Pony Championships.

In the autumn of 2021 the experienced pony moved to Semmieke Rothenberger's Gestut Erlenhof in Bad Homburg as a schoolmaster for student Laura Martin.

Martin competed him first in October 2021 and they had an extensive national career together until 2023, mainly gaining miles at shows in the Frankfurt area. Their first CDI was in July 2022 in Neu-Anspach. They were 15th and 12th in the first two rounds of the 2022 German Pony Championships. In 2023 they went full throttle and after finishing fourth at the 2023 Preis der Besten, campaigned at the CDI's in Exloo and Troisdorf as well as the German pony team qualifier at the CDI Hagen. They did not make the team, nor competed at the German Pony Championships in Munich in August.

In December Martin bought the junior rider's horse Hip Hop in Holland and is preparing for her transition to a new level.

Retirement

With Philipp Merkt at the 2017 PDB Qualifier

On 19 January 2024 the Merkt family picked up De Long at Gestut Erlenhof and brought the pony, amicably known as "Knirpsi", home.

"This year had been a roller coaster with a lot of beautiful moments, ups and downs, new friends and finding old friends back again," Martin stated. "I’m very proud of what Knirpsi and I achieved during our time together especially this year we could celebrate amazing successes!" Laura thanked "the Merkt family who trusted me with my once-in-a-lifetime pony. I’m ending this year with one eye crying, and one eye laughing because I’m looking forward to the time with Hip Hop but I couldn’t start this journey without Knirpsi!"

Lena Merkt said "they were a dream team," and told Eurodressage that "he is coming back home to us where he will be retiring."