Mateusz Cichon's Herzregent Passed Away

Dressage

Poland

Polish Grand Prix rider Mateusz Cichon has suddenly lost his number one ride in the barn and Polish Olympic team hopeful, Herzregent. The horse succumbed to colic.

Herzregent was a 17-year old Hanoverian gelding by Hotline out of Alikantje (by Alabaster x Pik Bube I x Lombard). He was bred by the Baumgart brothers at Schwartze Hof.

Denmark

Herzregent began his sport career in Denmark as part of the sales barn of Helgstrand Dressage.

He was first competed by Daniel Bachmann Andersen in October 2013 when the horse was 6-year olds. He placed second in an MB2 level test. Bachmann competed him through 2014 up to Prix St Georges level.

The horse's last show in Denmark was with Thomas Sigtenbjerggaard in November 2014.

Mateusz Cichon

Polish dressage rider Mateusz Cichon bought Herzregent at Helgstrand and more purchases (Casablanca, Don Deluxe) and deals with the Danish horse trader followed in the future .

The pair premiered at international small tour level in November 2015 at the CDI Zakrzow in Poland. They stayed at PSG level for one more year although nationally they already won gold at the 2016 Polish Under 25 Championships. In 2017 they moved up to international Under 25 Grand Prix level. The pair represented Poland at the 2017 European Under 25 Championships in Lamprechtshausen, where they finished 23rd in the U25 GP test with 63.698%.

As of 2018 Cichon and Herzregent began competing in the senior Grand Prix division and showed in Zakrzow, Mariakalnok, Achleiten, Radzionkow and Sopot. They won bronze at the 2018 Polish Dressage Championships. An almost three year break from international sport followed and the pair returned in October 2022 in Zakrzow.

In 2023 they assisted the Polish team in winning the Group C Olympic team qualifier in Pilisjaszfalu and secured a team ticket for Poland for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Their last competition was in October 2021 in Wroclaw, where they got 61.478% in the Grand Prix. They were fifth in the 2023 Polish Grand Prix Championships

Untimely Passing

Herzregent succumbed to colic on 13 February 2024 right before he was to compete in the CDI Kalen-Towarzystwo, where Poland is hosting its first Olympic team qualifier.

Cichon was aiming to secure one of three spots on the Polish team for Paris.

"A great athlete and friend, a great horse who always gave his whole heart," Cichon stated. "These were supposed to be the last months of his sport career before a well-deserved retirement. Fate had it otherwise... and even though we are not realizing it yet, an open empty box is a reminder that he will, sadly, never be back here."