Westminster, an international Grand Prix horse and 2019 Hamburg Derby winner, has been retired from sport.
Westminster is a 19-year old Oldenburg gelding by Weltissimo out of Candy (by Davignon x Cordial x Dominik). He is bred by Helen Schaper.
From Young Horse to S-level
The bay gelding was first competed as a 4-year old by Marcus Busch and in as a 5-year old by Eike Holtgers. The latter produced him to M-level and campaigned him at regional shows in the north of Germany through 2013.
The horse sold to Hof Kasselmann and in 2014 Johannes Augustin piloted the gelding in his first small tour tests before Martin Christensen took over the ride in the summer of 2014.
Christensen, whose sponsors are loyal clients of Hof Kasselmann, showed the horse in its first Grand Prix level tests and debuted him in the CDI ring at the 2015 CDI Hamburg at medium tour level. He showed the horse until the summer of 2016.
Hof Kasselmann
In 2018 he returned to the competition arena with Frederic Wandres and the 2018 CDI Hamburg was their first international as a pair. In 2019 Frederic showed him at CDI's in Brno, Falsterbo, Donaueschingen, Munich and Mechelen and won the Hamburg Dressage Derby with him.
An almost three year break from showing followed and Westminster returned in 2022 as a Grand Prix schoolmaster for Evelyn Eger. For two years she rode him at internationals across the globe: Hagen, Wiesbaden Fritzens, Crozet, Ludwigsburg, Frankfurt, Doha, Compiegne, Rotterdam, Falsterbo and Dielsdorf. The latter event in August 2023 was their last show together, but they were excused from the test.
Retirement
"Summer is here and you’re living in paradise," Eger posted to announce the horse's retirement. "Thank you for the legendary years I had with you. We have many great memories, besides all the cosy moments in the stable, of course the great performances at the most beautiful CDI competitions and Nations Cups! You’ve shown me what a best friend and great sports partner is all about! I’m so happy for you that after a successful career you can now happily enjoy your retirement life! I am glad that I was able to accompany you both in the last sporting years and in this new great time."
Related Links
Eurodressage Photo Database: Westminster
Frederic Wandres Wins the 2019 Hamburg Dressage Derby