The Weels Behind the Wheel of Bringing Top Dressage Horses to Australia

Dressage

Australia

The Australian horse loving couple Paul and Emma Weel and their daughter Abby have returned from a successful trip to Europe, securing three new horses.

Their investment is part of a long-term plan of bringing correctly trained dressage horses to Australia for the future of the sport down under.

Australian Trailblazer in Hagen

The Weels matched business with pleasure in Europe as their 13-year old daughter Abby was one of nine invited Australian youth riders at the CDIO "Future Champions" at Hof Kasselmann in Hagen.

Thirteen-year old Abby is a long-time student of former Australian Grand Prix team rider Matthew Dowsley and was part of the Australian crew invited to compete at the Nations' Cup competition in Hagen. It was the first time that Australia fielded three teams at this international event for youth riders.

The budding young talent from New South Wales made her international show debut in October 2023. She rode Reitland's Obama (by High Flow's Oxford x Diamond) at FEI pony level at the CDI Boneo.

Weel on Santiago-H at the 2024 Future Champions in Hagen

Abby accepted the unique opportunity to compete in Hagen as part of a private effort and with the help of Equestrian Australia to have global representation at Future Champions.

For her euro premier she saddled Andreas Helgstrand's 6-year old Belgian warmblood Santiago-H (by Apache x Donnerhall), who was shown as a youngster in Denmark in 2023 by Frederikke Lundgren Skelmose. In Hagen Weel and Santiago-H had their debut together and finished 6th in the Children individual test on the concluding day of competition.

Shopping Time

Abby and Santiago-H were a match and the Weels decided to retain the horse for the future. He has blossomed under the careful training of Eva Möller and will stay with her for now.

Lord Extra at the 2023 Oldenburg Young Horse Championship
(Photo © LL-foto)

Abby's parents Emma and Paul Weel used their time in Europe wisely and secured two more talented youngsters at Ulf and Eva Möller's stable in Germany.

"This is what we are looking for: really good, classically and friendly trained horses," said Emma Weel. " We find this in the horses that are trained by Eva and Ulf."

They acquired the 4-year old Oldenburg gelding Lord Extra (by Lord Europe x Donnerschwee x Royal Diamond), who was previously licensed as a stallion. The black gelding, who is bred by Bernd Huslage, finished fifth at the 2023 Bundeschampionate under Julian Fetzer. The horse has been trained by Eva Möller and will be further produced up the levels by Matthw Dowsley.

The Weels also purchased the 6-year old Westfalian gelding For Real (by Blue Hors Farrell x Lord Loxley x Damon Hill), who was previously licensed with Danish Warmblood and Westfalia. The bay gelding is bred by Karl-Aug. Schulte-Varendorff and sold at the 2020 Westfalian stallion licensing auction for 250,000 euro to Andreas Helgstrand. He won the 2021 Bundeschampionate as a 3-year old under Leonie Richter. He scored a 10 for training/submission at the time as a testament to his rideability.

After several great rides in Germany, Emma will be developing For Real under the supervision of her trainer Matthew.

Both Lord Extra and For Real have arrived safe and well in Australia, while Santiago-H has stayed in Germany to be produced up the levels by Eva Möller.