Swiss Young Horse Champion Donja KWG Moves to the U.S.A.

Dressage

U.S.A.

Donja KWG, a Grand Prix horse and former Swiss Young Horse Champion, has moved to the U.S.A. The mare will continue her sport career under Denise Steele.

Donja KWG is an 11-year old Swiss warmblood mare by For Romance out of Diva Royal KWG (by Samarant x Dressage Royal). She is bred by Walter Kunz.

Swiss Champion

Donja KWG sold as a foal in the Lucerne Foal Auction to stable Grunder. She won the bronze medal in the Swiss Foal Championship of 2013.

As a young horse she was first competed by Ivana Wyniger. They finished fifth at the 2017 Swiss Young Horse Championships for 4-year olds.

In 2019 she was listed as owned by Urs Ludäscher and Melanie Hofmann rode her to a gold medal at the 2019 Swiss Young Horse Championships for 6-year olds. Hofman competed her up to Prix St Georges level until July 2021.

Ingo Pape

As of 2021 the mare is listed as owned by Ingo Pape with the FEI and Pape's assistant rider at the time, Greta Heemsoth, was allocated the ride.

She premiered the mare in Germany in August 2021 in Wingst-Dobrock. In 2022 she rode the Nurnberger Burgpokal qualifiers in Redefin, Balve, Elmlohe and Bettenrode.

Susan Pape took the mare to Wellington in the winter of 2023 and rode her in four tests at national medium tour level at the Global Dressage Festival. In the summer of 2023 Heemsoth was back onboard and premiered her at Grand Prix level. Heemsoth also debuted her at international Grand Prix level in her first and only CDI so far, in Wroclaw, Poland. The pair posted 65.957% in the Grand Prix for second place and 64.000% in the Special for fifth place.

Susan Pape showed her last in August 2024 in Wingst-Dobrock.

U.S.A.

Donja KWG has been sold to U.S.A for Denise Steele to ride.

Steele is no stranger to stable Pape as she purchased Bourani there in 2022. The chestnut is now her husband Ken's schoolmaster, who returned to riding after a 20 year break.

Last week, Denise became Adult Amateur champion at Prix St Georges level at the 2024 USDF Dressage Finals in Lexington. She rode Bon Chance (by Belissimo M). Steele, a USDF gold medalist, splits her time between Virginia, North Carolina, and winters in Wellington, training with Vera Kessels and Susan Pape.