Ingrid Klimke's Firlefranz Sold to the U.S.A.

Dressage

Germany

Ingrid Klimke's internationally competed small tour ride Firlefranz has been sold to the U.S.A. The chestnut found a new home across the Atlantic.

Firlefranz is an 11-year old Westfalian gelding by Franziskus out of Ramona (by Rapallo x Charmant AA x Weinberg). He is bred by Heinrich Leuschner.

Klimke and Busacker

The chestnut was licensed at the 2015 Westfalian Stallion Licensing in Munster-Handorf, but did not do the performance test, nor stood up for stud.

He was allocated to Ingrid Klimke from a young age and she premiered him in April 2017 in a A-level suitability test for eventers. She also rode him in A-level dressage and show jumping tests to assess his versatility.

The horse was owned by Klimke in partnership with Americans Joanna Crilly and Joan Johnston.

In 2021 he did his first Prix St Georges test and that year also Valerie Kampe and Ingrid's daughter Greta Busacker showed the horse. Klimke and Firlefranz' international show debut was in Aachen in September 2021 at small tour level where they were 10th in the PSG (69.088%) and 4th in the Inter I (72.00%). He qualified for the 2021 Nurnberger Burgpokal Finals at the last selection show of the season in Schenefeld but dropped out right before as Ingrid sustained a shoulder injury.

In 2022 Greta rode him at the German Young Riders Championships in Verden and placed fourth. In March 2023 Firlefranz did his first Inter II test with Ingrid, but was brought back down to small tour level for Greta, who competed Firlefranz at two international young riders level CDI's in Hagen and Aachen. At the end of that year Ingrid was back on board and rode him in a few developing Grand Prix horse classes.

In 2024 he was shown once in Balve at medium tour level.

U.S. Bound

Firlefranz has now been sold to the U.S.A.

Ingrid explained that, "Firlefranz has found a new home in the USA with a young talented rider. His unique charm and endearing nature have delighted us every day and it connects us with many unforgettable moments! We wish the new team a wonderful and successful time together."

The chestnut sold to Sydney and Denise Lipar family which is originally from Texas but now bzsed in Wellington, FL.

Sydney Lipar's international career started at junior level in 2019 aboard Sandroletto (by Sandro Hit x Rouletto) and Herzkonig (by His Highness x Weltmeyer). Coached by Ben Winger she competed at the 2019 North American Junior Riders Championships and moved up to Young Riders level in 2021. She returned to three more North American Young Riders Championships: in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Her YR horse is Zerragamo (by Zonik x Ferragamo). She last competed internationally in August 2023. She trained with U.S. Olympian Kasey Perry-Glass at the time, but is now working with Dawn White - O Connor.