Oliver Luze Hired as Manager of Helgstrand Academy

Dressage

Germany

German Grand Prix rider and trainer Oliver Luze has been hired as the new manager of Helgstrand Academy in Denmark.

"This new addition to the Helgstrand team will greatly benefit our riders, as Oliver brings extensive experience in training horses and teaching students, from Young Horse to Grand Prix levels on the international stage," a Helgstrand Dressage press release announced today.

Riding for Oldenburg

Oliver Luze started his professional career working at Gronwohldhof for Herbert and Karin Rehbein.

He then became an auction rider for the Oldenburg breed society in Vechta and a stallion performance tester for Oldenburg in California, U.S.A

Tannenhof and Helenenhof

Oliver and his wife Katrin made their claim to fame as trainers at Gestut Tannenhof, where they worked for more than 10 years. Oliver steered Tannenhof's Carabas to victory in the 2008 Medien Cup Finals for developing Grand Prix horses (Louisdor Cup) and competed him at Grand Prix level twelve times in 2008, always placing first or second always with scores of 70%.

After Carabas sold to Andreas Helgstrand in the winter of 2008 the couple left Tannenhof for the Schwiebert's Helenenhof in 2009. Luze and Carabas were re-united as Schwiebert purchased the stallion from Helgstrand who did not truly connect with the horse. Luze and Carabas competed internationally in 2010 at CDI's in Hagen, Hamburg, Strassen and Verden.

Circling Germany

The couple left the Schwieberts' in November 2010 and rented stalls for a while at Dieter Mehrens' yard in Sievershütte, before moving to the Heicke family's Fohlenhof. After a fall-out in October 2013 Luze and Heicke went separate ways.

The couple moved to Birkhof in Donzdorf, Germany, where they stayed for seven years.

On 1 January 2021 the couple moved to Freiberger Hof, where they replaced Marcus Hermes as riders of some of the horses and as coach of German youth riders Lucie-Anouk and Lana-Pinou Baumgurtel for their daily training.

After 2.5 months at Freiberger Hof, the Luzes decided to go back to Plönzke's Gestut Tannenhof. After less than one year at Tannenhof the collaboration ended there in February 2022.

They relocated to Tina and Hans-Jürgen Deuerer's Erdbeerhof in Gondelsheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, but left there at the end of October 2024.

Helgstrand in Denmark

Oliver Luze has now become the newest member of the Helgstrand management team. He will join the team officially in Denmark on 1 February 2025.

“I have known Oliver for many years, and based on that experience, and his knowledge of working in big stables, I am confident that we have found the right person to take on the role as Manager and Trainer at the Academy. His expertise in training riders and horses at all levels makes him a perfect fit for this role," said Andreas Helgstrand.