Anna Ross' Habouche Sold to Germany

Dressage

Great Britain

British Grand Prix rider Anna Ross has sold her number one in the barn, Habouche, to Germany.

Habouche is a 13-year old KWPN mare by Ampere out of Babouche (by Sydney x Wolfgang). She is bred by Linda Verwaal in The Netherlands.

Anna's Students

The grey mare sold to Anna Ross and her partner, Brazilian eventer Marcelo Tosi.

Ross' students and assistant riders first competed the horse as a youngster. Habouche was first shown in the U.K. by Beth Bainbridge as a 5-year old at novice level in January 2017. In March Irish Alex Baker showed her a few times, but then the mare was matched back to Bainbridge. In November 2018 and June 2019 Lewis Carrier rode her at Tall Trees and Bucton, but Beth had the principle ride.

Habouche's first show with Anna was in March 2020 at Prix St Georges level, in 2021 student Victoria Campbell did a few small tour classes alongside Bainbridge. Campbell took the mare to her first international show in Wellington Heckfield at Young riders level and qualified her for the 2021 European Young Riders Championships in Oliva Nova, where they were 42nd in the individual test. In October 2021 Bainbridge showed the mare at small tour level at the CDI Le Mans.

With Campbell at the 2021 European YR Championships

The mare was also part of Anna's embryotransfer breeding programme and produced the 3-year old licensed BHHS stallion Newton Feeling Good (by Furst Jazz)

With Ross to Grand Prix

As of December 2021 Anna permanently took over the ride at medium tour level.

Ross premiered Habouche in the international big tour at the 2022 CDI Jerez de la Frontera, coached by Diederik Wigmans. They posted 65.174% in their first GP but also excused themselves in the other test.

As of August 2022 the pair began to find its stride by dropping back down to medium tour level. At the CDI Crozet they won all three medium tour classes. At the first CDI of 2023 in Addington the Grand Prix score was 70.304%. That year they showed in Le Mans, Compiegne, Rotterdam, and Ermelo.

In 2024 Ross and Habouche campaigned in Exloo, at the Aachen Dressage Days, in Welllington Heckfield, at Wroclaw and Kronenberg Indoor. Their final show was the 2025 CDI Le Mans, where they won the kur to music with 72.525%

Sold to Germany

Habouche has been sold to Germany to Annabelle Steffens who premiered her in the Intermediaire II at the CDN Ankum today. They scored 68.070% for a fifth place.

The 24-year old Steffens has competed in only one CDI so far in her career, in 2019 in Waregem aboard the Trakehner stallion Imperio. Originally from Bad Homburg, Steffens moved to Westfalia to train with Hubertus Schmidt and briefly ride Imperio.

Steffens and Imperio at the 2019 CDI Waregem

When the partnership with Imperio ended, Steffens relocated to Peter Pawel's yard in Fürstenwald near Kassel. Since 2022 she has been showing Fabiano (by Fursten-Look x Foundation) nationally at small tour level. She is now coached by Norbert van Laak. Her family is building a stable in Fritzlar.