Freispiel, German Children Team Horse, Has New Rider

Dressage

Germany

Freispiel, Germany's team gold medal winning horse at the 2022 European Children Championships, has found a new rider.

Freispiel is a 14-year old Oldenburg gelding by Feuerspiel out of Daisy Darling (by Dream of Glory x Le Grand). He is bred by Karin Kröger.

Young Horse Career

As a youngster, Freispiel was competed by a string of riders, starting with his owner Anna Wolff in the riding horse tests in June 2014. In 2015 he was shown by Cathrin Beckmann-Messfeldt and Anna-Sophie Fiebelkorn, while in 2016 Wolff shared the ride with Josephin Blodau.

Freispiel then moved to Dorothee Schneider's barn who premiered him in September 2017 at M-level. In 2019 it was Johanna Felicitas Wolff's turn, while in 2020 she alternated the ride with Thomas Wagner. At that time Freispiel was established at small tour level.

Eve Catherine Bartels

The gelding had sold to the Bartels family and as of 2022 Eve took place in the saddke? She debuted him in January 2022 at L-level.

At the 2022 European Children Championships

The duo's international show debut was at the 202é CDIO-CH Hagen in the children division where they obtained a spot on the German team for the 2022 European Children Championships in Pilisjaszfalu, where Germany won team gold. Individually the pair was 13th in the team test with 73.984%.

In 2023 they moved to junior riders' level and competed at CDI's in Troisdorf and Aachen Indoor and placed 19th in the individual test at the 2023 German Junior Championships, while in 2024 Bartels split her time between competing her new number one, Villeneuve, and Freispiel. With "Frippy" she showed in Exloo, the Aachen Dressage Days, where they won the junior team test (70.808%) and in Dielsdorf, which was their last international as a pair

Anna Schmieder

Bartels has now passed on the ride on Freispiel to 12-year old Anna Schmieder.

"It was never an option for me to pass on Freispiel, because he is my everything and I never thought I could bring myself to do it, but in our daily training sessions, I realised that we had reached our maximum and that it was time for Freispiel to be given a new task and be allowed to present himself in the children tour again," Eve explained. "I made this decision for him because I am firmly convinced that he will have more fun in the childrens' tour over the next few years. I couldn't imagine a better rider for him either! The two of them have a great future ahead of them!"

Bertels at the 2022 Preis der Besten qualifier in Kronberg

Eve continued, "we've been through the highest highs and the lowest lows. We laughed, cried, won, lost and above all never gave up together. From last place at the 2022 Preis der Besten qualifier in Kronberg, to being included in the national squad, getting nominated for our first European Championships, the Hessian Champion title, a 4th place on the first day of the European Championships and team gold at the European Championships."

"Frippy" will now continue his sport career with Anna Schmieder. Despite her young age, the Rhineland based Schmieder has been gaining national level show experience on pony Tansania (by Fleedwood WV x Top Anthony) and horse Venezia GV (by Villeneuve x Fackeltanz).

She made her show debut on Freispiel at the local show in Marl, where she placed 8th in the L-level test (68.975%) on 29 May 2025.