Franziska Stieglmaier's Samurai Moves to German U25 Rider

Dressage

Germany

Franziska Stieglmaier's internationally competed Grand Prix horse Samurai has moved on to a German Under 25 rider.

Samurai is a 15-year old Hanoverian gelding by St. Moritz Junior out of Lillifee (by Laureano x Casaretto). He is bred by Dieter and Björn Loch.

Franziska Stieglmaier

The liver chestnut gelding made his show debut in Germany as a 6-year old in 2017. Franziska Stieglmaier trained and competed him from A-level to Grand Prix.

The pair made its international show debut in 2019 at small tour level at the CDI Leudelange. Then a three-year break from CDI showing followed until their return in April 2022 at the CDI Stadl Paura at Grand Prix level. Franziska had moved the horse up to Inter II level in 2020 and rode the Louisdor cup qualifier in Munich in 2021.

Between 2022 and 2025 she showed the horse at international Grand Prix level at shows such as Pilisjaszfalu, Rotterdam, Kronberg, Dielsdorf, Mannheim, Wiesbaden, Samorin, Neustadt Dosse, Donaueschingen, Ornago and Kronenberg. The latter in December 2025 being their last.

Under 25 Horse

German Under 25 rider Annabelle Steffens has now taken over the reins of Samurai. The new duo has made its show debut straight away at the end of May in Winterlingen, scoring 66.357% and 67.281% in the S*** tests. Last weekend they competed in Ingolstadt and got 68.400% in the classic Grand Prix test.

Steffens has been competing on the German Under 25 Piaff Forderpreis circuit with Habouche. She used to train with Norbert van Laak, but is now relying on Franziska Stieglmaier to coach her on her new ride.