Soiree d'Amour Passed Away

Dressage

Germany

Carina Scholz' internationally competed Grand Prix ride Soiree d'Amour has passed away. She was 17 years old.

Soiree d'Amour was is a 2009 born Oldenburg mare by San Amour out of Lara Croft (by Latimer x Banditentraum). She is bred by Maren Bergen.

Kira Wulferding

Soiree d'Amour was produced from young horse level to Grand Prix by Kira Wulferding under the supervision of her coach Wolfram Wittig. While in Kira's barn as a 3-year old, Soiree d'Amour sold to her life-time owner, Birgit Kalvelage.

In 2012 Kira and Soiree became Oldenburg Regional Young Horse Champion in Rastede and Bundeschampion in Warendorf. At the 2014 World Young Horse Championships they were fifth and at the 2014 Bundeschampionate they scored the silver medal.

They were 7th in the 2017 Nurenberger Burgpokal Finals for developing Prix St Georges horses and they first national Grand Prix start followed in 2019 and finished 11th in the Louisdor Cup final that year.

The horse's as well as the rider's international Grand Prix debut followed at the CDI Verden in May 2021, followed by a start in Herzlake. In 2022 they rode in two CDI's, in Opglabbeek and the Aachen Dressage Days in Hagen. Their Grand Prix high score was 70.761%.

Carina Scholz

In the summer of 2022 Kalvelage decided to move the mare in training with Carina Scholz, who trains with German team trainer Monica Theodorescu.

Scholz debuted her internationally in November 2022 in Stuttgart to a 72.413% Grand Prix score. They went to Kronenberg and Frankfurt next but then a 10-month break from CDI showing followed. They returned in October 2023 in Leeuwarden, followed by Stuttgart and Kronenberg.

With Kira at the 2022 Aachen Dressage Days in Hagen

They missed the spring start of 2024 but returned in Falsterbo in July, followed by the World Cup qualifier in Wroclaw in October 2024, which they won, and Neumunster. Carina qualified her number one Tarantino for the 2025 World Cup Finals in Basel, but ended up swapping him for Soiree and they finished 11th in the Kur.

In 2025 the pair began their outdoor campaign in Hagen, then Aachen, Dunajsky Klatov and finally the Covalliero Dressage Days in Hagen in September 2025 which turned out to be their last show.

Early Farewell

Although the 2026 World Cup Finals in Fort Worth were set as next goal, the mare struggled with a niggling injury and did not return to competition. On 19 October 2026 Carina Scholz announced that Soiree d'Amour has passed away last weekend.

With Carina at the 2023 CDI Kronenberg Indoor

"Even a few days later, I still find it hard to find the right words for this sudden and completely unexpected loss," said Carina. "Since 2022 you have been a permanent part of our everyday life and you have grown incredibly close to us.
You were an extraordinary beauty with an at least as extraordinary personality and captivated everyone from the very first moment."

Scholz continued, "you knew exactly what you wanted, and you had both two- and four-legged friends around you completely in control. You were independent and you decided for yourself who you gave your affection to. And I think I was allowed to be one of those people."

Carina concluded, "Our time together in the saddle was also special. You have taught me an incredible amount and at the same time loved the hours of riding for a change. I could always count on you 1000%. You were so much more than what was seen of you on a competition field."