Tribute to the late Konrad, the Most Successful FEI Dressage Pony to Date

Dressage

Germany

On 16 January 2021 Konrad, the most successful FEI dressage pony to date, passed away at age 30. Despite his grand old age, his passing came as a surprise.

Konrad was a 1990 born German Riding Pony by Constantin out of Lamina (by Lungau x Traugott). He was bred by Hilde Wassmann.

He competed at nine (!) European Pony Championships, winning the European title twice and 8 team gold medals. He was a three-time German Pony Champion.

"Konrad was without a doubt the horse that made me," said Nikolas Kröncke who achieved the first international successes with the pony. "It's no exaggeration to say my life would be quite different without Konrad and I suspect all his other riders would say the same."

Weser-Ems Born

Konrad was born in the stables of Cord and Hilde Wassmann, who matched their small Hanoverian mare Lamina to the Welsh B foundation sire Constantin. Originally his name was written with a C (Conrad), but over time it ended up being changed to Konrad.

Eva-Maria Tüpker and Konrad at the 1994
Bundeschampionate

Pairing Constantin to Lamina proved a successful formula, as Konrad has four full siblings: Lady Corry (1989), the licensed stallions Chablis (1993) and Champagner W (1995), the FEI dressage pony Chantre W (1994), the Bundeschampion Coloured Girl W (1995) and the elite broodmare Camina W (1996).

Konrad's sport career started in Germany in the young pony classes under Eva-Marie Tüpker. The pair won silver at the 1993 Bundeschampionate and gold at the 1994 Bundeschampionate.

"He was very good to ride and I always had a lot of fun," Tüpker told Eurodressage. "Konrad was always motivated and in a good mood, a real clown."

Nikolas and Kira Kröncke

Konrad's biggest glory came at the start of his international career. He sold to the Kröncke family in 1995 as a 5-year old pony and his start was not smooth sailing.

"While everyone is well aware of the success Konrad had from 1997 onward, it's probably less well known how wild he was as a young pony," Nikolas told Eurodressage. "When I started riding him at 5 years old, he would regularly pull his head back and start cantering at full speed scaring the life out of everyone watching me and him. There were a few moments where my parents and Jonny (Hilberath) heroically threw themselves in front of him, just to get him to stop. During that time, we had a lot of doubts if it was ever going to work out despite his enormous quality.

The moment it all came together for young Nikolas and Konrad was at the 1996 Bundeschampionate, where they became silver medal winners.

"Entering the arena for the final, Konrad was visibly nervous and a little spooked by the judges," Nikolas reminisced. "Christoph Hess was chief judge on the day. He quickly assessed the situation and allowed me a bit of extra time. I tried my best to speak with Konrad and calm him down. For the first time, he heard me in the arena and started to listen. Although we 'only' came in second, that was the moment I knew we could make it work and he was going to be something extremely special. The rest is history as they say."

In 1997 Nikolas and Konrad won team and individual gold at the European Pony Championships in Hartpury, Great Britain. They also won the 1997 German Pony Championships in Soltau.

"I remember well when we arrived at Hartpury all the other horses were cranky from the long ride and hammering against their boxes," said Nikolas. "Konrad instead happily went to his box and lay down to take a nap. It would be quite common for him to nap in his box until it was time to get ready for his test."

Nikolas competed Konrad through the spring and summer 1998 but missed out on the 1998 European Pony Championships in Le Touquet, France, as the pony injured himself shortly before that at the CDN Hagen in July. It was probably the only time Konrad was injured for a prolonged period in his long career and life.

In 1999 Nikolas' younger sister Kira took over the rode and steered the chestnut to team and individual gold at the 1999 European Pony Championships in Stromsholm, Sweden. They also won silver at the 1999 German Pony Championships in Würselen.

At the 2000 European Pony Championships, there was another team gold for Kira as well as an individual bronze.

Kira Pichler (née Kröncke) has very fond memories of Konrad. "He was always very jolly and loved to eat," Kira told Eurodressage. "It was a fantastically swinging feeling to ride him. At times he could be very wild and there were tests before which I was just riding around in canter to calm him down a little bit. Konrad loved being in nature and we were able to see that especially in Sweden at the 1999 European championships, where there was a 30 minute ride in complete nature between the stables and the area where the tests took place. We had to go over bridges with bubbly water underneath and through narrow trails. Konrad was so calm and relaxed as I can’t remember him ever being on a competition and for the time I was riding him as well as never before."

Nikolas explained that there was a trick to keep Konrad happy and in top shape for shows and it had to do with his weight. "We only learned this a little later when my sister had taken over Konrad but one of the keys in handling him was keeping him on his happy weight, which was just a little bit on the chunkier side," Nikolas remembered. "If you kept him too lean, he would inevitably be too fiery to control."

Nikolas added, "It also needs to be said that none of the success would have been possible without my parent's dedication and Jonny Hilberath's tireless help. I was just a young boy with very little experience of course. I certainly remember that there were many nights during which Konrad kept Jonny up when he was trying to figure out a way in his head how to make it all work."

Annika Fiege, Patricia Hohn

In 2001 the ride on Konrad was allocated to Annika Fiege. She won bronze at the 2001 German Pony Championships in Elmlohe and silver at the 2002 German Pony Championships in Kreuth.

More importantly, Fiege and Konrad captured team gold and individual silver at the 2002 European Pony Championships in Hagen.

In 2003 it was Patricia Hohn's turn to pilot Konrad. She rode him for two years and won the 2003 German Pony Championships in Aachen and got bronze at the 2004 German Pony Championships in Steinfeld.

At the European Championships Hohn and Konrad scored team gold and individual silver in 2003 at Necarne Castle in Ireland and team gold and individual bronze in in Jaszkowo, Poland.

Sanneke Rothenberger

Konrad sold to the Rothenberger family in September 2004 as Sanneke's pony schoolmaster. Sanneke now had a duo of top scoring ponies to ride with Konrad and Domino Dancing, who was previously ridden by Alice Fengels.

Sanneke Rothenberger and Konrad made their show debut in 2005. The pair won team gold and individual silver at the 2005 European Pony Championships in Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA) and earned silver at the German Pony Championships in Zeiskam.

At they 2006 European Pony Championships in Saumur (FRA) they got team gold and placed fifth individually. That year Sanneke rode Dino P at the Nationals.

At the 2007 European Pony Championships in Freudenberg (GER), there was another team gold medal and a fourth individual place. At the 2007 German Pony Championships they were back on the silver step of the podium.

In 2008, her last year eligible to ride ponies, Sanneke already focused on junior level competition with Paso Doble and was selected on the German junior team. However, with Konrad she finished her pony time winning the 2008 German Pony Championships in Hanover.

The 2008 Nationals were Konrad's last official competition. At home he continued as a schoolmaster for Semmieke Rothenberger, but he was never competed again.

Retirement Trio

Konrad spent his retirement in a group three, with Dino P and Domino Dancing, at his forever home, the Rothenberger's Gestut Erlenhof in Bad Homburg.

The recent snow had filled the pony with joy, who was frolicking about in the field the last few days. Unfortunately on Saturday morning, Konrad's batteries ran out suddenly and he passed away unexpectedly.

"You were something very special, and you were aware of that," Gonnelien Rothenberger wrote. "I'm happy we were able to retire you at the height of your sport career. You were top fit when you re-appeared in public for one special occasion, under Semmieke in the pony celebration at the German Federation in Warendorf. Also there people could see your quality, your eagerness, your confidence when it mattered, despite your high age."

Sanneke Rothenberger added that, "Konrad moved and inspired so many people with his special character. No matter where I went, I always heard amazing stories about him."

Konrad would have turned 31 in the spring.