Anna Kappelhoff and Quatermain Hunting Trophies at 2022 CDI Le Mans

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2022 CDI Le Mans

If she decides to go international, German young rider Anna Kappelhoff is a force to be reckoned with. The 20-year old Kappelhoff has only ridden at two CDI's in her life, but out of six classes she won four! and two times placed second. Her partner in crime is Quatermain and at last weekend's 2022 CDI Le Mans the pair was on a hunt for trophies and bagged a further two out of three starts.

Le Mans Triumph

Anna made her CDI debut in Zakrzow, Poland, in October 2020, where she dominated the Young Riders team and individual test and was runner-up in the Kur. A year and a half later she returned to the international stage in Le Mans and pulled a similar feat.

In Le Mans she won the Young Riders team test with 70.98%, was second in the individual with 70.441%, and won the freestyle with 74.634%. Her biggest rival breathing down her neck was fellow German Vivien Borgmann on the 11-year old Westfalian Eyecatcher (by Estobar x Furst Piccolo) with whom she swapped places.

"Quati felt really nice in all the tests and especially in the Kur I had a very nice feeling," Anna told Eurodressage. "Even though he isn't quite the biggest fan of music, as it often makes him a bit nervous, he did such a good job!"

Looking for Improvement

The Munster based Kappelhoff trained with Stefan Wolff and Caro Roost before going to Carina Scholz-Bachmann for coaching more than two years ago.

"She really helped me to improve my way of riding tests and riding in general," Anna said about her trainer Carina Scholz. "She is a very dedicated trainer and I enjoy training with her a lot. I think the most important thing that I learnt from her is that you should always work on your own seat and the aids you give your horse. You should always try to find the fault in your own riding and not in the horse."

Quatermain

Quatermain is a 14-year old Hanoverian gelding by Quaterback out of Weltlady (by Weltmeyer x Landadel x Wendulan). He is bred by Eberhard Woote and owned by Karin Bochinsky.

The horse has a late competition start in life, making his show debut in 2016 as an 8-year old under Stefan Wolff, before moving to 16-year old Anna in 2017.

Kappelhoff is no stranger to shows though. Her debut was in 2010, when she was nine, and has ridden at a huge string of regional shows on ponies. Top Niklas (by Top Nonstop x Durello) was her best pony, with Flora B (by Fort Lauderdale x Neckar) she jumped. She made her transition to horses and M-level in 2017 with Quatermain and Divario (by Dancing Dynamite x Rolls Royce). In 2020 she moved to young riders level and briefly rode Scholz's auction horse Fibolo (by Feiner Bedo x Montmartre).

Go With the Flow

Anna combines her riding with studying Law at the University of Munster and is in her fourth semester. She has not set out clear plans or competitive targets for the future.

"I don't really have show plans for this year yet," she admitted, "but I would definitely like to ride some more nice national and international shows. My biggest long term goal is just that Quati stays healthy and happy."