Hope Cooper's internationally competed Grand Prix horse Hot Chocolate W will continue his sport career under an American junior rider. Gabriel Epstein has taken over the reins on the schoolmaster.
Hot Chocolate W is a 17-year old Hanoverian gelding by Hochadel out of Pikolina (by Pik Senior x Einstand I.). He is bred by Udo Wiese in Germany.
Germany
Hot Chocolate's show career started a bit later than normal in life with him doing his first show as a 6-year old in 2011 under Tabea Rauhut. She competed him up to M-level through 2012
In the autumn of 2012 owned Mirka Jungbär took over the ride and showed him up to M-level until the summer of 2015.
With Hope Cooper in the U.S.A.
Hot Chocolate W sold to the U.S.A. in the autumn of 2015 and got matched to Hope Cooper.
Owned by Mary Mansfield, the dark bay gelding made his international show debut at small tour level at the 2016 CDI Saugerties. In 2017 Hope and Hot Chocolate W moved up to national medium tour level and their CDI Under 25 debut followed in Wellington in February 2019. The pair won bronze at the 2019 U.S. Under 25 Championship.
In 2021 they got U.S. squad listed in the U25 team which opened opportunities for her to travel to Europe and compete in the Under 25 tour at the 2021 CHIO Aachen. Unfortunately Covid-19 changed those plans. Instead it became a four-month training tour in Germany, working with Isabell Werth and Christoph Koschel.
Between 2019 and 2021 the pair consistently competed in the Under 25 division in Wellington and in 2022 they moved up to senior Grand Prix level. Their last CDI start was on 25 March 2022 in Wellington.
Schoolmaster for Epstein
American junior rider Gabriel Epstein has now taken over the reins of the 17-year old Hot Chocolate W.
The 17-year old Epstein made his international show debut this year at the North American Junior Riders Championships in Traverse City, MI. Aboard the 16-year old KWPN gelding Bandito (by Negro x Don Gregory) he finished 18th in the Kur to Music finals.
"Gabriel and his horse Bandito came to me about 6 moths ago," Hope told Eurodressage. "Gabe is fairly new to the competitive arena and this was really his first season, but he has a lot of talent and drive."
The Epstein family is leasing Hot Chocolate W.
Cooper added, "Chocolate has given me the most incredible years in the U25 and Grand Prix. I feel so lucky to say that we learned everything together, Chocolate has the biggest heart you could ever imagine. I will be forever grateful to him , and his owner Mary Mansfield for absolutely everything. I am beyond excited to work with Gabi and Chocolate towards the young riders this year."
Photo © Astrid Appels -
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