Apassionata, Successful German Young Horse, Bought for USA’s Brandi Roenick to Compete
11 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Apassionata, Successful German Young Horse, Bought for USA’s Brandi Roenick to Compete
By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
Apassionata, a seven-year-old Oldenburg mare that has been successful in German young horse shows, has been bought for Brandi Roenick, one of America’s top young riders, to compete with Olympics and championships as the long term goal.
Brandi, 18 years old and a gold medal winner at the North American Junior/Young Rider Championships, is in Germany working with the black mare (Sir Donnerall x Friedensfurst) that was bought by a group of supporters, including her parents.
“She is so eager to please and take care of her rider,” Brandi told dressage-news.com of the mare she calls “Pia” and she said is schooling Grand Prix movements.
“She is so motivated to do everything right and make sure at the end of the day she has done the job correctly. She is so talented. and so amazingly kind to be around on the ground and just so kind to ride.”
Apassionata was owned and competed as a young horse by Andrea Müller-Kersten, based in Vechta, Germany, and who has successfully developed several young horses. In the Bundeschampionate, the German young horse championships, the mare was second in the final of the four-year-old riding horses mares and geldings and a year later also qualified for the Finals.
Andrea “took me under her wing while I have been here in Germany for a month,” said Brandi who moved from her home in Scottsdale, Arizona to San Diego, California to train with Steffen Peters at the beginning of this year.
“She has been training me and teaching me on her young horses and showing me the ropes of Germany and introducing me to people so I can become networked here.”
This week, she takes Apassionata to Voerde, Germany, the location of the training center of Jo Hinnemann where Steffen is preparing Legolas for the United States team for the Nations Cup at the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen June 26-30.
“I am planning on staying here in Germany and working towards our first show together when we are ready to go out and nail it,” she said. “I have Pan American Games 2015 in my eyes, but everything right now is just a goal.
“I am waiting to take her in to the ring when her and I are both ready. I am really excited for this horse and the future that we have in store together–2016, a longshot but I am hoping to be passaging in the arena.
“But I am going to stay in Germany for a couple of months to train and get the mare confirmed GP. I might stay until December or January of next year. I will probably stay a little longer to compete her and try to get some experience in the ring over here in Germany while I have the opportunities to do so.”
The group that bought Apassionata and will support Brandi’s career with the horse includes her mother, Tracy, a lifelong rider and for many years also a dressage trainer, and her father, Jeremy, who retired four years ago after 18 seasons in the National Hockey League where he was an All Star and played for the United States.
“I am very excited that the group that has come together in purchasing Pia for me and are very committed to supporting the future of my partnership with Apassionata and me,” Brandi said.
Brandi was a North American Junior and Young Rider Championships gold medal winner on Pretty Lady and Weltino’s Magic a Westfalen gelding she leased after Steffen Peters won both team and individual gold medals at the 2011 Pan American Games held at small tour. They also won the small tour at the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen, Germany the same year.
