Gold Medal Horse Cosmo Saved from Rothenberger Farm Fire, 5 Other Horses Perish–Update

6 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Gold Medal Horse Cosmo Saved from Rothenberger Farm Fire, 5 Other Horses Perish–Update
Sönke Rothenberger and Cosmo in the World Equestrian Games. © 2018 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

BAD HOMBURG, Germany, Feb. 28, 2019–Cosmo, the Olympic and World Equestrian Games team gold medal mount was saved by his rider, Sönke Rothenberger, from a fire that destroyed stables and the riding arena killing five horses at the Rothenberger family farm Thursday morning.

Sönke, 24 years old, and Sanneke Rothenberger, 26, rescued some horses after being awakened by the barking of a dog. Sanneke was reported to be in the hospital suffering from the effects of smoke but, the family reported, “she is doing well.”

The parents were returning from Lier, Belgium, where they had taken Semmieke, 19, to compete Geisha and Dissertation.

“It is already clear that we have lost a large part of our life’s work,” the family reported. “Our riding hall, our stable, several young horses and pensioners. Sönke and Sanneke became aware of the fire because our dog struck. Sönke was able to bring Cosmo into the barn of the Krause family and also save Goldi, several other horses are injured.”

About 35 horses were reported to have been stabled at the farm, which is about 60 meters/yards from the neighboring Krause family home.

Cosmo is a 12-year-old KWPN gelding that won gold on the German team at the 2016 Olympics, 2018 World Games and 2017 European Champions where the pair became only the fifth combination in history to achieve 90 per cent in the Grand Prix Freestyle, as well as team gold at the 2014 Wuropean Young Rider Championship.

The cause of the blaze had not been determined.