"I always enjoy coming here" - Michael Kölz wins Deutsche Kreditbank AG Grand Prix at Horse Festival

RedefinFor the second time since 2015, the show jumper Michael Kölz, who is based in Leißnig, Saxony, has won the Grand Prix of the Deutsche Kreditbank AG at the Horse Festival Redefin secured. He managed the first clear round with Cellato in the round of the world ranking test and as the first starter in the jump-off he also delivered a fabulously fast and clear round with the eleven-year-old Cellestial offspring owned by Dirk Wellmann (Dresden).

"They always say that victories are decided in training beforehand," Kölz joked, "and then Dirk Wellmann has the higher share, because I ride Cellato about once a week, otherwise he sits in the saddle." Michael Kölz has known the gelding for a year and a half, took time to get to know him and emphasized that the Grand Prix at the Redefin Horse Festival was actually only the second major tournament for Cellato and him. Again and again, the 39-year-old show jumper, who was born in Baden-Württemberg, comes to the Horse Festival: "I like being here, it usually goes well for me and I would like to thank the organizers for always making the tournament possible here."

"I saw Michael's round and knew that probably no one can do that - so I definitely can't," European champion André Thieme (Plau a.S.) paid tribute to his colleague. "If I had been told beforehand that I would be second, I would have signed immediately," said Thieme, "I am very, very satisfied." In fact, the Pferdewirtschaftsmeister has known the eleven-year-old gray Mecklenburg gelding Candid by Cellestial for a bit longer, but only took him over this year. Kati Lekander, rider of Sonja Osterberg's horses in Karow, where Thieme's horses also have their home, trained the gray horse. Thieme: "Kati did a great job, I had Candid with me in the USA and he developed well there." Third place went to the Japanese rider Eiken Sato with Chadellano JRA by the Mecklenburg sire star Chacco-Blue, as it did exactly one year ago. "My goal is to qualify for Paris 2024 already this year," Sato admitted candidly. The Horse Festival Redefin was one of the European show venues that met the requirements for the qualification standard in both dressage and jumping.

‍TotalHope OLD inspires his fans‍

This gave the event at the State Stud Redefin a very international crowd of participants from a total of 26 nations, including India, Korea and Hong Kong. A Norwegian rider with an Oldenburg stallion took the most laurels in the dressage arena. After the Grand Prix, Isabel Freese and Total Hope OLD also won the Grand Prix Freestyle (Prize of Khui GmbH), scoring 78.77 percent. "It was really fun here," said the dressage rider, who has lived in Germany for many years and trained the smart Totilas son. "After all, we don't ride that many competitions, he's in stud and this was only our second international Grand Prix freestyle."
Fun was also had by visitors and spectators who enjoyed sunshine in the stands on Sunday and were treated to "beat and rhythm" as two freestyle competitions provided variety. The Intermediaire I Freestyle (presented by the Aachener Dressur Verein) was won by 33-year-old Lena Waldmann (Lienen) with Soliman (72.79 percent), in the Grand Prix Freestyle, besides Total Hope OLD and Isabel Freese, Finland's Champion rider Emma Kanerva and Greek Air took second place and Maria Pais do Amaral from Portugal with Hot Hit OLD were thrilling.

Reunion from May 3 - 5, 2024
The next Horse Festival Redefin is already planned. From May 3 - 5, 2024, riders from all over the world will again meet on the grounds of the State Stud Redefin. Organizer Francois Kasselmann was pleased about very good and exciting sport in the course as well as in the dressage arena. About 8000 visitors came to the grounds despite the rather unfriendly weather on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, the longed-for sun finally came out. Kasselmann: "We already have a few ideas on how we can attract other potential visitors here in the future, we'll be working on that in the coming months." The tournament director was satisfied with the friendly mood and atmosphere on three tournament days.

‍Results overviewHorse Festival Redefin

The results at a glance
9CSI3* - Int. WRL jumping test with jump-off (1.55m), Grand Prix of the DKB
1. Michael Kölz (Leisnig ) on Cellato *0.00 / 39.65
2. Andre Thieme (Plau am See ) on Candid 14 *0.00 / 41.56
3. Eiken Sato (JPN) on Chadellano JRA *0.00 / 42.76
4. Sven Gero Hünicke (Fehmarn ) on Devito 27 *0.00 / 43.48
5. Christin Wascher (Redefin ) on Quincy 200 *0.00 / 46.53
6. Felix Haßmann (Lienen ) on GSI Pit Perigueux *4.00 / 40.85

25 St. Georg Special*
1. Boaventura Francisco Freire (Salzhausen/ POR) on Dante Alighieri OLD 937.50
2. Juliane Brunkhorst (Harsefeld ) on Diamante Negro 887.50
3. Lena Waldmann (Lienen ) on Charming Sezana 875.50
4. Antonia Christine Palma E Santos (Seestermühe/ NOR) on Picasso 868 861.00
4. Katharina Pickel (Wedemark ) on Victoria 120 861.00
6. Nils Lohse Dr. (Lübeck ) on DeBakey 851.00
6. Ronald Lüders (Gutow ) on Feengold 10 851.00

6 CSI3* - Int. WRL two-phase jumping competition (1.45m)
1. Tim Rieskamp-Goedeking (Steinhagen ) on Pepina G *0.00 / 29.31
2. Mynou Diederichsmeier (Ahausen ) on Choccoloca *0.00 / 32.07
3. Tobias Meyer (Löningen ) on Coupe Gold *0.00 / 32.76
4. Stephi de Boer (Dötlingen ) on Querida *0.00 / 33.03
5. Karin Martinsen (Winkelsett/ SWE) on PB Coretta Z *0.00 / 33.13
6. Kathrin Müller (Wickede ) on Beauty Queen Z *0.00 / 34.11

12 CSIYH1* - Int. two-phase jumping competition (1.40/1.45m)
1. Maren Hoffmann (Murr ) on Feine 39 *0.00 / 30.73
2. Patrick Bölle (Großenkneten ) on Ziroccocorte OLD *0.00 / 31.84
2. Tobias Meyer (Löningen ) on So Charme *0.00 / 31.84
4. Maximilian Gräfe (Zörbig ) on Karat du Plessis *0.00 / 31.90
5. Benjamin Wulschner (Dahlen ) on Ilisabeth *0.00 / 32.25
6. Nano Healy (IRL) on Fearless *0.00 / 32.60

16 CDI3* - FEI Grand Prix Freestyle
1. Isabel Freese (NOR) on Total Hope OLD 393.88
2. Emma Kanerva (Stade/FIN) on Greek Air 386.95
3. Maria Pais do Amaral (POR) on Hot Hit OLD 369.03
4. Antonia von Dungern (Betzendorf ) on DSP Queen Rubin 357.48
5. Mathilde Merethe Klaesson (NOR) on Sandbaeks Rio EL 354.43
6. Young Shik Hwang (Münster/KOR) on Delmonte 7 353.15

19 CDI1* - FEI Intermediaire I Freestyle
1. Lena Waldmann (Lienen ) on Solimann 2 218.38
2. Madeleine Plinke (Binnen ) on Suri B 218.08
3. Manja Femfert (Greifswald ) on Bärenfang 212.95
4. Anna-Christina Abbelen (Bonn ) on Quantanamera 212.78
5. Lars Ligus (Hagen ) on Baron Bollwerk 208.98
6. Sudipti Hajela (IND) on Chinski 208.85

27 Dressage class S***
1. Emma Kanerva (Stade/ FIN) on Feldrose FRH 1169.50
2. Senta Kirchhoff (Menden ) on L'Arbuste OLD 1100.00
3. Ants Bredemeier (Grönwohld) on Download 2 1045.00
4. Jemma Heran (AUS) on Total Recall 1044.00
5. Christian Flamm (Schönwalde-Glien ) on Quat-Royal 1043.00
6. Juliane Brunkhorst (Harsefeld ) on Fürst Enno 1042.00