An interview from Stall Beerbaum:
'Princess' Gotha FRH (Goldfever x Prestige Pilot)
By Karim Mekawi
Fact : The idea of interviewing horses first struck me a year ago, a few months after the Gucci Masters in Paris! A friend told me about his idea of "Carlina's Diary" (Pius Schwizer's former ride) and how interesting it would be. I liked how it sounded and thought it was a new concept to get to know some information from the horses' perspective. It would definitely add a new, and exciting edge to interviews I thought.
A few months later, I contacted Joanne Sloan Allen from Ireland, and told her about it, so we decided to send an email with the idea to one of the biggest names in the sport but unfortunately, I was too late.
Now however, my plans are finally put into words and I'm privileged to start with my personal favourite, who was actually very famous already as a youngster under Henrik Von Eckermann, then the great Ludger Beerbaum took her over to do some fantastic results with her. The pair won the World Cup Qualifier in Stuttgart when she was 8 years old and second place with the team at the Nations Cup in Aachen!!
But that was just the beginning for this special Hanoverian-bred mare by the great Goldfever. The coming years, Ludger's shooting star became even bigger and they virtually dominated the Nations Cup year after year with the German team, taking the win in Falsterbo in 2011, runners up in Aachen, the final in Rotterdam, the World Cup in Stuttgart one more time, both the Nations Cup & The Grand Prix in Rome the year after, Rotterdam again, second in the Global Tour in Valencia ... Trust me when I say - its a long list for Stall Beerbaum to brag about.
At home admiring my empire
Ludger's protégé Henrik Von Eckermann is now back behind the wheel of this German engine passed on by Ludger himself to do the Grand Prixs and already have a World Cup show win from Mechelen. So, we're excited for this new combination who are thirsty for a win at the finals in Gothenburg up ahead. Enough talking, now its Princess Gotha's time ....
Hello, servants ! Food is late ...
Karim: Gotha, tell us about your groom Katta
Gotha: Katta is my favourite person. She has been my groom for over 2 years and because I like her so much she still rides me when Henrik is not there and every evening she still comes by with our old routine; the evening apple. Another thing that we do a lot is that she sits in my box and pets my head. I find it very relaxing. My routines are important to me and she knows it.
Karim: What about your other groom Nanna who works for Henrik?
Gotha: Nanna travels with me to the shows and she keeps me entertained; I enjoy watching her clueless face when she is trying to figure out what I want. Usually I just hold my poker-face and keep her guessing !! The most important point she has already learned though; everything is done my way, period.
Karim: Tell us about your character and how special you are
Gotha: I don't know where you got the "Princess" Gotha from, because I like to think that I'm more like a Queen. I mean a Princess might still be someone immature and wild, where as I am a grown woman, with a mind of my own. I know what I want and I know how to get it !! So, definitely a Queen rather than just a Princess.
Karim: What is your daily routine?
Gotha: I have a team of people looking after me - yes a whole team. Katta, Heidi and Marie start at 6 and they feed me (this makes them my favourite people), clean my box and bring me to the walker. Later during the day Nanna and Alex pick me up and make me ready for Henrik to ride. I like spending time with Henrik and I usually need a moment with him before the bridle goes on and we head to work. I take my work very seriously and do not like to be interrupted at all.
After work I have a little nap in my box before one of my "servants" come to brush me before it's time for the best moment of the day; dinner.
Karim: Which horse friend do you like working and going for hacks with?
Gotha: I don't like other horses. I like my own company and I need my own space. The only one who I tolerate is my neighbour Chiara [Ludger's mare]. She's alright .... From a distance.
Having a moment with Henrik
Karim: What makes you uncomfortable? What is your reaction when you are?
Gotha: Other horses... And noise !! And if I don't get what I want, that upsets me too. I always have two options, depending on how bad the situation is; full stop or full speed ahead.
Karim: Now that you are being ridden by Henrik, do you follow the same riding methods as Ludger? Or is there some change?
Gotha: The biggest change there is, is that when Ludger was riding me, he was MY boss. Now I am the boss of Henrik, before we go into the ring I'm just like "OK, time to buckle up, passenger!"
Karim: What do you think of Ludger Beerbaum?
Gotha: He is THE boss ! He is excellent at making sure that my team of people do their best for my well being.
Karim: How similar/ different are you to your great father Goldfever?
Gotha: I like to think that I am one of kind, but people who knew my father say that I have inherited his strong mind.
Karim: What is your favourite kind of bit ?
Gotha: A simple straight one.
Here I am having my beauty nap in Hong Kong
Karim: You are a pretty girl ! Do you have to watch your figure? Do you follow a particular diet plan to look so good?
Gotha: I like food...Very much. I wish I could watch my figure, but there are not enough mirrors around here !
Karim: What is your advice to riders who ride temperamental, tricky horses?
Gotha: It is good to remember that there are many ways to cross the finish line and sometimes it takes a lot of compromises to get there.
Karim: Who is your biggest competitor?
Gotha: I don't really pay any attention to what others do. I like to do my own thing.
Karim: How often does your vet see you? Tell us about him/ her, and also about your farrier.
Gotha: The ones that feed me are on the top of my list and since vets and farriers don't do that, I like to keep seeing them in the minimum. But as you can judge from my looks, they must be doing a good job !
(Thanks to Nanna Nieminen, Katta Esping, Henrik Von Eckermann - and of course Gotha - for answering our interview)
Photos and article ©esmtoday - please vist the website below for more.
|
