The notorious dressage trainer and rider Klaus Balkenhol turned 60 on 6th December 1999. Pillar of the German Dressage Team from 1991 to 1996, Klaus Balkenhol was a key stone in the German team with his Westphalian gelding Goldstern.
In his career as team member Balkenhol won two team gold and one individual bronze medal at the Olympic Games of 1992 and 1996.
Furthermore Balkenhol, currently the German Senior Dressage Team Chef d'Equipe, received team gold on the European Championships of 1991, 1993 and 1995. In 1994 Goldstern produced a silver medal freestyle for his steady trainer and rider at the World Equestrian Games in The Hague. His castanets based music was revolutionary at that time and should gave given him the ticket to gold that day.
Born in 1939, young Balkenhol quickly fell in love with horses, a passion which influenced his later career. Serving as a police man "in saddle" in the city of Dusseldorf, Germany, Klaus was mentored by dressage trainers Baron von Beverfoerde, Otto Hartwich and
Willi Schultheis.
His great break-through in sport came in the 70s by riding Rabauke, a police horse which he broke and trained himself. More than ten years later, the Westphalian Weinberg gelding Goldstern secured his virtual honorary plate in the Hall of Fame. Besides police horses, Balkenhol trained and showed many talents, for instance Silvester, Rhodoma, Ehrengold, Laudatio and Garcon.
German Team Member Nadine Cappelmann took over the reins of Gracioso, a Westphalian gelding who Balkenhol trained up to Grand Prix level. Besides Cappelmann, Balkenhol is currently instructing Ulla Salzgeber and Nicole Uphoff.
Photo © Arnd Bronkhorst