America's most praised dressage pair at the 2000 Olympic Games was Christine Traurig with Etienne. The bay gelding who has been for sale for a year since the Games, has been purchased by Traurig's new sponsors Dan and Kelly Trierweiler of Rockford Michigan.
The Trierweilers already bought the Westfalian stallion Cordino for Traurig and are sponsoring the training of the horse at Johan Hinnemann's stable in Voerde, Germany. Etienne will now join Traurig and Cordino in Voerde. The bay stood for sale at the barn of Margit Otto Crepin.
As Traurig and Etienne were considered a dream pair, the Trierweilers decided to buy Etienne after all. "We are ecstatic about bringing Etienne back to the United States for Christine. There’s no question he’s the horse of the present for her and Cordino is the horse of the future," Dan Trierweiler explained. "Etienne’s future is secure." said Kelly Trierweiler. "Dan and I have committed to being his final owners regardless of his competition status. He will be in Christine’s care until he retires and then he’ll come to our farm in Michigan. Dan and I are looking forward to spoiling him rotten."
The Westfalian gelding Etienne (by Ehrentusch) used to be in ownership of the Haas family who offered the gelding (together with a full package sponsorship) to Traurig as a thank-you gift. Traurig's assisted their show jumping daughter Elisa Haas in dressage for several years. From 1997 on, it was agreed between Traurig and the Haas family that Etienne was to be sold after the Olympics Games. Thanks to the Trierweilers, Christine Traurig and Etienne are reunited and maybe they cane already claim an American team position for the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Spain.
Related Link:
Olympic Partners Reunited - Official Press Release sent out by the Trierweilers
Image copyrighted: Mary Phelps/Phelps Photo®