Ulla Salzgeber has retired her number one Grand Prix horse Herzruf's Erbe from competition sport. The 16-year old Rhinelander gelding will enjoy his retirement in the field in Hungary, where Rusty also spent his last years.
Bred by Heinz and Dagmar Stroetges in Wegberg, Germany, Herzruf's Erbe is by Herzruf out of Charisma (by Caletto I x Pilot x Aar).
Originally started in the riding horse tests as a 3-year old by Katja Camp, Frank Freund first showed him at A-level in June 2003 and took hum up to M-level. In July 2005 Ulla Salzgeber took over the ride and the pair made its national small tour debut in September 2006 and its national Grand Prix debut in April 2008.
Salzgeber and Herzruf's Erbe made their international Grand Prix debut at the CDI in Mariakalnok in Hungary in May 2008 and won the Grand Prix and Special. It was the beginning of a very successful Grand Prix career with several bumps in the road that were overcome.
In 2008 the horse received the Otto Lorke Prize for being Germany's best developing Grand Prix horse. In 2009 the horse sustained an injury at the CDIO Aachen and had to recover for a while. He returned in the winter season of 2010 and achieved a career highlight by finishing third at the 2011 World Cup Finals in Las Vegas.
In 2012 he sustained a new injury and was sent into the field in Hungary with Rusty for a one-year rehabilitation. In October 2013 Herzruf's Erbe returned to the show ring at the national show in Gut Aichet and went back to showing internationally in November 2013 at the CDI Stuttgart. Throughout 2014 he was showed at CDi's in Vidauban, was then pulled out for WEG team selection due to a hoof problem, but returned for the indoor circuit in Odense, Lyon and Frankfurt. In February 2015 he won the world cup qualifier in Neumunster, his last major achievement. At the 2015 German Dressage Championships he was scratched for the Kur to music.
Salzgeber has now announced Herzruf's Erbe's retirement with an official statement:
"After very long and thorough consideration I have mutually agreed with Herzi's team to give my top sport partner a well earned retirement," said Salzgeber. "When a horse is so close to your heart, you notice when the time is right."
Photo © Astrid Appels
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