German Grand Prix rider Uta Gräf has taken over the ride on Hubertus Schmidt's Grand Prix horse Stern. The rising Grand Prix horse is owned by the Indian couple Jitu and Lina Virwani from Bangalore.
Stern is an 11-year old Westfalian gelding bred by Wilfried Brockschmidt. He is by Sir Donnerhall I out of Dena (by D'Accord x Sioux x Frühling).
Stern was started as a youngster by Fritz Fleischmann as a 4-year old in 2010. In 2012 Tessa Frank took over and in 2013 German horse dealer Silve Dietrich-Osten showed him once, before he sold and moved to Hubertus Schmidt's barn where Finnish Emma Kanerva took over the ride in 2014.
Hubertus Schmidt and Stern made their debut in the Intermediaire II in June 2016 and they competed at Grand Prix level in the CDI's in Darmstadt, Stuttgart and Salzburg, scoring each time in the sixties.
Stern arrived at Uta's yard in Kircheimbolanden, Germany, at the beginning of the year, just little before she also received the ride on the 6-year old stallion Feriado (by Fabregas x Riccione).
"He's a super nice boy. He has a fun character and is nice to ride," Gräf told Eurodressage. "We are looking forward to the future;"
Uta also indicated that Mannheim might be a potential show for their debut, but it all depends on how quickly the two connect.
Photo © Birte Ostwald
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