Anna-Christina Abbelen has parted ways with her 2014 European Junior Champion's horse Fürst on Tour. The Abbelen family decided to sell this successful sport horse to Hong Kong for Jacqueline Siu to ride.
The 12-year old Rhinelander gelding Fürst on Tour (by Furst Heinrich x Rubioso N) was owned by Jörg and Silke Abbelen and ridden by their daughter Anna-Christina for the past seven years.
Anna and Furst on Tour won several gold medals at European Junior/Young Riders Championchips U21 and won twice the German Junior Riders Championchips. In 2014 they won triple gold at the European Junior Riders Championships in Arezzo, Italy. Currently ranked first on the FEI World Young Riders Ranking, the pair was trained by Heiner Schiergen. After winning team gold at last year's European Young Riders Championshops in Oliva Nova, Spain, the family decided to look for a new owner.
"Fürst is my best friend, we walked all the way up to S-Level. He is a once in a life-time horse, of which I won't forget a single ride," said an emotional Anna Abbelen. "He gave me the opportunity to take part in five European Championships. We had now come to a point, where I had to focus on the next level, which is Grand Prix. I have two super talented horses in the stable, competing at this level already. Fürst is the perfect small tour horse; that is his show ground, where he performs best."
Abbelen wants to focus on her Grand Prix career and in combination with her college studies she has only time for two horses. It was best to allocate Furst On Tour to a newn ambitious small tour rider.
"To face the decision to sell was not an easy one, but with his new owner I am sure he can show all his potential and talent in small tour competitions," said Abbelen. "He always enjoyed the attention he got at all our championschips. Now it’s time to say that this special horse really deserves all the attention and special care, which I can not give him at Grand Prix level, but his new rider can at S-level. I know that his new rider will love him as much as I do, and I am sure that both will go their way and we will hear a lot from them."
Furst on Tour has been sold to the Hong Kong Jockey Club and can become Jacqueline Siu's ride for the Hong Kong team at forthcoming Championships.
Photos © Mirka Nilkens - Digishots
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