Where Are They Now? Furst Khevenhuller

Sat, 06/11/2016 - 10:58
Eurodressage F.O.C.U.S.

The Rhinelander bred Furst Khevenhuller was one of the top winning young dressage horses and rising Grand Prix talents that Helen Langehanenberg rode in the late 2000s. After winning the 2007 Bundeschampionate and earning silver at the 2008 Bundeschampionate, the horse was plagued by colic. He made his return to the show ring in 2011 and moved up to Grand Prix by 2012, but disappeared from the international show scene at the end of that year. Where is he now?

Fürst Khevenhüller

Bred by Wolfgang and Beate von Ameln, Fürst Khevenhüller is born in 2002 and branded Rhinelander. He is by Florestan out of Ravena (by Rohdiamant x Castro x Argentinus).

In 2004 he was accepted at the Westfalian Stallion Licensing in Munster-Handorf but did not produce any offspring registered with the German Equestrian Federation.

Furst Khevenhuller began his sport career in August 2005 in the riding horse classes under Henrike Sommer. She showed him up to A-level until September 2006 after which Helen Langehanenberg took over as the horse had sold to Sissy Max-Theurer from Austria. 

Helen and Furst Khevenhuller had a stellar career in the young horse classes, winning numerous regional shows at L-level in 2007 and claiming the Bundeschampionate title in Warendorf in the 5-year old division. Their success continued in 2008 when the horse was six. They got the silver medal at the 2008 Bunderschampionate.

In 2009 he made the transition to small tour level with numerous national starts but after september 2009 he stopped being competed until his return to the arena in May 2011 at the CDI Lingen. The bay gelding survived no less than three colic surgeries. His dedicated owner did everything to bring the horse back to full health and spared no cost in saving him through medical means and finding a solution for his recurrent intestinal problems. The horse was put on an "roughage" diet, which worked best for his constition and brought him back to show shape. "He only gets hay and carrots and it works perfectly for him," Sissy Max-Theurer said in 2011.

In 2011 they competed in the small tour at the CDI Aachen and in August he made the transition to Grand Prix level in Munster. At the CDI Odense in October 2011 he was third in the Grand Prix, but two months later he dropped back to small tour level to contest the 2011 Nurnberger Burgpokal Finals in Frankfurt for Developing Prix St Georges horses. He landed fourth place in the Finals.  Helen and Furst Khevenhuller continued to progress at Grand Prix level in 2012 with victories at the CDN Redefin. They also won the 2012 Louisdor Cup qualifier in Balve held during the German Dressage Championships and further started at the CDI Lingen, CDI Donaueschingen, and CDI Odense.

The pair did their last show in March 2013. They contested the Intermediaire II class at the regional show in Herford and placed second.

Where Is He Now?

The now 14-year old Furst Khevenhuller sold to Dr. Eva Eva Wegrostek in Austria in 2013. Wegrostek is a renowned cosmetic doctor with a beauty centre in Vienna, Austria. She is an amateur dressage rider and trains out of equestrian centre Gutenhof in Himberg, Austria.

In 2014 Wegrostek and Furst Khevenhuller scored the bronze medal at S-level at the 2014 Lower Austria's Regional Championships held in Kreutal, Austria.

Photos © Barbara Schnell - Astrid Appels

Related Links
Eurodressage Photo Database: Furst Khevenhuller
Scores: 2012 German Dressage Championships
What's Happening: September 2011
Photo Report: Snap Shots from the 2011 CDI Lingen
Hot to Trot on Day One at the 2009 CDIO Aachen
Waioni, Surprise Bundeschampion in the 6-year old Dressage Horse Division
Furst Khevenhuller in the Lead in the 6-year old Division at the 2008 Bundeschampionate
Diamonit, Well Done and Furst Khevenhuller Win Haftenkamp BuCha Qualifier
Fürst Khevenhüller and Samira Win 2007 Bundeschampionate
Fidertanz, 2004 Westfalian Licensing Champion