Beata Stremler Moves to Sudenhof, to Ride for Holga Finken

Dressage

Poland

Polish Grand Prix rider Beata Stremler has agreed to move her business to Sudenhof in Hagen, Germany, where she can collaborate with her trainer Holga Finken.

The 36-year old Stremler was previously based at Gut Auric and before that for seven years at Gestut Rinnen, until that yard closed its doors

The move is planned for the end of January 2021. Stremler will continue to operate her own, independent business from Sudenhof, but with a closer alliance to Finken's set-up

"I still will stay self-employed," she told Eurodressage. "I move to Sudenhof to Holga to be able to work a bit closer together, but I will still stay my own boss."

Polish Olympian

Stremler's first international championships was in 2004 at the European Young Riders Championships, where she rode Idealist, a Russian warmblood by Igrun.

Her first international Grand Prix horse was Martini, a Polish warmblood by Deryl x Madryt, which took her to the 2011 European Championships in Rotterdam and 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Her highest scores so far she achieved on Rubicon D (by Rubin Royal x Larome), which she campaigned for owner Manfred Loose from 2014 till 2016. They rode at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Caen and 2016 World Cup Finals. After a period of injury the horse was sold to Japan in 2018 as a WEG and Tokyo hopeful.

Soaking up Knowledge

Initially trained by Ton de Ridder for eight years, Beata most recently spent a year getting coaching from Klaus Balkenhol. However she is now being trained by Holga Finken.

"Now with moving to Sudenhof it is also very easy to train together with Holga. They (Balkenhol and Finken) are both unbelievable trainers," she said.

Holga Finken has been based at Sudenhof for the past decade, where he runs a training business with his wife, Austrian Saskia Lieben-Seuter. In the past, Finken had Norwegian Isabel Bache riding for him, but she moved to Paul Schockemöhle to become the number one rider of the stallion station in 2014. Furthermore, with the move of Helgstrand Germany to Gestut Famos a whole block of stables opened up at the facility.

Climbing Back Up

With no strong financial backing, Stremler has to work her way back up to Grand Prix.

"I am trying to come back" she said with optimism. "It's not the easiest not having won a lottery but I keep trying."

Stremler is now on the verge of returning back to the Grand Prix ring with the 10-year old Sentinel Equesta, a 10-year old Hanoverian by San Amour x Don Primero, owned by Sylwia Ruta. She also has a developing Prix St Georges horse, Stefan & Fiona Heister's FairPlay (by Feedback x Rubin Royal).

In addition, she had not one but two horses qualified for the cancelled 2020 World Young Horse Championships in Verden, the 5-year old For Magic and 6-year old Furstin Bea.