Frederic Wandres' Rebroff Died Unexpectedly in Wellington

Dressage

Germany

Only one day after winning the 3* Grand Prix for Kur in Wellington, Florida, the horse Rebroff tragically died in his stalls of the Global Dressage Festival show grounds on 30 January 2021.

According to the show organizer, "the horse was found to be in need of care in its stabling at 11:30 a.m. The FEI official veterinarian for GDF as well as the treating veterinarian were on-site immediately. The horse did not die in the course of competition."

While the cause of death is unknown, it is a suspected cardiac event. An FEI vet was there.

"The horse will be sent to the Kissimmee, FL, pathology laboratory for a necropsy per FEI regulations," said the GDF show organizer.

Belgian Bred

Rebroff was a 12-year old Rhinelander gelding by Robespierrot x Oula Owl xx x Carneval.

He was bred by Verena and Yves Gielen in Belgium and originally named Robes Robert.

He was first competed by the breeder Yves Gielen in Belgium in the 4-year old classes before being scouted and bought by Hof Kasselmann.

PSI Auction Horse

Hansen and Rebroff at the 2019 CDI Hagen

In 2015 Kasselmann sold Rebroff in the PSI Auction in Ankum to American Jamie White for an auction price of 350,000 euro.

White handed the ride to her life partner Markus Gribbe, who first competed Rebroff in Germany in 2016 at M and S-level, including the Nurnberger Burgpokal qualifier in Hagen in 2017.

In 2018 White sold Rebroff back to Hof Kasselmann

Louisdor Cup Third

Insa Hansen took over the ride on the dark bay gelding and successfully campaigned him in the Louisdor cup qualifiers, winning the one in Ankum.

In the 2019 Louisdor Cup Finals the pair finished third.

Insa competed the horse through 2020, with two CDI stars in Hagen and Oldenburg. Her last show was in October 2020

Wandres and Rebroff

Due to corona lockdowns in Europe, Hof Kasselmann decided to send its number one rider Frederic Wandres with a string of horses to Wellington, Florida, to be shown and sold. Rebroff was one of them.

The new duo won yesterday's Grand Prix for Kur 3* with 69.761%.

Rebroff became unwell today and died of an assumed cardiac arrest.

"Yesterday he was the winner ... today he is not anymore with us," a shocked Wandres wrote on Facebook. "Hopefully he reaches the other side of the rainbow well. We tried our very best to make his life as nice as possible since we have him. Lars (Ligus, his groom) and François (Kasselmann) were with him until the end."