Greta Heemsoth Out of the Frying Pan Into the Fire, Double Injury

Dressage

Germany

German professional dressage rider has been facing some tough luck lately and went out of the frying pan and into the fire.

An assistant rider at Pape stallion station in Hemmoor, the 29-year old Heemsoth was only just back in the saddle after a shoulder injury or she fractured another bone.

"Since the beginning of January I was allowed to ride again for a short time after my three-month break due to shoulder surgery," she explained. "That actually really went well again and I was soooo happy about it. Now I've broken my ankle. I don't know what to say. On one leg, a crutch in each hand & with a cracked shoulder still."

Greta told Eurodressage she tripped and fell over a little step.

Greta Heemsoth

A niece of breeder Gabriele Heemsoth, Greta has been committed to a life with horses and dressage.

She initially competed a lot of ponies on the German show scene, including Nemax and her mom's home bred Nasdaq. The latter sold to become the 2020 European Pony Champion.

Greta has focused exclusively on national dressage competition and raked in quite a few titles and medals in the young horse classes. She became Bundeschampion with Sommernacht in 2020 and with Boa Vista in 2021. She silver with Despacito in 2018, silver with Boa Vista in 2022, and bronze and silver with Macchiato in 2020 and 2022.

Trio to the Rescue

Due to Heemsoth's injury and the absence of Susan Pape (in Wellington), as well as two more riders unavailable, Ingo Pape had to call up some extra riders last minute in order for his stallions to be presented at the stallion show in Verden.

Kira Ripphoff, Lena Berwe, and Jessica Lynn Thomas came to the rescue.