Carmen Naesgaard's Career Making Horse, Ciowa, Passed Away

Dressage

Spain

Ciowa, Carmen Naesgaard's career making horse and one of Spain's most successful dressage horses, has passed away.

Ciowa left for greener pastures already two years ago, but the rider only announced it this week.

German Start

Ciowa was a 27-year old Hanoverian by Cheenook out of Wanja (by Wittelsbach x Galan x Duden II). He was bred by Ulf Brandt.

The horse was first competed in Germany as a 4-year old by Ulla Hansen in 200, while Jessica Pilz showed him in 2001. The next year it was Sandra Endres' turn.

As of the early summer of 2002 Uwe Schwanz began competing the stallion at L-level and took him up to M-level.

Spanish Youth Team Horse

The dark bay sold to Carmen Naesgaard and Rodriguez Passclas in Spain in 2003.

The pair was coached their entire career by Isidro Maldonado. They first premiered nationally at junior level and won silver at the 2003 Spanish Junior Championships. In 2004 they got selected to represent Spain at the European Junior Riders Championships in Vilhelmsborg, where she finished 20th in the consolation finals.

In 2005 the pair showed at the Sunshine Tour and CDI Barzago.

They moved to Young Riders level in 2006 with starts in Vejer, Saumur, and Kreuth and were back on the team for the European Young Riders Championships in Stadl Paura, where they were 24th in the individual test. Naesgaard and Ciowa won the 2006 Spanish Small Tour Championships.

In 2007 they won the Spanish Small Tour Championship again and achieved a career high point by placing 6th in the Kur Finals at the European Young Riders Championships in Nussloch.

In 2008 they won the Spanish Young Riders Championships and got their third, consecutive gold medal in the Spanish Small Tour Championship. At their fourth European Youth Championships, this time in Azeitao, they landed 10th place in the Kur.

(The Spanish small tour championships is called "criterium" championship)

Up to Grand Prix

The pair smoothly rolled on up to Grand Prix level and made their international Grand Prix debut at the Sunshine Tour in February 2009, scoring 63.000% in their first Grand Prix.

After the Sunshine Tour a two-year break from international showing followed, although they got silver at the 2010 Spanish Grand Prix Championship. The pair returned to the CDI arena in Vejer in March 2011. They went on to win silver at the 2011 Spanish Grand Prix Championships and were long-listed for the Spanish team for the European Championships in Rotterdam after starts in Nambroca, Verden, and Aachen. They didn't make the team but ended up riding in Rotterdam in the what was then a pilot-project "Under 25 tour", placing 8th in the short Grand Prix.

In the 2012 Olympic year the duo showed in Toledo, Saumur and Aachen, but at the latter team selection event the scores were not high enough and they were not selected for the London Olympics. They did, however, finish the year and their career on a high note by winning the 2012 Spanish Championships in October.

Their last show was in June 2013 at a CDN, where they won the Kur with 71.975%.

Retirement

Ciowa was retired from sport at Isidro Maldonado’s barn El Hinojal in Mijas, Spain.

Naesgaard continued her career on Grand Prix horse Ricardo with whom she won won the 2015 Spanish Dressage Championships and was in the running for Spanish team selection for the 2015 European Dressage Championships. Carmen, however, sold Ricardo to France and quit competition sport all together. She is the life partner of former Spanish team rider Alejandro Sanchez del Barco (Quincallo de Indalo). She still rides at home.

Ciowa passed away in 2023.

"My dear Cío, you have always been a fundamental and irreplaceable part of my life, both personally and professionally, fulfilling my wildest dreams and being a constant source of inspiration and motivation, filling my soul from a very young age," Carmen wrote. "I want to thank you once again for the wonderful 20 years where for me you were a refuge of eternal peace and freedom, you taught me humility, acceptance, respect and kindness, you made me work on responsibility, discipline and patience, leading me to a complete gratitude for life every time I saw you."