Where Are They Now? Ellis

Focus

F.O.C.U.S.

Ellis, a triple Bundeschampionate finalist and stallion performance test winner, was at one point considered one of Germany's most promising young dressage stallions. After the Bundeschampionate in September 2022 he disappeared from public eye.

Where is he now?

From the Droege Breeding Programme

Ellis is a 9-year old Westfalian stallion by Escolar out of Delice (by Dimaggio x Florestan x Pinocchio).

He is bred by Walter Droege and is a full brother to European Junior/Young Riders champion Espe, Florine Kienbaum's small tour horse Esquire, and a half brother to Bianca Nowag's Stevie Wonder (by Secret).

He was first licensed at the 2018 Westfalian Stallion Licensing in Munster-Handorf and approved for Oldenurg and Hanover in 2020. Baden Wurttemberg followed in 2021.

Performance Test Winner

He was the high scorer of the Adelheidsdorf 14-day suitability test with 9,09 for dressage and 7,73 for show jumping and four months later he won the sport test in Munster-Handorf with 9,12 points.

Another five months later he bested the second sport test in Munster-Handorf with 9,04 points.

As a breeding stallion he has sired one licensed son so far, Daniela Werheit-Wagemeyer's 2022 born Endgame (by Ellis x Diamond x San Amour). He was licensed at the DSP Licensing in January 2025 and sold for 76,000 € to Damil Dressage.

Show Career

Ellis' sport career began in 2019 under Claudia Rüscher, but the stallion moved to Johann Hinnemann's Krusterhof to be in the full care and management of Stefanie Wolf.

Stefanie Wolf premiered him in Fröndenberg in the riding horse tests and rode him to the title of 2020 Westfalian Young Horse Champion in Munster in August 2020. At the 2020 Bundeschampionate he was 7th in the 4-year old stallion qualifier.

Droege sold Ellis to German paralympian Isabell Nowak of equestrian center Sonnenrbrink in the summer of 2020.

The stallion remained with Wolf, who competed him at the 2021 Bundeschampionate, where they placed 6th in the 5-year old finals. They were also second reserve for the German team for the 2021 World Young Horse Championships.

Ellis, Stefanie Wolf, breeder Droege and Tina
Hinnemann at the 2020 Westfalian Young Horse Championships

In 2022 he was long-listed for German team selection for the World Young Horse Championships but in the late spring of 2022 Wolf fractured her leg and Ellis moved to Helen Langehanenberg's stable where her assistant rider Manual Dominguez Bernal got the ride. He piloted the stallion to a 7th place at the 2022 Bundeschampionate after placing second in the consolation final.

Dominguez' ride at the Bundeschampionate was the last time Ellis competed.

Where Is He Now?

"At the end of September 2022, Ellis injured his hindquarters in Helen Langehanenberg's stable. We still don't know what happened," owners Isabell and Torsten Nowak told Eurodressage. "This was followed by several rehabilitation measures, including at the Berns Performance Center."

Nowak continued, "Ellis NRW is insured as unfit for breeding through Anja Berns/Berns Insurance (reinsurers AXA and ALLIANZ Insurance). When he was walking a little better, we decided together with Berns Insurance to put him back into stud service. But after only a short time, he was walking worse again due to jumping onto the phantom. We had to stop breeding him again. This was followed by an 8-month stay in a veterinary clinic for Ellis. The doctors at the veterinary clinic came to the conclusion that Ellis was no longer suitable for breeding. Berns Insurance disputes this and we had to seek legal counsel."

Insurance Battle

The Nowak's have been involved in a long legal battle with the insurance company.

"The court appointed the first expert, who announced after three months that it was not within his area of expertise," Nowak explained. "In January 2025, the next expert was appointed, who has five months to complete his report. Today, he announced that he needs to consult a second expert, but that this expert will not be available to complete the report until November 2025."

The Nowak's are taking full care of their stallion at their yard Sonnenbrink but are distraught over the lack of urgency in reaching a resolution through the legal system which they believe would benefit Ellis' well-being.

"We have been waiting for two years and nine months for a decision that he can be castrated and enjoy his life as a gelding," said Isabell and Torsten. "However, neither the insurance companies nor the authorities care about the horse."