One of the most important competition horses in dressage history has passed away. 32-year-old Amon, owned and ridden by Annemarie Sanders-Keyzer, died. With his departure he closed off the memory of dressage in the 80s.
Amon, a Westfalian gelding by Angelo xx out of Dodona (s. Donar), was a full brother to Dr Reiner Klimke's golden horse Ahlerich. Bred by Herbert de Baey from Lemgo, Germany, Amon was purchased by Sanders-Keyzer at the 21st Westfalian auction in 1972 for 29,000 Deutsch Mark. As a 4-year-old he moved to The Netherlands, where he became a dominant dressage horse.
The pair rode to the European Junior Riders Championship title and was bronze medallist at the European Young Riders Championships. They were six times Dutch Dressage Champion and three times did they conquer in the national equitation class. At the Olympic Games of Los Angeles, the combination was fourth with itsteam and 8th individually. Amon ended his career after the Games of Seoul in 1988 at age 20.