Victoria Schönhofen Goes Pro, Adds PSI Auction Horse Vie L'Amour to Collection

Dressage

Luxembourg

German young rider Victoria Marie Schönhofen has decided to go pro and dedicate her life to horses. In order to build a good foundation for her professional future, her family has added the 2020 PSI auction horse Vie L'Amour to their already expansive collection of horses.

Schönhofen began her national dressage competition career in 2014 aboard Leeroy (by Landjonker x Aldato) and gained L-level mileage in 2015 with Davidoff (by Don Gregory x Rubinstein) under the tutelage of her long-time trainer Fie Skarsoe.

Meeting Fie

In 2014 the Luxembourg based Victoria connected with trainer Skarsoe and a fruitful partnership was established.

"With Fie's help I went from A level to winning M level in one year," said Schönhofen. "Since this we are training together and meanwhile I have 7 horses in Leudelange with her in training. To me she is more than a trainer and it‘s so much fun to work with her every day."

Between 2016 and 2018, Victoria and Fie shared the competition ride on Schönhofen's Rhinelander bred Simple Choice (by Sir Donnerhall x Fidermark). Fie rode him at small tour level at CDI's in Paris, Mechelen, Mariakalnok and Ebreichsdorf, while at the same time Victoria soared to M and S-level at national shows in that period.

The new student-trainer duo gained traction and Schönhofen began to thrive in dressage sport. With Simple Choice Schönhofen made her international show debut at Young Riders level at the 2018 CDI Leudelange. In 2019 she campaigned at the CDI's in Wiener-Neustadt, Exloo and Leudelange. She also took on the ride on Fie's former 2015 European Championship ride One Night Stand (by Olivi) as a Young Rider schoolmaster.

In 2019 Victoria took on the ride on the Dutch warmblood gelding One Night Stand (by Olivi x Ferro), which Fie had ridden at the 2015 European Championships in Aachen. Victoria and One Night Stand competed at the CDi's in Exloo and Leudelange at Young Riders level. Last summer, One Night Stand was officially retired from sport at the 2020 Luxembourg Dressage Championships.

Expanding String

Victoria on Simple Choice, Coach Fie in the background

The Schönhofen family saw their daughter take joy in dressage sport and began to invest in horse stock.

In January 2017 they bought the Hanoverian mare So Dark (by San Remo x Rotspon) as a Grand Prix horse for Fie to develop. In 2019 Fie rode So Dark at the European Dressage Championships in Rotterdam. They also won bronze at the 2019 Luxembourg Dressage Championships.

The family further acquired Tiffanys Diamond, a Danish warmblood by Temptation x His Highness, which Fie competed at the 2019 World Young Horse Championships and finished 11th with in the consolation finals for 7-year olds.

For Victoria, the small tour horse Zack Zack (by Zack x Donnerhall) was added to the collection in February 2020. The 13-year old Oldenburg gelding is bred by the late Inge Bastian, the same breeder of Isabell Werth's Weihegold, and was sourced at Gunnarlunde in Sweden.

Stepping Up to Grand Prix

In 2020 Victoria reached the long coveted milestone of riding at Grand Prix level. She piloted Shy Boy into her first Intermediaire II test in Vreschen-Bokel in July. In October they rode the Under 25 tests (Inter 2, Short Grand Prix) at the CDN Ankum.

This year Victoria wants to gain more mileage and experience across the levels.

"I will compete my small tour horse Simple Choice, which I have owned for 5 years, and I want to continue in the Under 25 with Zack Zack as a Grand Prix hopeful for me," Victoria told Eurodressage. "I have another one for Under 25 and that’s Shy Boy."

Vie L'Amour

The 22-year old Victoria decided not to pursue an academic career and go to university, but instead wants to devote her life to horses as a professional rider.

"I‘m not studying," she said. "I decided to concentrate on riding now, because it‘s much to do with so many horses on this level."

A new comer to the barn Victoria is particularly excited about is Vie L'Amour, a 5-year old Oldenburg stallion by Vivaldi x Lord Sinclair. He was acquired in the 2020 PSI Auction in Ankum.

"I want to work with him and educate him so we can hopefully go to the Bundeschampionate this year and maybe the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses," Victoria added.

Schönhofen and Skarsoe collaborate in close connection, a union she is thrilled about.

"I am very happy and thankful to have Fie as a trainer and friend because it‘s so much fun to work and grow with her and she is educating and competing my horses so well," she said. "Fie will continue showing my other horses So Dark, Tiffany’s Diamond, and Shy Boy as well."