The season brought some dramatic cuts for the hammer show jumper Zoe Osterhoff. Nevertheless, the year 2021 will also see some positive aspects.
The year 2021 brought some dramatic cuts for the hammer show jumper Zoe Osterhoff: separation of trainer and business partner Alexander Bontemps, move to the Netherlands in the stable of team world champion Jur Vrieling, futile fears for her top horse after a severe colic, a protracted injury her number two and – related to it – many sporting setbacks. Nevertheless, the 22-year-old, one of the world’s best in the U25 area, is also getting good things from this time. “I gained a lot of experience and was able to get to know a lot of interesting and important people,” she says.
Paderborn instead of Paris or St. Tropez
Osterhoff wants to start again next year. This time, however, not in the glamorous world of the Global Champions League with stations in Abu Dhabi, St. Tropez, Paris, London or Hamburg, but a league lower. “You need very good horses for the Global League. I have them now too, but they’re still too young for that, ”she says. “I’d rather take a step back, concentrate on the youngsters and would like to attack again at the end of 2022. I’m sure that it will be worth it. ”Paderborn, Pforzheim or Peelbergen are now the names of the stations in the course of the rebuilding.
Death of the top horse
The Oldenburg mare Chacenny, her top horse, died of colic at the age of 14 in the summer. And Elovely, her second sports colleague for the competitions at the highest five-star level, injured himself very unhappily at the tournament in St. Tropez relatively early in the season. Just fit again, the soon-to-be-13-year-old gelding is now facing an operation because of an ingrown tooth – is taking another eight week break. “But better now in winter, then I’ll have him fit again for the outdoor season,” says the rider.
Emotionally, the death of Chacenny was very difficult for Osterhoff to cope with, also in terms of sport. In the world rankings it went down to position 655. Trend: just rising again. A new horse on the same level – priceless. “The prices that are called up at the auctions are no longer related to anything,” she says. This left her with only two four-legged friends for the top-level tournaments, who “were actually my number four or five in the stable, but who then made great progress in times of need”.
Fifth place in the Grand Prix
As there are: Ferrari VDL, 11 years old and from Dutch breeding, as well as It’s A Miracle, an 8 year old gray mare (Dakar x Heartbreaker). Ferrari, who first succeeded at the 1.50 meter level in St. Tropez at the end of May, caused a sensation, points for the world rankings and prizes. “The horse is so cool. And I’m glad that Paul Schockemöhle, as the co-owner, kept my back free in this situation and let me do it. ”And It’s A Miracle, also with a royal Dutch brand, actually turned out to be a small miracle and made the leap out of the youngster class without a hitch. Tour in great sport.
Last Sunday, Osterhoff took fifth place with her in the international Grand Prix in Peelbergen, the Netherlands (CSI2 *). With Hawaii-S, 9-year-old by Inshallah de Muse, she also took fourth place in a very well-manned 1.45-meter event, and she gave the 8-year-old French Djinn de Riverland and the 7-year-old Jamie there Tournament experience. She is particularly convinced by the Dutch youngster, bred by Bubalu VDL (2012 Olympic runner-up and 2015 World Championship gold horse under Jur Vrieling): “Jamie is very careful, I have to build him up carefully and he therefore needs a little more time. But he is my great hope for the future. “
Ferrari has a well-deserved break
While Ferrari is currently on a break (“He had to go to the Schüppe so often this year, he really deserved it”), the rider is looking for opportunities to find the three other four-legged friends – all of them owned by her own – as well as suitable for further young hopes Find tournaments. But events are again few and far between in the second Corona winter. “Actually, I wanted to ride internationally at the weekend in Frankfurt,” she says. But the tournament in the Festhalle was also canceled, as was the K + K Cup in Münster, planned for January, on Monday, the hall tournament par excellence in the Westphalian winter. “These are traditional events that live from the audience – and you don’t have to do that without them,” says Osterhoff, understanding the decision of the organizers.
Happy to change
So it will primarily be smaller tournaments near their new adopted home Holwierde near Groningen to bridge the indoor season. She and her horses were drawn there in the spring after running a training and trading stable with Alexander Bontemps in Bissendorf near Osnabrück for three years as a young entrepreneur. “I’m super happy that I made the move to Holland. I was able to learn so much from Jur (Vrieling) and I am still trying to learn as much as possible from him and take it with me, ”says Osterhoff. She wants to implement this when working with her young athletes. Success, she is certain, will come. “And,” she says, “it will be a lot of fun to see how the boys develop under their own saddle.”
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