Youth Equestrian Games at CHIO Aachen- Triumphant in Aachen/Goch with horses organised by Holger Hetzel

Holger Hetzel and his team accepted a challenge with an unknown outcome in the run up to CHIO Aachen. The CHIO organisers were looking for 38 horses for young riders from all over the world aged between 15 and 18 who would be taking part in the Youth Equestrian Games at CHIO Aachen. All of the horses had to be capable of jumping 1.30m courses at the Aachen-Soers showground.

“It wasn’t an easy task because we had no idea who the competitors were and didn’t know their strengths and weaknesses. Also, it’s one thing to ride a horse you don’t know at a regular show and something entirely different to have an unfamiliar ride at a show like CHIO Aachen,” said Hetzel. The internationally successful show jumper and trainer solved the problem by drawing on his many years of experience as a young rider coach and his expansive network of riders and owners. “After a comprehensive pre-selection process the entire team spent twelve days in Aachen helping the young riders to get used to the horses they had been allocated. It was amazing to see how well they all got on with their new rides. The young riders, their parents, the trainers and the owners were all completely happy. I’d like to say a big thank-you to the owners for loaning us their fantastic horses for this project. Without the horses and owners it would never have been possible,” said a delighted Holger Hetzel after the Youth Equestrian Games at the CHIO. In just a few days’ time the next major young rider projects will be launched at the Hetzel Equestrian Centre in Goch.

Thomas Hartwig