Vesna Kralj gains experience in the stables of one of the best riders Ludger Beerbaum

Vesna is one of the numerous girls in Slovenia who competed both in dressage and show jumping. Four years ago she decided to try/prove herself as a professional rider. Since she wanted to learn from the best, she took the opportunity to work in the stables of the multiple Olympic and World Champion in show jumping Ludger Beerbaum. After a probation period she acquired the job which now gives her an opportunity to expand her knowledge every day. During her 11-hour working day she attends up to seven horses. The life of top-level competitors is not only endeavouring but above all committed to a common goal. In which disciplines and up to which category did you compete before going to Germany? As a junior I competed both in dressage and show jumping, but already at that time my first priority was show jumping. My first trainer/coach was Nea arc from our home village Radomlje, who put great emphasis on dressage. In 2000 she entrusted me with her horse Embassy and I could take part both in the European Dressage Championship for Juniors in Lipica and in the Slovene Dressage Championship which we won. During all this time I continued with the show jumping. My trainer in the following ten years was Sandi Smolnikar, who also advised me upon purchasing and selling of my first horse Amour and on buying my second mare Katy. With these two horses I competed up to 130 cm. When I left Slovenia I held an M licence in dressage and an S in show jumping. When did horses become your passion? As a child I often spent my summer vacation with my relatives who have a stable in Radomlje. It was there that I first sat on a pony. When I was 7 our family moved to France and we stayed there for four years. My parents allowed me to join the local pony club where I got the opportunity to ride a different pony every week. An excellent experience for my subsequent riding! Could you imagine ten years ago that equestrianism will be your job? Yes and no. Considering that I come from a family which in the past had never had any contact with horses, my professional pathway took a slightly different turn. When I finished grammar school I spent two months in my first working vacation in

Croatia gathering experience from a Croat show jumper Ante imlesa. My aim was to experience the life of a rider/trainer/horse dealer and to find out if this really was the life I wanted to pursue. My parents hoped it was just a phase in my life that would eventually die away, but I was more and more determined to follow my dreams. How did your path lead you to Germany? With only one horse and a limited finance I felt that my chances in Slovenia were restricted. I always had a feeling that I could do better than that and the only possibility to prove myself and to acquire more knowledge was through hard work. On several occasions I mentioned my wish to go abroad to Sandi Smolnikar. Together with Matja ik they recommended me to Joseph Weishaupt (the father of Philipp Weishaupt) in Bavaria. I got the job and could bring along my mare Katy. We stayed there for two years. This was a small family stable with about 40 horses. I could ride horses aged 3-16 years, took part in competitions every weekend, got experience with customers and experienced first-handedly the routine in this profession. How did you arrive to the renowned stables of Ludger Beerbaum? After two years I was ready for a change and although with a heavy heart Joseph recommended me to Ludger Beerbaum. Although I was at first not allowed to bring along my mare I decided to take this step since I believed that one should not miss such an opportunity. I sent the mare to Slovenia and started a two-month probation period in Riesenbeck. After this period and ten months later I was finally allowed to bring Katy back to Germany. These stables being world no. 1 as far as show jumping is concerned I am sure it is a wish of every rider to see for himself what the work at such high level is like. What is the official name of the stables and where can they be found? It is Ludger Beerbaum Stables in Riesenbeck close to Mnster (more info http://www.ludger-beerbaum.de/beerbaum/).

Who are the four main riders in these stables and what are their achievements? The main rider is Ludger Beerbaum with the following results: Team Gold medal at the Olympics 1988,

Individual gold medal at the Olympics 1992 Team Gold medal at the Olympics 1996 and 2000 Team Silver medal at the World Championship 1990, Team Gold medal at the World Championship 1994, Team Gold medal at the World Championship 1998 Team Bronze medal at the World Championship 2006 Team Gold, Individual Gold at the 1997 CH-EU, Team Gold at the 1999 CH-EU, Team Bronze and Individual Gold at the 2001 CH-EU, Team Gold and Individual Bronze at the 2003 CH-EU, Team Gold at the 2011 CH-EU, Team Silver at the 2012 CH-EU. Besides he won the World Cup Final in 1993, the German championships (nine times), the Championship of the Grand Prix in Aachen (three times), the Derby of Hamburg (twice). Marco Kutscher: Team and Individual Bronze medal at the Olympics 2004, Individual and Team Gold medal at the World Championship 2005, Philipp Weishaupt, whose horses are my responsibility. In 2002 he won the Silver medal at the EU Junior Championship, Bronze Medal in the 2006 European Championships-Young Riders, Gold Medal at Junior German Championship, Bronze Medal in the 2005 European Championships-Young Riders and Gold Medal in the 2006 European Championships. In the World Cup Final in 2012 he came fourth, won several Grand Prix. He was selected both for the German Team for the Olympic Games in London and for the CH-EU 2013 but had to miss out on the competitions because his horse Monte Bellini was not fit for the competitions. The fourth rider in our stable is Henrik von Eckermann, who has won some outstanding Grand Prix Champions 3*-5*: 2007 Niehem, Hagen, 2011 Paderborn, 2012 Mechelen, 2013 Hong Kong. What is your role in the stable and who is your trainer? Each of the four main riders has an assisting rider. I am in charge of Philipp Weishaupts horses, especially when he is away competing. A special programme is set for each horse (taking into account his age, physical condition, competition schedule, ) Together with Philipp and the groom we set a daily plan for each horse bearing in mind all these factors. In our part of the centre we keep 19 horses aged

between 4-15 years and it is my duty to see to it that all horses perform to their best. Once a week we work with a dressage trainer Mannfred Koetter, who helps us in case of problems with most challenging horses. Everything runs smoothly as in an old German military school. Gymnastics is a part of the daily routine and jumping a course is scheduled up to two times a week. When I need assistance with the jumping I can always turn to any of the four main riders, but it primarily involves exchanging opinion and offering advice. I can take part in tournaments for younger horses or compete with horses which have recovered after injuries (Con Chello) as well as with my mare Katy (in shows 140-145 cm). On the occasions when I can ride at the same shows as the main riders, I can count on their full support and analysis of my performance. Even Ludger Beerbaum comes to watch us compete when he is not riding himself, and always analyses all video recordings of our riding. What can you tell us about the character of the top riders? They probably resemble other top athletes they are focused on one thing only: to achieve top results. This is the goal of the entire yard. Nothing is left to coincidence, everything is directed into perfectionism and in realistic pursuit of the established goals. Because the work in the stable is performed in such a high level, riding at a tournament is only the final dot on the letter i. Nobody rests on his laurels! After a competition (e.g. upon return from Hong Kong (February 21 23)) the riders lose no time and start training for the next competition within few hours after their landing. Do you socialize privately? As we spend together as much as 11 hours every day, so we do not meet outside the stable. You have been in Germany for four years now. Do you intend to stay permanently? If you return to Slovenia what are your plans: do you see yourself as a trainer or a manager of an equestrian centre? Horses are a way of my life. The work I perform is an international language, understood all over the world. Consequently, I can perform it anywhere in the world. I have been very lucky my work led me to stables where work was always

performed properly to the credit of the horses. There are a lot of professions related to horses, top equitation being just one of them. But as long as I can I would like to keep going in this direction. When the time is right I would like to direct my work onto young horses and spread the knowledge that I have gathered to young horse addicts. For the time being I intend to stay in Germany until the desire to learn something new leads me to some new destination. What is the most important thing that you have learned while working in these famous stables? I can closely observe the life of top athletes. I have learned how to plan life and training of a horse, taking into account his age, physical fitness, eagerness to perform well, how to participate in the organization of the work and its distribution between team members (grooms, veterinarian, blacksmith) But most important: each day represents a challenge which must be conquered. Can you describe your working day? We are a team of five: two grooms, one of which accompanies Phillipp to a competition every weekend while the other stays in the stable, an assistant who is in charge of all work from box cleaning to riding, a rider me, and the main rider Phillipp. During vacation or when one of us is on leave (20 days per year), we are helped by volunteers from abroad (Young breeders from Slovenia). Our work programme depends on the visit of the veterinarian (3-times a week) and the blacksmith (2-times a week). At six in the morning the horses are fed, accompanied to the walker, boxes are cleaned. At 6.30 I ride the first horse and have breakfast an hour later. From 8 a.m. till 12.30 I ride four more horses. Lunch is between 12.30 and 2 p.m. In the afternoon I ride three more horses, brush them and clean the boxes. The feeding takes place at 6 p.m. When I finish riding I help my colleagues finish their work. It is an unwritten rule: everybody in the stable from the assistant to the boss works until the work is done. What about your free time? If everything goes as planned we get one day off per week. I try to recuperate and manage my life But most of all I like to read news from my family and friends from Slovenia.

Do you get attached to the horses and find it difficult when they leave, or can you keep it at a strictly professional level? After 10 months of working in this stable I was allowed to bring along my mare. She is the only one I allowed myself to get really attached to. It is more difficult with other horses, especially with those where you achieved good results. I am still in the process of learning how to stay detached and keep it strictly professional. We deal mostly with young horses which are ridden by the eight riders. Ludger closely monitors the progress both of the riders and the horses entrusted to them. Considering positive as well as negative attributes of the rider he then decides which rider the horse can best prosper with. Which is your favourite horse and why? A tough question. As if you asked a dedicated teacher who really likes his job who is his favourite student. Evidently there is a great difference between horses such as Catoki, Monte Bellini, Souvenir, Coupe de Coeur, these are horses intended to top sport. However, I become most attached to the horse which I can get to know to the smallest detail and which offers me a chance to improve myself. But it is the same as with people: there is no horse without a flaw and it is the duty of a good rider to remedy this flaw and turn it beneficiary for both himself and the horse. Can you describe the difference between horse riding in Slovenia and Germany? It is difficult to compare the two, taking account of the tradition and the number of horses in Germany. But I am convinced that we can achieve excellent results by copying their and modernising our system in competitions, veterinary medicine, club management, blacksmithing, breeding, etc. Our infrastructure offers excellent opportunities. What we lack is to bring younger generation into contact with horses and to provide regular trainings and courses abroad for elderly staff. All of us, who got a chance to work together with horses, know that we can learn from each other every day. This is the reason why we should seek knowledge at every occasion.