PLN
All eyes in the dressage world are on Helen Langehanenberg. After a nearly six-month break, this German competitor recently returned to the international arena with a new horse.
Helen Langehanenberg - German Dressage competitor, participant of the 2012 Olympic Games in London, during which she contributed to winning the silver medal in the team category, winner of two silver medals in the Grand Prix Special and Grand Prix Freestyle categories and a gold medal in the team category during WEG 2014, gold in the team category and two silver medals in the GP Special and GP Freestyle during the European Championships in Herring 2013.
Helen owed all of her successes to the Westphalian stallion Damon Hill (Donnerhall x Rubinstein). Damon Hill was twice World Champion Young Horse under Langehanenberg as a 5-year-old and under Ingrid Klimke as a 6-year-old. Ingrid Klimke managed to take Damon Hill to Grand Prix level, but it was Helen Langehanenberg, who, upon reacquiring him in 2010, achieved international fame with him. Unfortunately, the contract with the horse's owner expired on October 31, 2015, and Helen was unable to sign a new contract.
HELEN LANGEHANENBERG & DAMON HILL, GOTHENBURG WORLD CUP FINAL 2013 – 88.286%:
Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill, source: FEI / Arnd Bronkhorst / Pool PicEarlier this year, news spread that Helen would be bringing a new horse with her – the 14-year-old Hanoverian stallion Damsey FRH (Dressage Royal x Ritual). She debuted with him in the big round competitions in Vreschen-Bokel, Ammerland, in May. They finished their starts together with scores of 72.713% and 75.533%, winning two competitions.
The next competition was the international debut of Helen Langehanenberg and Damsey, which ended with the pair winning with a score of 73.740% at the Grand Prix CDI*** in Mannheim:
photo: Kiki BeelitzDamsey is a licensed stallion who has been trained by Steffen Frahm until now. They started racing together in the big round in 2013 at the CDI Wiesbaden.
Prestige X-HELEN D
Helen Langehanenberg's success isn't just in the competitions she's won and the trophies she's collected. Not everyone knows that the Prestige X-Helen D dressage saddle was designed in collaboration with the German rider.
The X-Helen D saddle tree is much deeper than other Prestige saddles. This allows for a very deep seat without restricting the horse's range of motion. The saddle also features flexible membranes, making the new product incredibly soft and comfortable. The cushions are lined with a specially structured leather, arranged in a honeycomb pattern filled with a lightweight, spongy material. They are also anatomically shaped, providing the horse's withers with maximum freedom of movement.
Helen is a true professional when it comes to horsemanship. She treats every horse she works with with the utmost respect, treating it as her partner. She also believes in the maxim: a ride should be enjoyable for both horse and rider. So, you can imagine how well-thought-out and balanced the saddle Helen designed must be.
Helen and Damsey are certainly preparing for their next starts at their stable in Billerbeck, training under the watchful eye of Klaus Balkenhol and German national team coach Monika Therodescu. We can only keep our fingers crossed and wait until we see them together again on the arena :)
