World of Showjumping
World of ShowjumpingWorld of Showjumping
Menu

That Special Bond – with Henrik von Eckermann: "Each horse is special in its own way"

Tuesday, 28 February 2023
That Special Bond

Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson/WoSJ "Each horse is special in its own way. If I think about every single horse I have ever had, for sure each of them has taught me something," Henrik von Eckermann says in our series 'That Special Bond' – here with his double World Champion King Edward. Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.

 

Text © World of Showjumping

 


 

In our series ‘That Special Bond’, we highlight what this sport truly is about; the unique connection between horses and humans. Speaking with some of the top names in the sport, we learn more about the horses that have shaped careers, fulfilled dreams – and sometimes even broken hearts. This time, World of Showjumping sat down with Henrik von Eckermann – the current world number one, as well as double World Champion and Olympic team gold medallist. “Actually, I dislike saying that one horse has been more special than another – it is really important to have a special connection with each of them,” von Eckermann begins. "Each horse is special in its own way. If I think about every single horse I have ever had, for sure each of them has taught me something.” 

The special one

Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson/WoSJ "The problem is that we always speak about the super stars, but you first know what a super star is when you have had one – and at the time I had Cantinero, he was the biggest star for me," von Eckermann says. Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.

However, through his career from being a stable jockey at Ludger Beerbaum’s yard to running Cyor Stables with his wife Janika Sprunger, a few horses have stood out for von Eckermann: Cantinero (Cento x Cash), Gotha FRH (Goldfever x Prestige Pilot), Toveks Mary Lou (Montendro x Portland L), and most recently, the incredible King Edward (Edward 28 x Feo). 

“There have been so many great horses,” von Eckermann says. “In the end, all these horses have been very special for me, in their own way and at the time I have had them. Cantinero was everything for me at the time I had him. He had so much quality, even though he needed a lot of work in the beginning. He had all the ability, and he was very careful, but he lacked a bit in self-confidence. In the end, we did many good things together,” von Eckermann says about the gelding that jumped double clear in the Nations Cup Final in Barcelona in 2014, won the Loro Piana Grand Prix of Rome in 2015 and took part at the 2015 European Championships in Aachen. 

“Looking back, with each horse, the time I had with them has been special,” von Eckermann continues. “They have helped me develop as a rider and move forward in my career, and in this sense, it is also not fair to compare them to each other. The problem is that we always speak about the super stars, but you first know what a super star is when you have had one – and at the time I had Cantinero, he was the biggest star for me.”

Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson/WoSJ “The timing of her coming into my life was critical for my career; I had just started on my own and without her, I would not be where I am today," von Eckermann says about Toveks Mary Lou. Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.

“Mary Lou had a huge heart, and she was ultra-careful,” von Eckermann says about the mare that retired from the sport in 2021 after winning team silver at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon in 2018, team silver at the European Championships in Gothenburg in 2017 as well as placing third at two World Cup Finals – in Omaha in 2017 and in Paris in 2018.

“The timing of her coming into my life was critical for my career; I had just started on my own and without her, I would not be where I am today. When I took her to the first show, I straight away had a feeling that our connection would turn out to be something very special. However, the way she was jumping, and the better she got, I also worried that people were going to be interested in buying her. I was lucky to have Karl Schneider, who was so supportive in the very beginning and did not want to sell quickly. He gave me the opportunity to first of all produce her, and then found a solution for me to keep her. Having Mary Lou was crucial for my career at the time, and we were talking about big offers – money which I didn’t have. Maybe, in the financial situation I was in, it would have made more sense to actually sell her. However, I have worked all my life for the sport and I felt I was so close to making it… I could not let her go; I could not sell her. I really believed in Mary Lou, and I believed she would give us so much more than any money in the world could. And now I am happy to say I was right. You make decisions in life, and some end up being bigger than others – and fighting to keep Mary Lou was one of those turning points for me. Therefore, there are many emotions surrounding Mary Lou. In the end, it was the Tovek-family that made it possible for me to keep her, and I will be forever thankful for them. Mary Lou is a fantastic individual as a horse, the most social personality to be around. And how she grew when we entered the ring… Each horse, they all have their quirks, outside and inside the ring, and that is where you find the bond with them.”

Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson/WoSJ "He is the perfect horse; he has everything in one package," von Eckermann says about King Edward. Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.

“However, I must say that King Edward is the number one,” von Eckermann concludes. “Simply because I would say he is the perfect horse; he has everything in one package. King Edward has all the quality, he has scope, he is careful and has a great mind. However, I hate to say one horse would be more special than the other, because they are all special in their own way, and have meant a lot for me in their time.”

Hardest to get to know

Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson/WoSJ. “Gotha helped me to be a better rider, and a better horseman; to really listen to the horses – because she had such a strong mind and such a diverse personality,” von Eckermann says. Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.

“Gotha was the hardest to get to know,” von Eckermann smiles when talking about the chestnut mare that he took his first big wins with. “She had so much character, and such a strong will of her own."

"I rode her as a young horse, when she was six and seven, and then I actually left Ludger’s for a year and he took over the reins. However, I got the ride back on Gotha in 2012 – when she was eleven. She has a very, very strong personality and I had to find a compromise; not let her do absolutely everything she wanted, but at the same time let her believe that she could do whatever she wanted. With her, I learned to compromise and adjust; to really listen to what a horse tells me. I learned to adapt, instead of going after a straight line of how I thought things should be done. Gotha showed me that there are many ways, and I understood how different each horse is. As a rider, you have to find out what each individual horse needs and be able to find the best way to manage each of them.”

“For sure, there were many incredible moments with her,” von Eckermann recalls about his fondest memories with Gotha. “I won my first World Cup with her, in Mechelen. It was my first, so it was special, but the way we got there made it extra special; I had only just gotten the ride back on her, we had done Geneva, which was our first show back together and it had not gone well. And then, two weeks later we managed to win the World Cup. Also, my first LGCT Grand Prix win was with her, in Estoril, which was very nice – and we beat Hello Sanctos there! At the time, I did not understand what a legend Hello Sanctos would turn out to be, so now, afterwards, it is fun to think that we managed to beat him once!”

“Gotha helped me to be a better rider, and a better horseman; to really listen to the horses – because she had such a strong mind and such a diverse personality,” von Eckermann says. “She had so many different characters; she was one character in the stable, one character when you were riding her at home, and when you came to the show, she behaved totally different. She was so different in every situation – you really had to know her to be able to manage her. However, when you had her on your side, nothing would stop her.” 

The one that got away

Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson/WoSJ. “She was a horse that I really think would have been nice to have even today," von Eckermann says about Quibell 5, who won the Masters in Mechelen in 2013. Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.

“A horse that got injured very early on her career was Quibell 5 (Quintero x Cento),” von Eckermann tells. “She was a horse that I really think would have been nice to have even today. Sadly, she just was not the soundest, but quality-wise she was unbelievable.”

“There are so many things that have to go right, and so many things that can so easily go wrong,” von Eckermann points out. “As a rider, it is always about the team around you. When I worked at Ludger’s, keeping the horses was not in my hands, and since I started on my own, the success I have has only been possible because of the people who have been supportive of me and have agreed to keep the horses. Now, it is especially my wife Janika and our horse owners that have a huge impact on my career. Mary Lou and King Edward are both very special horses and there has been many offers. Luckily, I have people around me who enjoy the sport, and see the joy these horses give us daily."

"It is not that I am sitting down, dreaming away, but every day, I think about how fortunate I am, and have been. I feel like I have been so lucky that it feels almost unreal, and I don’t take any of it for granted,” the world no. one closes off.

 

28.2.2023 No reproduction of any of the content in this article will be accepted without a written permission, all rights reserved © World of Showjumping.com. If copyright violations occur, a penalty fee will apply. 



This photo has been added to your cart !

Your shopping cart »
This website is using cookies for statistics, site optimization and retargeting purposes. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use this website. Read more here.