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In our series ‘That Special Bond’ – first introduced in 2016 – World of Showjumping highlights what equestrian 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 built careers and fulfilled dreams.

This time around, WoSJ sat down with Germany’s Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann to learn more about the horses that have shaped her career.

“There are two horses that kind of changed my life,” Janne begins. “One would be Callistro (Calato x Calypso I). He was my first Grand Prix horse. We bred him, and he died when he was 30 – a few years ago. He is the horse that made it possible for me to do my first Nations Cup for Germany, he's the one I won my first car with, and one that I won the German Championship with. He will always be the horse that I'm the most grateful for, because we did everything together. He was the most reliable horse that you could have, and because we grew together, we knew each other inside out.”

“Callistro is still my dream horse,” Janne continues. “Sometimes I still say to my husband, ‘I wish I had Callistro’; for me, he was the perfect horse. He was lovely to ride, a little bit of an old-fashioned Holsteiner type, he had a big canter and galloped over the jumps. You could always trust him, he was a dream.”

Callistro is still my dream horse

The second special horse for Janne is Cellagon Lambrasco (Libero x Coriolan). “With him, it was a different story,” Janne tells. “We got him when he was eight, and he had already done national classes quite successfully. He was always good in what he did, but we didn't buy him as a horse to do big classes with. When I tried him, I right away had a super feeling, we matched immediately. From the first jumps, I felt like we knew each other and that we liked each other. I thought he for sure would be a great speed horse or a horse for second classes because he was so smart and intelligent and whatever he did, he did it well. Therefore, we bought him ourselves.”

“In our first year together, I brought him up in the youngster classes, and I think nobody really paid attention to him. When he was nine, we did the speed derby in Hamburg and we won. Half a year later, he was placed in his first Grand Prix. I brought him up in the medium tour, he did the 1.45m classes successfully, then he did well in the 1.50m classes… I was always surprised with the next step, because when you jumped him at home, the feeling was always nice, but also quite normal. You couldn't tell if he could do more.”

“Whatever he did, he gave a 150%,” Janne continues to tell about Cellagon Lambrasco. “We really grew together into the big classes, and I could always trust him. Nobody knew me; I'm not from a horse family, I did not have a famous name. I kind of made my way up with him; I arrived with this tiny horse that jumped amazing, but he was not like Goya or Messi, where everybody can see their quality. Cellagon Lambrasco was running towards the jumps, and we needed our speed to make it! His heart was so big, I think I will never have another horse with the same heart. It's not that he was the best jumper, but he just wanted to be a winner. That was very special.”

Janne and Cellagon Lambrasco’s big breakthrough came in 2011, when the two won the Rolex Grand Prix in Aachen with the only double clear. “It was an unforgettable day,” Janne tells about the moment that is immortalized with the iconic picture of her throwing away the reins over the final jump. “The first time we did Aachen, we didn't make it to the end. The year after, we tried again and we were placed, and on our third try, we won. I will always remember how we went into the ring, and nobody had jumped a double clear. We just did it fence by fence. The whole course went well and then it was the last line left. For us, it was the most difficult part; a vertical-vertical combination. As we cleared it, I knew there was just one more fence left, and it was an oxer. As we landed from the combination, I could see the distance, and I knew immediately that if I just take that distance, just let him go, he would never ever touch it. I was so sure of him; we knew each other inside out.”

“When he took off, I was so proud and happy because it was not our first try in Aachen. We had a Grand Prix of Aachen that we didn't finish, we had a Grand Prix of Aachen that we were placed in, and now the win was there. We were the only pair to jump a double clear. It was a once in a lifetime moment, and many people asked me afterwards if I was crazy to throw the reins like that. I wouldn't have done it with any other horse than him.”

It was a once in a lifetime moment, and many people asked me afterwards if I was crazy to throw the reins like that

“Our win in Aachen was not just a win,” Janne explains. “It was a moment where we could prove what we were capable of. I think nobody believed we would win that class. It was very special. Cellagon Lambrasco deserved that moment because he was a horse that would never give up. He had the mentality to give everything he had. Some people have that and some horses have it, but for sure not many in the world. But he was one of them.”

“I learned that everything is possible,” Janne tells about the most valuable lesson she was taught by her two special connections. “It's not easy to find the next superstar; everyone's looking for the same. Lambrasco was not expensive. He was cheap because he had a bad vet-check, because he was tiny and nobody thought he could jump. And my first superstar Callistro was home-bred. This gives me hope. Thanks to them, I know everything is possible if you keep on working and dreaming. But you have to do both; dreaming alone is not enough, you have to work for your dream. You have to stay open in your mind and see opportunities, not see problems.”

For Janne, Goja 27 (Wandor van de Mispelaere x Palestro vd Begijnakker) and Messi van’T Ruytershof (Plot Blue x For Pleasure) have been the most challenging horses to figure out. “They are both very different,” Janne explains. “After Lambrasco, Goja became my championship horse. I got him when he was seven. He was a horse that could do everything, and anyone would be able to see that. Goja was a totally different type than Lambrasco. He was very sensitive, a little bit shy in the warm-up, and had a totally different stride.”

With Goja, there was no class in the world that felt big

“The first year after retiring Lambrasco, I was in Hamburg with Goja, and he was nine at the time. I walked the course and said to my husband that the fences did not look as big as before. With Goja, there was no class in the world that felt big. Maybe the course was technical, maybe we had to work on a distance, but there was no fence in the world that felt too big on him.”

“Like Goja, Messi is also a big horse,” Janne continues. “He is tall and very long; he is as long as two horses. To me, he's an outstanding world-class superstar horse. He is very friendly, but he's afraid of other horses, so in the warm-up, he will always be a little bit shy. Both Messi and Goja look like slow, old-school type, but inside, they are more like thoroughbreds. To find the right balance with them was not always easy. Goja had a brave heart, was like a lion, while Messi is very shy. Messi always wants to do his best and he is very critical of himself. He needs his rider to be confident.”

Both Messi and Goja look like slow, old-school type, but inside, they are more like thoroughbreds

“It is funny because in Lambrasco, I had this small, tiny, fat pony of a horse that won the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen, that would jump everything you put in front of him. And then in Messi and Goja I had two taller ones that look like superstars but need confidence and a rider to help. That was a funny mix for me, but it's also what I love about our sport; that you have to adapt to the horses. That's something I love to do, to take time for my horses and grow a close connection to them. It's always special to find a young horse and grow together. You can buy talent, but you cannot buy a partnership.”

“We sell horses, and we are happy and proud when we find an exceptional horse and make a match with a great rider,” Janne says when asked about a horse that got away. “An example is Kent Farrington’s Greya (Colestus x Contender). We found her when she was five and very green. She was always an outstanding talent, but also sensitive. We sold her to Kent, who is our friend and for sure one of the best riders in the world. He took over the reins when she was seven.”

I think every rider would like to have a horse like her, but we are proud to be a part of their success

“I think my husband watches nearly every round she does,” Janne concludes. “It’s not that we regret selling her, it's more that we are proud. I think every rider would like to have a horse like her, but we are proud to be a part of their success.”

16.4.2026 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.