Text © World of Showjumping

After a hugely successful career with Jana Wargers in the saddle, the now 16-year-old gelding Limbridge (Guardus Limbus x Cambridge – breeder Ralf Pawlowski) will be retired from the sport. “Limbridge has been an amazing horse for us, and completely changed Jana’s career,” Enda Carroll of Ashford Farm, who co-owns the gelding with Jos Lansink, tells World of Showjumping. “Limbridge will be enjoying his retirement with Jana in Germany as she moves home with a group of Ashford Farm-horses during spring after having been with us in Bocholt, Belgium, since 2021.”

“Limbridge has been the horse that opened the door for me to the big sport,” Wargers says to World of Showjumping. “Not only has he been a fantastic partner in the ring, but he has also become my best friend and I am really thankful that he can spend his retirement with me. To see his cheeky face every day will make me very happy.”

Limbridge started up his career with Christoph Kaufmann, who bought him when he was only 12 hours old from his breeder Ralf Pawlowski. Kaufmann then sold Limbridge to Enda Carroll and Jos Lansink in November 2017, when he was at the end of his 7th year. After jumping successfully with former Ashford Farm-rider Michael Hughes, Limbridge was then sold to Eve Jobs in 2018. Following two successful seasons with Jobs, who jumped the gelding up to five-star level, Limbridge returned to Ashford Farm in 2021 and Jana Wargers took over the reins. 

With Wargers in the saddle, Limbridge has been competing at the highest level of the sport over the last four seasons. In 2021, their first year together, Limbridge and Wargers won the CSIO3* 1.50-1.60m FEI Jumping World Cup in Budapest and finished third in the CSIO5* 1.60m RWE Prize of North Rhine-Westphalia at CHIO Aachen, as well as third in the CSI5* 1.60m Grand Prix in Monterrey. In 2022, they placed second in the CSIO5* 1.60m Rolex Grand Prix of Rome and were part of the winning German team in the CSIO5* 1.60m Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup at CHIO Aachen, leading to selection for the FEI World Championships in Herning, Denmark, where they finished 9th individually. That same year, they also finished second in the CSI5* 1.60m Longines Grand Prix of Lyon. In 2023, Limbridge and Wargers represented Germany at the FEI European Championships in Milan, Italy, where they finished 4th with the team. In 2024, Limbridge was on the German team in the CSIO5* Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup at CHIO Aachen for a third consecutive year – jumping double clear. 

“Limbridge has been incredible for me, and he was always the horse I trusted the most – giving me so many good rounds in the ring. He has always been there for me – giving everything,” Wargers says. “Because of him I got to jump at shows I previously only dreamed of competing at. To get to be part of the German Nations Cup team in Aachen for three years in a row and jump double clear last year just shows how special he is and what a fighter he is. He has meant so much to me.”

“The decision to retire him was made less than 24 hours ago, so there are a lot of emotions but most of all I am really happy that we can retire him while he is still so fit. However, it feels like he got to a point where he does not enjoy the shows like he used to. And I want to be as good to him as he has been to me, so it’s time to let him retire,” Wargers says. “I look forward to see him happy out on the field, and I am so thankful Enda will let him come home with me.”

“I would also like to thank Enda and Jos for keeping Limbridge for me, I know they had good offers on him which they turned down so that I could continue riding him,” Wargers tells. “Enda really supported me in my sports career and was there for me, and I know that in this business that’s not a given – to let those offers go was for sure not easy financially. But Enda gave me his word and he kept it, and for this I am so thankful. I am very grateful to Michael Cristofoletti too; he helped me a lot with Limbridge, not only at the shows but also at home and in our planning. My whole team has also been fantastic of course, taking so well care of him throughout the years we have shared.”

“I would really like to thank Limbridge’s co-owner Jos Lansink – who I have been working with for the last 15 years – and his wife Marielle, for being able to enjoy all these wonderful moments with Limbridge together. Limbridge has been a pleasure to all of us, and I am thankful to Jos for his trust in us,” Carroll says. “A big thanks also goes to Jana of course, and to Michael Cristofoletti who has played a huge part in Limbridge’s career as well, and all the staff at Ashford Farm who has taken care of Limbridge over the years.”

At World of Showjumping, we wish Limbridge the happiest of retirements!