In the portrait: Katharina Hemmer

From lessons on school horses to the large arena: the story of our team rider Katharina Hemmer shows that this dream can become reality.

Even as a child, horses were the East Westphalian's great passion. She learned to ride on school horses at the local riding club, and later her first pony of her own followed. Katharina didn't come from a traditional "horse family," but her parents always supported her and were excited for her. By chance, she finally came across the opportunity to begin an apprenticeship as a horse manager with Hubertus Schmidt. Immediately after graduating from high school, she began her apprenticeship at Fleyenhof — and, as she still remembers, was "quite excited" at the beginning during discussions with her new boss, Hubertus Schmidt. Now, ten years later, the two are a well-coordinated team. They know each other well, trust each other, and pull together when working with the horses. To this day, her instructor has a huge influence on Katharina's riding style.

Katharina has had the privilege of training and bringing along many horses under Hubertus's watchful eye over the past few years, some of them already up to the highest level. At the beginning of 2023, a very special horse crossed her path — for the second time: Denoix PCH, whom Katharina had ridden as a youngster. It was thus a "reunion among old friends" when the rider took over the chestnut from Hubertus Schmidt. By then, Denoix was eleven years old and had matured considerably. And as if it had always been meant to be, the two quickly became a harmonious unit. The reward for their work: Katharina and Denoix continue to achieve success on the international stage to this day.

Katharina and Denoix celebrated their top international debut last year at the CHIO Aachen. There, the pair immediately made a lasting impression with a third place in the Grand Prix Special, causing a real sensation. Shortly afterward, they were nominated as reserves for the European Championships in Riesenbeck. In a brilliant finale to 2023, Katharina and Denoix won the Grand Prix and the Special at the Festhalle tournament in Frankfurt with personal bests. Their appointment to the 2024 prospective national squad crowned the year.

Katharina is a truly exceptional rider — but it's not just her successes that define her. To this day, she rejoices in every training success with her horses, every new lesson learned, and every special experience. Listening to her accounts, it seems as if she still can't quite believe where she is today. She says: "I owe my successes above all to my horses, who always give their best for me in the arena. A big thank you also goes to Monica Theodorescu and, of course, Hubertus, who is always by my side and supports me — not only at competitions but also in everyday life with the horses. When Hubertus is happy at the end of a freestyle, then I know I've done everything right."

This appreciation and down-to-earth attitude are what distinguish the dressage rider. "I've never been too good for any task or horse," she says. This is the only way she's been able to develop as a rider. Her motivation? Her empathy for horses — and absolute passion for dressage.

Katharina has been part of the BRISQUE Bridlewear team since summer 2023. We are grateful for this great collaboration and look forward to the exciting journey ahead for this exceptional rider!