THE HANOVERIAN

Training
Fotos: Jacobs, Kanz.
Go for Gold
A trademark travels around the world: The
cooperation of the Hanoverian Association with the
Heilan International Equestrian Club in China is
successful. The participation in the China Games is
the goal!
By Malte Kanz
cooperation between the Heilan International
A Equestrian Club and the Hanoverian Association
has existed since 2011. The extent and the
emphasis of the cooperation lie in the training of
riders and horses, the facilitation of the classical
way of riding and training. The world power China
sees a need for development on the equestrian
sector and has developed ideas how to do that.
They asked the Hanoverian Association for conceptual
and practical support. 400 riding horses are
already stabled at the H.I.E.C. – the majority carries
the Hanoverian hip brand. China places its
trust in the Hanoverian know-how and on Hanoverian
horses to be fit and prepared for the equestrian
world in future.
No crash-course - instead with conviction
A clear goal has been set: the successful participation
in the China-Games. The Heilan sport’s team
strives to play a significant role in the medal distribution
in the discipline of eventing. Training’s leader
Jörg Jacobs heads on the project that is designed
to be long term. “Rider and officials are not
interested in short-term triumphs. A long-lasting
success takes centre stage that will reward honest
and competent riding skills,” so Jörg Jacobs. The
training and project manager spent time in the
country to prepare horses and riders for horse
shows last year. He looked after 16 riders from the
athletic group of the Heilan International Equestrian
Club that are to be trained for eventing. The
daily training is planned as a preparation for the
China-Games that will take place the end of August/beginning
of September. Training schedules
were developed to get the young team fit for international
competition. The team won the bronze
medal in eventing at the Chinese Championships
in 2012. Training concepts were jointly developed.
The preparations are aimed at the China-Games.
A part of a whole
Five Chinese riders from the athletic group (Jiangsu-Team)
of the Heilan International Equestrian
Club traveled to Verden to learn how to train
young horses in order to install this training concept
at the home barn upon their return. These five
young riders traveled 7,500 kilometers without
knowing what to expect. The goal was to expand
their knowledge about training and riding so that
this information can be used for new tasks later.
They shared an apartment on the terrain of the
training centre in Verden. They lived close to the
horses and worked hand-in-hand with the riders
and grooms of the Hanoverian Association. “Working
side-by-side in the barn allowed for a good
information exchange about the daily routines.
Learning by doing was the motto!” Auction manager
Jörg-Wilhelm Wegener knows to appreciate
the intercultural cooperation in the stable. The
Heilan-Club purchased a total of nine youngsters
on the summer auction in 2012. These horses were
used in the daily training. Once these horses have
matured and gathered experience they will make
the trip to China to help the team win gold.
One look in the riding arenas of the training centre
was sufficient to realize that event training took a
large portion of the training’s time. The riding arena
had changed into a diversified cross-country
course with natural jumps and water ditches. An
English-speaking interpreter accompanied the training
sessions.
Further education
Excursions were planned in addition to daily training
sessions under saddle and in the stable all
around the horse. The visit to Ingrid Klimke was
informative, impressive and helpful. She invited the
group to go to Muenster for a public training pre-
20 The Hanoverian 05|2013