DE 
Seven Oldenburg horses among the world’s top 15—and a very special success story from Vechta: Denoix PCH, once the top horse at the Oldenburg Fall Elite Auction, won the bronze medal in the Grand Prix Special with Katharina Hemmer at the World Championships in Aachen. With this victory, the Oldenburg horse capped off his journey from Vechta to the World Championship podium.
From the Oldenburg perspective, the Grand Prix Special at the World Championships in Aachen served as impressive proof of the international competitiveness of Oldenburg dressage horses. No fewer than seven OLD horses placed among the world’s top 15. Leading the way were Denoix PCH and Katharina Hemmer, who won the bronze medal with a magnificent performance.
Denoix PCH, born in 2012, by Destano out of Princess by Pik Noir – Quattro B, bred by Friedrich Kuhlmann, Neuenkirchen, owned by Nancy Gooding, USA, danced his way to the World Championship bronze medal with Katharina Hemmer in the Grand Prix Special. His success story is closely tied to Vechta: In 2014, Denoix was licensed in Vechta and subsequently transferred to the Celle State Stud via the stallion market. Two years later, the then Oldenburg State Championship runner-up returned to Vechta and was sold to the U.S. for a top price at the 2016 Fall Elite Auction. Today, Denoix PCH ranks among the absolute world elite in dressage.
Denoix is also highly interesting from a breeding perspective. His dam line includes, among others, the 2007 Oldenburg Champion Mare, Rebelle by Don Schufro—who was successfully competed internationally under the Danish rider Maria Anita Andersen—as well as the top sire Pik Bube.
Zantana RS2 OLD N.O.P., born in 2014, by Glock’s Zonik N.O.P. out of the elite mare Sondra by Sir Donnerhall I, bred by Gestüt Lewitz, owned by Jacques Lemmens and Saskia Lemmens-Reijnen of the Netherlands, shone in eighth place under Dutch rider Marieke van der Putten. Among others, Zantana is the dam of the licensed stallions Fürst Zonik PS by Fürstenball—who has since won at the advanced level under Isabel Freese—and Debutant PS OLD by Deparon, who has already caused a sensation three times at the National Championships in Warendorf.
Zantana’s dam, El.St. Sondra, also produced the licensed stallions Total U.S. by Totilas, Zaid by Zack, Dante U.S. by Dante Weltino OLD, and Lamborghini U.S. by Lord Europe. With Gossip Girl and Great Gatsby PS—both by Grey Flanell—as well as Zaid, three of her offspring are successful in the advanced class. In addition to her daughter Zantana RS2 OLD, Dandra PS by El.H. Dante Weltino also earned the title of Elite Mare as the dam of two licensed stallions.
Invoice, born in 2012, by Jazz out of Roxanne by Ferro – Lancer II – Chronos/T., breeder: P.J. Crum, Netherlands, owner: Alexanders Hovslageri & Hast AB, Sweden, piaffed his way to ninth place with the Swedish rider Maria von Essen.
Flash Gordon, born 2014, by Fiderbach out of Vb.Pr.St. Waldessa by Don Romantic, breeder: Jan Lüder Cornelius, Edewecht, owner: Ninja Rathjens, placed eleventh under the Danish rider Daniel Bachmann Andersen.
Total Hope OLD, born in 2012, by Totilas out of Weihegold by Don Schufro – Sandro Hit, breeder: Christine Arns-Krogmann, Lohne, owners: Lone Boegh-Henriksen and Paul Schockemöhle Hengsthaltung GmbH, Mühlen, impressed in thirteenth place with Norwegian-born rider Isabel Freese. At the 2019 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses, the black horse, ridden by Isabel Freese, had already secured the bronze medal in the seven-year-old class and later won the final of the Nuremberg Burg Cup. At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, he danced his way to an outstanding tenth-place finish.
His dam, the multi-champion Weihegold OLD, won, among other honors, team gold and individual silver at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, as well as three gold medals at the 2017 European Championships in Gothenburg. She also produced the S-level-placed Vitally PCH by El.H. Vitalis, Special Gold PCH by San Amour I, Aweih H by Apache, and St.Pr.St. Weihcera by Zack, as well as the licensed stallion Sir Weihbach by Sir Donnerhall I.
Furthermore, Weihegold OLD produced four Brillantring daughters for the Elite Mare Show in Rastede: Weihcera by Zack, Weihcine by Fürst Heinrich, Weihe Glück by Totilas, and Fürstin Weihe by Fürst Romancier. Top auction results from the Oldenburg Horse Center in Vechta also stand as outstanding testament to her genetic influence. The famous Weissena line has produced, among others, the licensed stallions Lux Dressage Statesman OLD by Stedinger, Inselfürst by Inschallah AA, Canaster I and II by Caprimond, Triumphator and Top of Class by Titus, as well as Damon Gold, For Gold, Extra Gold, and Dodo Weihgand.
Bluetooth OLD, born in 2010, by Bordeaux out of Lorena by Riccione – Don Schufro – Ramino, bred by Gestüt Lewitz, owned by Elena and Sergey Knyaginicheva of Russia, placed 14th with Frederic Wandres. Bluetooth OLD was a finalist at the 2018 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses in Ermelo, Netherlands. His dam, Lorena, also produced Florenzo by Fürst Romancier, who was licensed in Vechta. His great-granddam, Loretta, produced the star sires Diamond Hit, Royal Hit, and Sandro Hit.
Maxima Bella, born in 2016, by Millennium/Trak. out of Ciao Bella HRH by Christ - Warkant, bred by Heiner and Renate Hormann, Landesbergen, owned by Dominika Krasko Bialek & Sandra Sysojeva, Poland, rounded out the outstanding Oldenburg results with a 15th-place finish under Polish rider Sandra Sysojeva. Maxima Bella had already shone at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, placing 15th in the individual final.
For Denoix PCH, the World Championship medal marks the highlight so far of a remarkable Oldenburg success story: licensed in Vechta in 2014, sold at the 2016 Fall Elite Auction—and now on the podium at a World Championship.
Photo: Denoix PCH & Katharina Hemmer © www.sportfotos-lafrentz.de/Stefan Lafrentz
