Gerd Schonebeck
Riding horses became his passion. His first introduction to the horses he got from his grand uncle, who was one of the riding instructors at the well known cavalry school of Hanover. From there on he competed in the 1960 ties in the young riders division and due to an injury early 1971 he took a break to finish his education.
Prior 1978, certification and extensive experience in agriculture and elementary education and taught at the institute for sports and gymnastics at the Loges – Schule – Nordsee and elementary school.
He started riding again in 1978 with Otto Ammermann (Volturno) the “Three Day Event” hero at his time in the 1970ties.
1979 became a riding assistant to Gerd Wiltfang, Olympic Gold Medallist 1972, and World – Champion show jumping 1978. Gerd Witlfang was one the most successful Grand Prix rider at his days in the world.
1980 he became the assistant to Uwe Heckmann, director of the Oldenburg Verband auction.
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1981, managed own facility, “Reitschule Wildeshausen”, specializing in the schooling of young horses in all riding disciplines. He worked and trained with Horst Karsten, Olympian and international Three Day Event champion, who was at that time the national trainer for the German “Three Day Event” team.
The “Reitschule Wildeshausen” turned in to an important training facility for clinics (Horst Karsten, Holger Schmezer (German national dressage trainer), Ulli Henschke (Grand Prix rider and judge), Gerd Demme (regional trainer and judge) and into a schooling place for Grand Prix jumper riders.
In the early 1980 ties he organized over 4 years horse shows at his place, with more than 650 horses per horse show, in all the equestrian disciplines.
Trained and competed with horses in dressage and show jumping, participating in the National Championships for young riding horses (Bundeschampionat) and the regional Championships (Oldenburg Landeschampionat).
He started the training of over 25 approved stallions, including the 1985 Champion Stallion “Ttriumphator”.
“Triumphator” PSI top seller in 1986 and FEI dressage competitor, later ridden by George Theodorescu, Dr. Rainer Klimke, Jo Hinnemann and Bianca Kasselmann up to the Grand Prix level.
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“Good Future” turned into an absolutely successful breeding stallion in Sweden and showed successful up to the Grand Prix dressage level.
He prepared over 50 horses for the Oldenburg and the Hanoverian Verband auction sales.
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Started other world class horses including:
"Fidelity", by Figaro – Harlekin; over several years one of the most successful Oldenburg FEI level dressage horses, ridden by Rick Klaasen
"Flying Scott", by Freiherr - Grandios; Outstanding Oldenburg Grand Prix show jumper, ridden by Bernie Traurig, USA, member of several Nations Cup teams for America.
"Louvre", by Leibwächter – Absatz; licensed breeding stallion in Oldenburg, who turned into a very successful competitor in the Hunter ring in the US, owned by Kelly and Calvin Klein.
"For Pleasure", by Furioso II – Grannus; he became a famous breeding stallion, the "Hanoverian Stallion of the Year 2000", was one of the most successful show jumpers of all times. He was twice the Olympic team gold medallist with Lars Nieberg at the Olympic Games Atlanta ‘96 and Markus Ehning Olympic Games Sydney 2000.
 For Pleasure Stallion performance test 1989 ridden by Helmar Bescht |
“Grunox”, by Grunewald – Absatz; exceptional Hanoverian Olympic dressage horse, two times Olympic gold medallist at the Olympic Games Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996, always ridden by Monika Theodorescu. Besides the successful accomplishments at the Olympic Games, Grunox and Monika Theodorescu competed over a number of years very successful on the international highest performance level.
1988/89, initiated for the Breeding Association of German Riding Horses (ZFDP) auction sales. During the following years he still continues as an auctioneer for sport horse auctions and as a horse show announcer.
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1991/93 Clinician in the US, founder of an attractive frozen semen program for warmblood breeders in the US with top German stallions. Initiated in the US, with Dorothy and Russ D’Anna, the Sporthorse Breeder Information Service (SBIS).
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1994, started to managed international successful Grand Prix jumpers for the American equestrian world there as: “Yankee Zulu”, “Oh Star”, “What Nu”, “Gardenio”, “Great Point”, “Playboy”, Cecilia, Champ, Profox and numerous others.
In addition he managed several successful dressage horses, which are successful in the Pro and Amateur classes such as Amadeus, Todd Flettrich, DaCapo, SiIke Rembacz, Champus, Ilse Schwarz, Taros Lindhlot, Ilse Schwarz, Bulgari, Caroline Roffman, Rigaudon, Caroline Roffman, Wallaby, Michael Shondel, Windsor, Barbara Wolfe, Wincenzo, Romy Tota and several others.
For the Hunter ring the outstanding horses as “Mambo”, “Artistic”, “Gifted”, “Who Is On First”, “Visonary” and several others. (Please see hunter gallery).
Whenever there is time he gets on the road to find the right horses for his cliental and friends. No
matter which discipline or breed, he will find them to match his customers’ needs.
Since more than ten years, together with his wife Ilona, they manage their own barn the “Schonebeck-Stable” with more or less always 15 promising jumper and hunter prospects in training. All of them were purchased as foals and carefully raised and started under their supervision.
There are plenty of well bred, very promising and talented prospect still to come. To get an idea of what’s going to happen with the next new generation, please feel free and visit: www.schonebeck-stable.com.
 Here with the international successful swiss olympic Grand Prix rider Willi Melliger. |
