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07|2016 THE HANOVERIAN No. 7 | July 2016 Sport One Australian – two Hanoverians Sport Lordan wins in Langley Sport Longlists for Olympic Games Sport 2 The Hanoverian 07|2016 Sport One Australian – two Hanoverians These would have been his eighth Olympic Games: Andrew Hoy was aiming at Rio de Janeiro with his two Hanoverian horses: Rutherglen and Cheeky Calimbo. The dissapointment was great when he was not selected end of July. Since almost forty years, this Australian is one of the World’s best event riders, and he is far from standing back to give others precedence. By Britta Züngel ndrew Hoy has a passion for sports with years old and arrived in Kentucky with my little Aspeed. He needs the adrenaline, so he says. Australian stockhorse Davey. I still very well re- He has a license to ride a motorcycle. One hp still member the big, heavy German horses at the time fascinates him as well. “I need adrenaline. Riding – they were enormous,” he says with a smirk. In the Nations Cup in Aachen to me is still adrenali- 1984, Andrew Hoy participated in the Olympic ne,” says someone, who won three Olympic gold Games for the first time. They were held in Los An- medals and one silver medal, who stood on the geles. He finished in 15th position in the individual podium at the World Championships four times competition aboard Davey and fifth with his team. and won classic event competitions like Badmin- The World Championships in Luhmühlen and Gaw- ton, Burghley, Melbourne and Lexington. He also ler followed. The Thoroughbred Kiwi was his next won Luhmühlen twice, once with Moonfleet in successful horse. They finished the individual com- 2002 and once with Mr. Pracatan in 2004. “Riding petition in Seoul in 1988 in eighth position and horses requires an ultimate relationship and abso- with their team in fifth. Four years later, in Barcelo- lute trust!” He especially loves the speed in the na, the pair finally won the long sought-after gold sport of eventing, which includes three disciplines. medal in the team competition and just missed an He also enjoys riding dressage though. “This sport individual medal placing fifth. In Atlanta in 1996, has completely changed over the past ten years.” Andrew Hoy had tacked up Darien Powers, a large Andrew Hoy started out riding stock horses and framed grey, which impressed with his incredible Thoroughbreds; today he rides Hanoverians. lightness. The team from the fifth continent repea- ted its victory from Barcelona. Andrew Hoy also The makeup of an Olympic champion rode Gershwin into eleventh place in the individual Andrew Hoy was born in 1959 in New South competition. As the flag-bearer, he also participa- Wales, which is located in southeast Australia. His ted in the opening ceremony. parents had a farm. At the age of seven, he rode a horse for the first time. It was the Shetland pony Four years later, Australia hosted the Olympic Ginger, which his uncle allowed him to ride. “I am Games in Sydney. As the host, the team won gold, still convinced that if you can ride a Shetland pony and Andrew Hoy was overjoyed about winning sil- from A to B within a preset time, then you have ver in the individual competition. He had won the what it takes to become an Olympic champion!” class, which counted towards the team competiti- The boy was fascinated with the work of cowboys. on, aboard Darien Powers. For the individual com- He learned a lot from them, in particular regarding petition, he rode Swizzle Inn, which was named horsemanship. At some point, he climbed into an after a pub in Bermuda. “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie – event saddle. At the age of seventeen, he started Hoy, Hoy, Hoy!” the Australian fans were beside participating in horse shows. He entered the inter- themselves with excitement. Andrew Hoy won Andrew Hoy with his two Hano- national arena of competitions at the World Cham- Luhmühlen riding Mr. Pracatan, his partner in verians Cheeky Calimbo (left) and pionships in Lexington in 1978. “I was nineteen Athens in 2004. The Australian team finished in Rutherglen. Photo: Beelitz The Hanoverian 07|2016 3 Sport A boxing kangaroo accompanies up and moved to Great Britain. “I wanted to be Andrew Hoy on all his trips. good in this sport, the best! And England was the Photo: Beelitz top address at the time.” When the opportunity arose to move into Gatcombe Park, the private country home of Princess Anne and her husband at the time, Mark Phillips, Andrew Hoy did not waver. “I learned a lot from both. They were young at the time, but had a lot of knowledge and tremendous experience.” He left the facility in 2009 with his wife at the time, Bettina Hoy, and moved to Wa- rendorf, Germany. They were the first couple to represent different nations at championships and competed against each other. They went different ways and Andrew Hoy moved back to Great Bri- tain. Since 2013, he manages “Somerby Stables” in Leicestershire County in Great Britain’s mid- lands. “If I had the choice again today, I would prefer to be in Germany,” Andrew Hoy says prai- sixth place. A messed up dressage test did not al- sing the German training system. “Everything is low for a placement. Andrew Hoy missed Hong very well structured – even the way people com- Kong. Master Monarch, the four-star champion municate. German manufacturing industry ist fan- from Lexington, was not nominated. Four years la- tastic,” as he proudly points to his horse lorry ter, he was a participant again – this time with the “Made in Germany”. “Germans are straight for- nine-year old Hanoverian Rutherglen. The pair fini- ward in what they say and what they do. I appre- shed in thirteenth position. If they had not pulled ciate that. Maybe that is the reason, why there are two rails on the stadium course, they would have so many more roundabouts in England. Germans obtained a much better placement. Andrew Hoy just drive straight ahead,” he says with a smile. still craves the Olympics. He has two top horses in his barn, Rutherglen and Cheeky Calimbo. Andrew Hoy also thinks highly of Germany’s bree- ding program, which is structured in a clear fa- Made in Germany shion. He loves his two Hanoverians, Cheeky After winning gold in Barcelona, the moment had Calimbo and Rutherglen. His eyes light up, when come that Andrew Hoy had to decide between a he talks about them, “It happens, because they are life as a farmer or as a rider. At that time, his day good horses. They are bred to perform and to be in started at four in the morning and was seldom top of the sport!” Hence it is no coincidence that “I love riding dressage!” Andrew Hoy participated in the Olympic over before eleven at night, “I was a man that he is one of the world’s best event riders with his Games in London aboard Rutherglen. lived in the country when I was a young man; I two Hanoverians, “They are phenomenal horses. Photo: Lafrentz even rode in some rodeos in that time.” He packed Breeding gives them, what help to do the job. The Hanoverian brand stands for quality,” the rider from Australia raves. One like the other Cheeky Calimbo by Contendro/Lemon xx (breeder: Hanke Meyer, Midlum) and Rutherglen by Ramires/ Roncalli xx (breeder: Gerhard Oestermann, Lübbe- cke) look so much alike; both are dark bay, both have no markings, both have bright, alert eyes and play attentively with their eyes. “They have very different dispositions though,” Andrew Hoy descri- bes his two mounts. “I would discribe Cheeky like a ‘street kid’. Now he became a ‘cultivated street kid’,” he adds laughingly. “He is dominant, but wonderful to ride – totally reliable regardless of the weather or the footing. He is so willing. Cheeky is very intelligent. He watches, sees and knows everything. He is a little Formula I-car, while Rutherglen is more like a Bentley sport’s car.” When Cheeky Calimbo was still Catch Me, he par- 4 The Hanoverian 07|2016 Sport “Cheeky brings a smile to my face when he is jumping!” Photo: Lafrentz ticipated in the May auction in Verden 2006. Elmar a complete new start, when you are going from Lesch bought the then four-year old. Christiane one horse to another.” The rider from Australia has Hamacher, a young event rider, who still today is the reputation to always have his horses in top part-owner, brought him to Andrew Hoy in Waren- shape at the right time. He relies on that. He was dorf three years later. He then had his first place- once asked to describe in one sentence what cons- ments at the L-level. “Cheeky found me, not the titutes eventing. He answered with one word, other way around,” the Australian rider remem- “Harmony. For me that is the one word to discribe. bers. “I really like riding him. He brings a smile to Furthermore, the rider must have a lot of feel and my face when he is jumping!” and then he adds, tune into his horse. After all, one may have a “Actually, I would like to have a stable full of Con- driver’s license, but not be able to drive a Formula tendro-descendants.” I-car. I am very structured in what I do,” Andrew Hoy says. His extensive experience helps conside- Rutherglen was Andrew Hoy’s Olympic horse in rably – but also a little bit of wisdom, which he London.