Damsey FRH and Helen Langehanenberg at CDI Mariakalnok 2020 - photo credit: EQWO / Petra Kerschbaum
Retirement at the top
19 year old Damsey FRH by Dressage Royal / Ritual with Helen Langehanenberg has this weekend at the CDI5 been retired from international competition. Since 2016 Damsey and Langehanenberg has been a very solid combination at the international scene always with top placements and finishing at 9th place by end of January at the World Ranking.
69 international starts since April 2016
Langehanenberg took over the reins back I 2016 from Steffen Frahm only starting Damsey at 7 Grand Prix starts from the international debut back in 2013. From following the combination at that time it was definitely not in the cards that tiny Langehanenberg would be able to both develop and bring the stallion on her side to the very top level.
Very few international top horses are retired when they still look as fit as Damsey, despite lacking more suppleness for the trot half passes, the angles and activity for piaffe and passage tours, the sit and quality for the canter pirouettes and not least the suppleness for his outstanding walk was still at absolute top level for their final dance. Damsey and Helen will for sure be part of the international dressage history.
Enjoy their final international Grand Prix freestyle from Doha here below.