New Zealand
I first met Birgitt while riding for Norbert van Laak and Margit
Otto-Crepin in Germany in 1996. I was riding horses for Norbert, and
Birgitt had two horses at the barn for training. She was clearly a
very gifted rider and to watch what she achieved with Norhert's guidance
was inspiring. During this time we became close friends. In 1999 I
came to spend a Summer riding with Birgitt at her stable in Holland.
I received training from her on a daily basis while I rode some
of her horses, and I still think often of her methods both for training a
horse and how to sit in the saddle. When I look at photos or video
taken of me from this time I wonder if I will ever ride S0 well
again! It was during this summer that Birgitt won the World Championship
for 5 year old dressage horses at the European Championships at Arnhem.
This was aremarkable achievement not only because she beat riders such
as Anky van and Nicole Uphoff, but also because the horse she rode was
not veryspecial. He was naturally very slow in his hind leg, very crooked
and wanted to work always with the poll and wither too low. After only a
few weeks of training in her stable the horse changed completely. Her
great riding was very obvious to Herr Christoph Hess and Frau Mariette
Withages who judged the competition because they made a comment over
the speaker to the crowd that they had been very fortunate to view such a
riding talent in the arena!
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