Sven Rothenberger of the Netherlands lost his retired Grand Prix partner Ideaal on Oct. 6 when the 31-year-old, Dutch Warmblood gelding (Doruto—Karina) was found dead in his stall according to www.eurodressage.com.
Rothenberger won team gold with Ideaal at the 1990 World Equestrian Games in Stockholm and placed second at the 1992 and 1993 FEI World Cup Finals.
Although Rothenberger earned many accolades with Ideaal at Grand Prix, he was just the last of a line of riders who enjoyed a partnership with the magnificent horse.
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Ideaal was born in 1975 and competed in his first Grand Prix at age 7 with FEI O-rated judge Dr. Volker Moritz. Johan Hinnemann took over the ride and won the 1987 German Championship with him and then earned individual bronze at the European Championships in the same year.
He was retired sound at age 19 by Rothenberger. He was the most accomplished dressage horse of his time and won the most prize money of all Grand Prix horses competing in the late 1980s and early \’90s.
