Heidi Degele and Don Fredo enjoy a victory pass after scoring 78.5% at the recent GCDA Fall Fling.
Wellington, FL (November 19, 2012) – USDF Gold Medalist, Heidi Degele, rode to the win aboard Don Fredo at their first show together during the Gold Coast Dressage Association Fall Fling November 10-11, 2012. Scoring 78.5% in the 4 and 5-year-old Materiale Class and earning an 8.5 at the Walk, 8.0 for Trot, 7.0 for Canter, and an 8.0 overall Impression, this dynamic new duo made quite a spectacular debut. “From the first time I saw Don Fredo, I truly believed in him and felt that he is a truly special horse,” Degele said about the 16.2h Oldenburg gelding. “The Fall Fling was so special because it was his first show with me riding him. We have only had him a little over a month,” she continued. “He had such a great work ethic in the warm up ring and in the show ring, and he never looked at anything. He was all business and acted more like a 10-year-old. It pleased me so much to have a young horse act that way.”
USDF Silver Medalist Jessica Beier, M.D. owns Don Fredo. Beier is an adult amateur rider based in Tifton, Georgia. Don Fredo is by Don Frederico, who was just proclaimed Hanovarian Stallion of the Year at the 2012 Hanovarian Stallion Licensing ceremony in Verden, Germany. His grand sire is Donnerhall and his dam’s sire is Pik Bube. “He is super sweet and playful,” says Degele about Don Fredo’s personality. “He is always putting something in his mouth, like most babies,” she laughs. “He knows me already, even though we haven’t had him that long, and when the owner is riding him in a lesson, he likes to slow down or stop by wherever I am sitting in the ring just to say hello.” Degele is excited to see what else Don Fredo has to bring this season, along with the other horses and clients she has in training.
Degele trains with Lars Petersen on a consistent basis, and has two clients’ horses staying at his barn for the Florida winter season. Degele trained with Hubertus Schmidt in Germany for 3 years, and tries to attend clinics regularly with both Schmidt and Olympian Steffen Peters. Degele is based year round out of her Mesa Farms in Loxahatchee, Florida and has several adult amateur clients’ horses in training for the season, including one who flies her horse back and forth from England for the season.
For more information on Degele, visit her website at www.heididressage.com
