The verdict is in! After careful consideration of the jury and public votes, the winner of our 2021 Hippomundo Award is Madeleine Winter-Schulze who was nominated for her contribution to the sport as one of the biggest owners of both showjumping and dressage horses. Hippomundo had the chance to catch up with Madeleine Winter-Schulze to present her with the award and ask her a couple of questions.
Approximately how many horses do you currently own?
I currently own around 65 horses in dressage and jumping combined. That includes all the horses from foals to retired horses. I have a few showjumpers here in my stable and a large number of my horses are of course with Ludger Beerbaum, where they are ridden by him and his team. They include great riders like Philipp Weishaupt and Christian Kukuk. Most of my dressage horses are in training at Isabell Werth's stable. The three and four-year-olds are first carefully tested by Isabell and Ludger, in free jumping, for example, before they are then taken to Ludger's stable for further training.
However, I also have a very good rider at my own stable who has been working for me for 30 years. Here, the horses are first lunged and broken in until they are ready for the next step. Of course, this applies equally to show jumpers and dressage horses. Although, I don't have as many home-bred dressage horses as showjumpers. Of course, all this is a lot of work, but it gives me immense pleasure.
If you had to choose one of the Olympic disciplines, which would you choose?
For dressage AND jumping. This is a very difficult question to answer. Whether it's to watch or to ride myself, I would still go with both disciplines, I can't decide. I regularly visit my riders and it's the same here at home at the stables: when I watch the four-year olds being trained and when the show jumpers do their first jumps. One rides like this, the other like this - both are fun. And when Ludger comes over and helps us with good advice and tips, then of course it's especially fun. But as I said, I couldn't decide.
How close is the relationship and the communication between you and the riders who ride your horses?
Well, at my own yard I am of course in close contact with my riders on a daily basis. I employ one for jumping and one for dressage. This relationship is very important for both parties. For example, if a horse is not quite right. The feeling in the saddle is always something different than what you see from the ground and as a rider you can tell if the horse is not in a good mood today.
I have a huge friendship with Isabell, just like with Ludger, and also with their families, to which I feel I belong.
When was the last time you sat on a horse?
It must have been 6 or even 7 years ago. I was riding in the arena with the thought in my mind that I was going to quit, and I got off the horse and said to myself, "That's it!" And then I never got on again. If you're not doing it with passion, you end up experimenting and getting angry in the end. At my age I might fall off and end up seriously injuring myself a lot quicker, so I thought it better to quit.
Do you still often travel to the shows where your horses compete?
I love to go to Riesenbeck, where Ludger Beerbaum organises great shows, and I also love to go with Isabell and the dressage horses. Mostly because both of them are like family to me. I try to plan my visits regularly and in equal parts. Of course, the nicest thing is a show like Aachen, where I have the opportunity to watch dressage and show jumping on the same grounds. That's exhausting and exciting, but then they're both riding and I don't have to drive back and forth.
But when I'm not accompanying them at a show, I also like to go with my staff to look at the young horses in the neighbourhood. I really enjoy being on the road.
I s there anything else in the equestrian world that you would like to achieve or that you would like to experience?
There are the championships, of course, and I have also been to the Olympics several times. Actually, I just like to be present at the events that are important to my riders and keep my fingers crossed, because I know what they are capable of and appreciate the equestrian and especially the human aspect. That's why I'm always happy to be there.
