Unbelievable, but true: Richard Vogel notched up his fourth victory this week here at Aachen in the Final of the Sparkassen-Youngsters-Cup (in addition to four further top placings). He has high hopes for the future for the horse that made it possible.

Richard Vogel had brought the eight-year-old KWPN gelding, Levi Noesar, to Aachen with him for the Sparkassen-Youngsters-Cup, a Zirocco Blue son, bred by Jur Vrieling, the former team World and European Champion from the Netherlands and the rider of Zirocco Blue. They came second in the first of the three competitions in total, fifth in the second class and then today the chestnut gelding, showed his full potential. The pair sped around the jump-off course to cross the finish line in 42.93 seconds. The only rider, who could have stolen the victory from him was Ben Maher (GBR) with the OS gelding, Corlander, who were the last to go in the jump-off. They won the first competition and afterwards Maher had praised the star qualities of the Cornet Colbert son, which he also demonstrated today. Although they weren’t faster than Vogel and Levi Noesar, they were certainly close at their heels (42.93 seconds). Third place went to the just seven-year-old Zangersheide-bred mare, Marieke Z Santa Rosa by Moncler van Overis under the Canadian rider, Erynn Ballard. The pair took 43.78 seconds to complete the course.

Richard Vogel said about Levi Noesar: “He was schooled by Nina Piasecki before he came to me. He is jointly owned by Mario Piasecki and Patrick Mielnik. They then decided that on his way into top sport we would perhaps make a good match. I started riding him in December, but we consciously didn’t take him to America with us, because we wanted to bring him on gently and so I didn’t actually start competing with him until April.” His first international results since then are impressive: Three shows, eight competitions, eight placings and he didn’t pick up a single fault. And the success story has continued in Aachen: “We are, of course, delighted that he has jumped clear on all three days here in Aachen and winning the Final was the icing on the cake.” That is a statement in itself about the quality of the horse. Especially considering the tough competition he was up against. Over half of the participants had qualified for the jump-off, 17 of the 30 horses and 15 of these jumped clear again.

The Sparkasse donates a special prize for the rider with the highest combined score from all three competitions: a promising foal with an excellent jumping pedigree. This year a Rhineland-bred filly that descends from Christian Ahlmann’s aspiring star, Dourkhan Hero Z out of a Canturo dam. The breeder is Peter Chorus from Aachen. And its new owner is Richard Vogel. The plan for his newcomer? “Rear him, then train him!” Perhaps the young lady will return to the Soers in a few years’ time.