The next farewell in Aachen: eventing rider Ingrid Klimke officially said farewell to her former successful horse Hale Bob as part of the CHIO.
Between 2015 and 2019, she won two European Championship golds with him, both in the individual and in the team. With Hale Bob, she was also part of the German eventing team that won Olympic silver in Rio 2016.
“I could always rely on you, and I knew, Bobby, that you would give everything for me,” said Klimke, who said goodbye to the horse on Saturday before the eventing Nations’ Prize award ceremony: “You have been my greatest teacher and you gave me many wonderful moments of happiness.”
Together with stable manager Carmen Thiemann and former national coach Hans Melzer, Klimke then led Hale Bob out of the stadium.
The riding master herself could not compete at this year’s CHIO, an injury to her stallion Franziskus prevented her from participating for a short time. Show jumper Simone Blum, world champion of 2018, said goodbye to her horse Alice in front of a large audience in Aachen on Thursday.