After just a three and a half month stint in America, 20-Year-Old AQHA European Champion, Leonie Behrens of Fintel, Germany quickly made an impression in the show ring.
This talented amateur rider decided to take a break between high school and college and contacted a couple of leading All-Around trainers in the states. Behrens arrived in the states right before the AQHA World Championship Show in November and left after the Arizona Sun Circuit Circuit in February.
“I had always planned on staying at a trainer’s for couple of weeks to look behind the scenes and broaden my knowledge,” Behrens told GoHorseShow.com. “But, when I was in school, I never had enough time especially, because I did not want to miss a horse show.”
Behrens adds, “I was very impressed by different videos, and the winning runs I watched of Bruce Vickery, and his clients like Kathryn Gorsuch when she won the Youth World in the Trail in 2009. When I called him, he told me I could come, and, basically, then, I booked a flight. Before I got there, I had no idea what to expect, and I think it wasn’t easy for my parents to let me leave considering what little information I had. The more I think about it– the more I find myself very lucky with how everything worked out.”
Behrens said her experience showing and riding in America was a blast.
“Riding-wise I learned so much; I got to ride with one of the best trainer and got to ride awesome horses and World Champions; I got to travel through the states and went to shows in Oklahoma, Scottsdale and Tampa, and got to look behind the scenes everywhere. Riding with Bruce and his assistant, Brad Ost, was great and very instructive. Before I got there, I had no idea how brilliant Bruce actually was with horses.”
In addition to the riding part, Behrens said she learned a lot about people, life and even about herself. Being so far away from home for several months, Behrens matured and grew as an individual and rider. Leonie said that she loves to practice riding and that Bruce and Brad enjoyed making fun of her because she never wanted to get off the horses.
“Before I went to Bruce’s and to those shows, I only watched everything from the internet– like the latest GoMag issues, and it always seemed to be a very foreign and glamorous world. I really enjoyed discovering everything and being a little part of it. I got to meet so many adorable and very special people and personalities. It was a pleasure to get to know so many people that share the passion for Quarter Horses and love showing as much as I do.”
During her stay, Leonie, fell in love with one of Bruce’s client’s horses, Prinzziples N Cash (Cash). Cash’s owner, the Davis Family, allowed her to show him at the Arizona Sun Circuit. She was able to show Cash with a AQHA Novice Amateur Permit. Cash and Leonie won the Horsemanship five times and ended up first in the overall placings.
“It was an incredibly stunning time. I also really enjoyed being there with a whole barn, everybody supported each other and cheered everyone on,” Behrens fondly recalls. “When I was practicing with Cash at the outside pen in Arizona, the sun was going down and I was looking at the breathtaking landscape–that was when I felt very fortunate to just be there and compete.”
Trainer Bruce Vickery said that he misses Leonie and that it was a privilege to work with her. “She is such a good person and good sport. She was absolutely delightful to work with–she was always upbeat and had an incredible personality and lots of drive.”
“She is the first person from another country that I was able to ride with,” Brad Ost said, who is an assistant trainer at Bruce Vickery Quarter Horses. “I was extremely impressed with her talent with the horses. We had an awesome experience with her showing at the Sun Circuit, and we were very excited that she was able to do so well at such a big show.”
While Behrens may not be well known in America, she has already developed a name for herself on the AQHA European horse circuit. In 2008, Behrens had the honor to show at the Youth World Cup in Ontario Canada for the German Team. She said it was a great experience and a huge success since they were Reserve World Champions behind the American Team.
Jumping, Dressage and english events are very well known in Europe, but western events are still catching on in this part of the world. Despite the fact that everything is smaller (riding wise) and not as much developed as in the states, the business is improving, getting bigger, more riders are competing and are getting more ambitious, patterns are getting more demanding and shows are getting more attractive. All in all, Behrens says it is a lot of fun to show in Germany.
Her favorite equine accomplishment was winning the 2008 European Championship in Youth Hunter under Saddle with her equine partner, Ima Cool Boy (Sam) (pictured left). “I was already crying and shaking when I knew we were top three. It did not just make me that happy because it is the biggest accomplishment in Europe but also because Sam and me won the preliminaries the year before and had bad luck and a bad go in the final which was really disappointing,” she said. “Coming back one year later and winning it finally was an incredible feeling. All the hard work and effort paid off, and I was very proud of him.”
This month, Leonie, will begin a new chapter in her life by attending college for Business Psychology. She also plans to continue showing at all the major circuits and the European as well as the German Championship Show. “After I had some bad luck in the past with my other horse, Invy My Principles, I want us to finally become a team. He has been very good and promising–the few times I’ve been able to ride him since I’ve been back home. I am very excited about showing him again. I am also definitely planning on going back to the states soon for a visit, and, certainly, I would love to show there again.”
Click here to view Leonie’s ad in the March 2011 issue of GoMag. Ad by Dasi.
Thanks to Jeff Kirkbride and Annalina Behrens for providing these great pictures.
