What is your earliest equestrian memory?

My parents owned a riding holiday business in Hanover, so I grew up around horses. I started off doing a bit of everything, some eventing, show jumping and dressage. Horses have always been a way of life for me and my family. 

How did you get into the breeding side of the sport? Has it always interested you?

I was 14 years old when I started breeding. I had a talented mare called Pistazie who had very good pedigree, but she got injured in the field. So, I decided to start breeding from her. A lot of the horses that I breed now still have her lineage.

As a breeder, what is your main ambition?

I think that with breeding the quality of the horse has to improve and adapt with the sport. But, in my opinion it is equally important to breed a healthy horse and for me these are the main elements of breeding. If you have a horse that has a lot of quality but is not healthy, it is such a shame. But if you have a healthy horse that does not have so much quality, it is fine, as there always people that want to compete at a lower level. Breeding nowadays is so sporty, and we now rarely breed a horse that cannot jump in 1.30-1.45m classes. I always try to find the best combination between the mare and the stallion. Nowadays, there are so many stallions at stud, so it is a hard choice. But it is one of the most important parts of breeding a good horse.

As a breeder, what is the proudest moment of your career so far?

I have bred so many horses that it is hard to pick just one horse. It is always great to breed a proven stallion, but we have also had lot of horses that have been very successful at the international level and that have competed all over the world. My biggest dream would be to breed a championship horse and, to further that dream, to have Gerrit riding it.

Has there ever been a time when pairings have had unexpected results?

I think that the mother’s dam is extremely important, and if I am honest, I will not breed with a mare that I do not think is good enough. I have been in breeding for over 40 years, and I have been lucky enough to ride a lot of the mares and stallions that I use for breeding so I know which horses would be best suited together. So, for that reason I have never really had any unexpected results.

How long do you keep the foal before it goes on to its next home or before you break it in?

We actually do not sell any of the foals – the earliest that we sell them is when they are in the end of their second year or when they are three years old. When they are this age, we will do some loose jumping with them so that we can see their talent, and we will also get a full vet check with x-rays. We then decide which mares will go to stud to have a foal before they are fully broken in. However, we do some work with these mares before they have their foals so that they have had some education. Once these mares have had their foals, they will go back to the sports stable around four years old.

How many horses are you breeding during the year?

In the last five years, we have bred between 20 and 30 foals each year.

Tell us a little bit about Gut Berl – it appears to be a real family operation?

Gut Berl is a big property. There are two stables on the property – one where we keep the sports horses and the other is the breeding stables. The stables that we keep the horses in work has 60 stalls and the breeding stables has two big indoor stable blocks where we keep the yearlings, broodmares, and foals. We have about 80 hectares of land so there is plenty of space for the horses to graze and be turned out. 

We have one extremely good vet for the breeding side of the business. He has been with Gut Berl for over 20 years and is local to the area. I think that he probably knows the mother, grandmother, and even the great-grandmother of the foals that we have at the moment. We trust him implicitly and he is a close family friend – we work very closely with him with all aspects of the breeding programme.

Then we have two staff who take care of the mares and foals at the breeding stables. At the sports stables, where we have 60 horses, we have more staff. I think we have four or five home riders, some show riders, grooms, a stable manager and then the family is very involved. It is a big team, and we are like family.

Which of your young horses are you most excited about?

We have a quite a few very young horses that I think could be very exciting between the age of five and eight years old, but they must now prove their talent and we need to see how good they can actually be. We have a very nice nine-year-old, called Amigo 1841. Gerrit is riding the horse at the moment, and he actually rode him at CHIO Aachen, as well. We have a lot of faith and hope in this horse. It is hard to pick just one horse at the moment – but it is always so exciting to watch them grow and develop. Unfortunately, we do also have to sell some of the horses, and it is always easier to sell the good horses that we would like to keep!

You must be extremely proud of Gerrit and Ben 431 winning the Rolex Grand Prix at this year's CHIO Aachen?

I am so proud of them. It truly is a dream come true. The season had already been successful but winning a Rolex Grand Prix at a Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Major is always something very special and something that not many riders achieve. I think we will always look back at that day and get goosebumps.

In the beginning, the biggest problem with Ben 431 was getting him under control and to make sure that he focused on the rider. We wanted to nurture this keenness and his love for his job, but we also had to make sure that he was working with Gerrit. Through this, Gerrit and Ben 431 have created a strong foundation, off which they have built their successes.

How positive do you believe the Rolex Grand Slam is for the sport of show jumping?

The Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping is so unique, as it combines four shows that have so much tradition. These four shows were always something that were a big deal to win back before the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping was formed. The prize money is phenomenal, and it is so important for show jumping. Everyone always remembers who won CHIO Aachen every year – in my opinion I think the Majors are now getting very close to championship status.

Out of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping's four Majors, which is your favourite, and why?

I am German so I have to say CHIO Aachen. To me it is the biggest and the best of the four Majors, and of course now it is even more special since Gerrit’s win there. But of course, if you ask a Canadian, they will say the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’.

The next target for Gerrit and Ben 431 is the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’. They have had a great season thus far and it would be amazing if they can continue that form in Calgary. Ben 431 has had an easy few weeks since CHIO Aachen, he has done a lot of hacking through the woods and has been out in the paddocks – horses aren’t robots and it is so important to keep them happy and enjoying their job. He did some smaller classes last week and he is now preparing for the next Major.

Who has inspired you the most throughout your career?

Herbert Meyer, who was the German Chef d’Equipe from 1985 until the 2000 Olympic Games, which were held in Sydney. My first job was riding for him at his stables – I think I was either 16 or 17 years old. That is where I learnt all the basics, as well as so much more! He was the person that I would always go to for advice and someone I always looked up to. I have also always been inspired by other great riders. I make sure that I keep my eyes open and watch the best – you can always learn more and get better.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

The best piece of advice that I have been given is if you believe in something, especially in a horse, you have to keep believing in it and working with it even if you are having a hard time. If you truly believe in the horse, you will eventually achieve success with it and you will get the results that you want.

What are your plans, dreams and ambitions for 2022?

We’ve got some shows in Kentucky we’ll be doing over the rest of 2022, as well as a little bit of training with the horses at home and preparations for the winter season in Wellington. So we don’t have too many big, big things planned for the end of this year. We'll just keep going where we're going and keep practicing and keep training.

What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?

I would say the proudest moment was probably jumping in my first Grand Prix last summer. It was a 2* Grand Prix, so it was good to get involved in the international scene and jump in the FEI categories.

The experience really opened my eyes and helped me start to see that ‘this is a possibility for me doing this now, and in the future I’ll be jumping even bigger classes’. 

You recently received The Gillian Wilson Trophy after being named Junior Equestrian of the Year – how did that make you feel?

It made me feel good, it’s a great accomplishment. It's always pleasing to be recognised in a positive manner, but the most important thing is to keep going forward and keep just doing what we're doing so we can keep having positive results moving forward.

When did your love for show jumping start, and who has inspired you the most throughout your career?

My family's always been big into horses, so I have always been around them growing up as a kid. But I first started really getting into it when I was about 11 or 12 years old. I started really, really enjoying the horses and all the aspects of the sport. Jumping was something I really wanted to try and have a go at, so I did and haven't stopped since!

As for people who inspired me, my mum has always been there. She's been involved since the the very beginning and has always been a big supporter of my career. Even if it's not a good day or not the best round she's positive and she gives me valuable feedback. So I’d probably say my mum is my biggest inspiration throughout my career.

What attributes do you believe a successful show jumper needs?

I think a successful show jumper has got to have really big ambitions and have a solid love and passion for this sport.

The sport isn’t the easiest at times, so they’ve got to have a really good drive to keep going and keep pushing.

There's going to be a lot more bad days than good days in this sport, so you’ve got to take the good ones while you can. Just keep moving and keep working while something might not be working out, because in the end you will have some good days. Those are the ones you've got to focus on.

Tell us a little bit about your stable of horses – which ones are you most excited about?

We've got a really cool young horse right now, named Chicago. We've had him for about six months now and he's still a little green still, but he's really showing a lot of potential. He's got a very good jump to him, so I think he could possibly be a horse for the future. Time will tell with that one.

How important is your team – your groom, your farrier, your coach, your vet, your owner?

The team is very important, it’s number one. If you don't have a good team, you won’t get very far in the sport. With the day-to-day activities with the horses, our groom, Jo Watson, is incredible. She manages all of the horses and takes care of them.

It's also important to have good vets, farriers, coaches, all of those integral people. If you don't have the proper team, it's hard to get much done, but once you have people to fill those positions and work together, it's amazing what you can accomplish.

What do you love most about show jumping? Competing, the camaraderie with the other riders, travelling the world…

I'm a very competitive person, so I always enjoyed that side of the sport, but having that connection with the horses and being able to work with them - it's something you can't really find in any other sport.

There are no other sports where you have to work with a different animal with a different brain, so I find that part of the sport very interesting. There are so many different ways you can go about it and approach the sport that you never stop learning. There's always something to learn.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

I would say best piece of advice would be to think about the long-term in this sport. I think sometimes people get stuck on what goes on day to day, and they start to forget what could come as long as they keep sticking at it. You make a plan and you work on it every day, and in a couple months you'll be able to see the results

As a young rider, do you feel there are enough opportunities for up-and-coming riders in the sport?

I think there are lots of good series and some more shows popping up all the time. For example, the U25 circuit in Wellington is great. There are even more junior and young rider Nations Cups starting up around North America, which is nice. It gives us a good opportunity to ride on teams and have that experience.

The only struggle I see for young riders in the sport nowadays is the cost of everything. It’s hard to grasp that side of things.

You must have been really pleased with your performance with Cactus de Cosniere at Spruce Meadows in June. I was over the moon with the horse, it was an unreal experience. It was amazing just to be jumping in that ring, let alone getting a result. That's a very good horse that’s just been coming along slowly over the past two years, and now he's starting to be a real star in show jumping.

In your opinion, why is Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ such a special place?

The grounds are amazing, it's an unreal property. The care they have there of maintaining the show grounds is incredible. What’s more, the actual courses, the jumps, everything is top class. And the atmosphere! When you walk into that International Ring, it's just an unreal feeling.

How positive do you believe the Rolex Grand Slam has been for the sport of show jumping?

I think it's had really big impact on show jumping, it brings in a lot of spectators to our sport. It really gives top riders something to go for and something to really drive their ambition

Away from the sport, what do you love to do?

I like to be outside and exercise a little bit.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I try to wake as early as I can every morning, but each day looks a little bit different and they're not necessarily structured. I spend a little bit of time in the afternoons finishing schoolwork, but I ride every day from Tuesday to Sunday.

The world’s best horse and rider combinations will once again journey to what is often considered North American’s premier equestrian venue. Located in the foothills of the Alberta Rocky Mountains, the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’, held from 7-11 September 2022, provides spectators with not only spectacular views but also first-class equestrian competition, shopping, and entertainment. The highlight and main draw for many passionate equestrian fans will be the CP ‘International’, presented by Rolex, which will be held on Sunday 11 September.

Aside from the world class show jumping, the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ provides spectators with a host of activities to keep the whole family entertained. Through the Tournament the MARKT will provide opportunities for those who love shopping to get hold of everything, from original fine art to locally made products, from its 70 different stalls. In addition, equine inspired demonstrations and live entertainment will also take place daily. Throughout the week members of the public will also be able to visit members of the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) Mounted Troop, Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, both situated in East and West Meadows.

Thursday will see the start of the 5* jumping classes both the ATCO Cup and the CANA Cup being held in the spectacular International Ring. Both classes provide the first chance for riders to qualify for the CP ‘International’, presented by Rolex on the Sunday.

Friday celebrates the Westjet Evening of the Horse. Attendees can expect to be fully entertained by world class show jumping, music and fireworks. The evening will commence with the 1.60m Tourmaline Oil Cup, in which the top horse and rider combinations will battle it out for the esteemed title. Following this will be the ATCO Electric Six Bar class, which sees riders jumping six fences set in a straight line, with each fence getting higher and higher. Fans will also be eager to find out the winning names for the 2022 edition of Name the Foal, presented by TELUS. The evening will be concluded with live music, a performance from the Musical Band of the Household Cavalry and equine demonstrations.

On Saturday, Spruce Meadows will once again host ‘British Day’ with special appearances from the Members of Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery who will be in full military dress to celebrate the day. The Suncor Winning Round is the first of the 5* competitions in the International Ring which will be followed by the Parade of Nations and the official opening of British Day. Teams made up for four horses and riders represent a variety of different countries in the BMO Nations’ Cup, the final class of the evening.

All eyes will be focused on one thing on Sunday, the CP ‘International’, presented by Rolex. The world’s most elite horse and rider combinations will be in attendance to compete for this prestigious title and etch their names into the history books of the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’. Germany’s Gerrit Nieberg journeys to Canada with hopes of continuing his quest for the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping title.