HX Magazine 2024 | Edition 2

claimed four team gold medals at the European Championships.
In the office at Riesenbeck, trophy cabinets serve as a testament
to some of the exceptional achievements of Ludger Beerbaum,
who was named Rider of the Year multiple times. Ludger can no
longer ask his parents, but he doubts whether they were truly
proud of his achievements. “They were supportive, but I think
deep down they always would have preferred if I had chosen a
proper job instead of the ‘gypsy lifestyle’ as a rider.”
More than riding
One of Ludger’s most cherished achievements is the gold
medal he won at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona,
riding the phenomenal Classic Touch. “The successes have
been incredible, but they’ve always come with their share of
challenges: disappointments, setbacks, and injuries. In the end,
you learn the most from those moments.
What I’m most proud of is that I’ve managed to earn a living as a
rider. I’ve been able to bring the right people into my circle, like
Madeleine Winter-Schulze, who has supported me since 1994
and feels like family. She has been a key factor in my career,
providing the financial support to not only sustain my own horses
but also keep a few for my riders.”
One of the finest examples of this is, of course, Checker 47, with
whom Christian Kukuk won individual gold in Paris. “I’ve always
strived to work with horses as efficiently as possible. That’s a
mindset I’ve had since my upbringing as a farmer’s son. When
you own cows, you do everything you can to ensure their milk
production is as high as possible. Proper care is essential for
that. The same principle applies to horses. My goal has always
been to do everything necessary to help horses reach their full
potential and increase their value. I’ve always worked with the
utmost respect for horses. Nowadays, there’s a lot of discussion
about horse welfare, and it’s good that this topic has gained
awareness. It’s our responsibility as riders to explain why we do
what we do and how we do it. But we also need to be honest:
everyone makes mistakes, and I am no exception. That’s why it’s
so important to regularly reflect on what we do. Fortunately, a lot
has improved over the years. When I first started with horses, they
were standing in stands day and night. It’s hard to imagine that
now! Working with horses can be incredibly beneficial because
they have so much to offer our society, especially in the digital
world we live in today. It requires a unique bond between rider
and horse. And the fact that our sport allows men and women to
compete on equal footing makes it even more attractive.”
Commitment
An illustrious list of top riders has learned the ropes at Ludger’s
stable. Just to name a few: Marco Kutscher, Christian Kukuk,
Henrik von Eckermann, Philipp Weishaupt, Richard Vogel. “I’ve
been very lucky with the riders here. It’s always a matter of give
and take, and in a good partnership, both parties benefit. It’s
not so much that I’m constantly in the arena giving instructions,
but rather that the riders here can learn a lot by keeping their
eyes and ears open. We learn from each other, and we work
here with the same goal in mind. In our sport, talent is not the
most important thing: commitment and focus definitely are. If
you look at the current top ten riders, you’ll see how different
their riding styles are, yet they all prove to be very successful
with different horses. The same goes for the horses, I’ve ridden
many different ones, and it’s their intrinsic qualities that make the
difference. Coping with pressure is a huge challenge for both
rider and horse in our sport.” One of the riders who has also
learned a lot about Ludger’s training and management is Michel
Hendrix. About fifteen years ago, he went to Riesenbeck. “From
day one, I had a very good chemistry with Emile Hendrix. We
share the same values and, of course, we have often competed
against each other. To this day, we still regularly ask each other
for our opinions, and it was a natural decision for me to have his
nephew Michel come here to learn. Michel stayed for about a
year and a half, and he still keeps close contact with the riders
who were here.”
“The people in your circle
make all the difference”
Succession
The business in Riesenbeck has grown steadily over the
years, as have Ludger's activities as a top entrepreneur. How
everything will continue in the future is not entirely clear yet.
“My son Alexander is indirectly involved in the horse industry
through his work for ClipMyHorse, and my 16- and 14-year-old
daughters Cecilia Sophia and Mathilde are performing well as
riders in the junior classes. Of course, I can’t wait to see what the
future brings for them, but I don’t want to push them too much.
In about ten years, I envision myself playing a more advisory
role and handing over the leadership of the business to others
when the time is right. I believe that in the next decade, my role
will evolve into one where I can help with strategic decisions
but leave the hands-on management to others. And of course, I
will continue to enjoy the horses and the equestrian sport every
day”, concludes Ludger.
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8 | Heroes of our time