The German dressage and eventing rider Ingrid Klimke and her horse Hale Bob were an unmistakable team. They had many successes together, now her gelding is retired after an injury at the age of 18. Nevertheless, they look back on a glorious life.
SAP Hale Bob Old has finished four European Championships with four gold and one silver medal. He had won bronze at the 2018 World Championships and silver in Rio at the Olympic Games with the German team. Although the beginning was not so easy.
In 2004, Hale Bob was born on Ulrich Focken’s farm. The breeder is Rolf Lück. He grew up there and at the age of five Bobby moved into Ingrid Klimke’s stable. His pedigree by Helikon xx and his dam’s sire Noble Champion by Noble Roi xx attracted Ingrid’s attention. Her former eventing horse Seacookie also descended from Helikon xx.
When Bobby also impressed with his jumping ability, the matter was clear. And that although the gelding with his big head and narrow neck was not really beautiful. Like most of the horses in Ingrid’s stable, Bobby first went hunting. This is how he learned the appropriate surefootedness and how to canter steadily.
The start in competitions
At the age of six he was placed in the Bundeschampionat for eventing horses. He also collected some successes under Ingrid and Andreas Busacker. Nevertheless, he was not easy. Ingrid even considered giving him away because he was not very rideable in the beginning. Especially in dressage he showed his own will. If Bobby didn’t like a rider, he refused to take the reins and work properly. But if you had him on your side, he would fight for you.
Further successes
Despite Bobby suffering severe colic followed by surgery, he quickly fought his way back and won the Indoor Derby in Stuttgart just six months later.
- 2015: Championships debut of the two in Blair Castle (Scotland), gold with the team and fifth in the individual. At the Badminton Horse Trails (England) they made a fabulous second place.
- 2016: they flew to the Olympic Games in Rio and finished 14th in the individual classes segment, but took the silver medal with the German team.
- 2017: the two became European champions in Strzegom (Poland).
- 2018: the next success at the World Championships in Tyron (USA) was bronze in the individual and with the team they made fifth place.
- 2019: two gold medals at the European Championships in Luhmühlen (Germany).
- 2021: there was the last medal for Bobby in Avenches (Switzerland). With the team they won the silver medal
End of his career
Hale Bob and Ingrid Klimke can look back on a successful history. They have won a total of 19 international competitions. Seven of them were at 4* level. But then Bobby injured himself on the cross-country course at the test event for the World Championships in Pratoni (Italy). Ingrid then announced on 23.05.22 that Hale Bob could retire after the tendon injury had healed. There he will enjoy his life on the pasture.
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Source: Ingrid Klimke
