The perfect horse
Dressage rider Kristina Bröring-Sprehe talks about her way to Olympic victory.
Her grandfather was a horse breeding enthusiast and riding instructor, father Paul ran the family own stud for decades. So it is not a surprise that Kristina Bröring-Sprehe has dedicated her life to horseback riding. She says: „It all started when my twin sister and I got our first pony when we were four years old. Since then this passion has never left us.“
„I got my first pony when I was four years old.“
Whether it is Pony Nathan, Pony stallion Diddi Keeps Cool NRW or the horses Wyoming and Rose Noir, Royal Flash or Donnerball: Kristina grew up with horses. And the horses grew with her. At the age of 12 she decided to become a dressage rider. Since then she is riding in lockstep with her horses from success to success.
Backing the right horse
One important factor in her career was that she always had the perfect partner at her side. „At what ever stage my personal development was, I always had the matching horse“, says Kristina Bröring-Sprehe in retrospective. „My father, with all his knowledge, always paid attention that we were a good team and collectively had fun riding.“
Seven European Championship medals on four horses
From her pony club days to becoming a "young rider", Kristina won seven European Championship medals on four different horses. In 2010 she took on the exceptional stallion Desperados FRH, about whom she said: "At home he was very affectionate. At shows he could sometimes be a bit macho. But in competitions he knew how to concentrate."
Olympic victory in Rio
Alongside her new companion Desperados Kristina Bröring-Sprehe managed to step out on the really big stage. 2012 she took part in the London Olympic Games and won the silver medal in the team event. At the World Equestrian Games in the Normandy she became world champion with the German team – 2016 she led the world ranking with „Despi“ for the first time.
„Horses are good teachers.“
At the Olympic Games in Rio 2016 came the team gold medal and in addition to that Kristina and Desperados won the bronze medal in the individual competition. What were the deciding factors that got her to this point? „Diligence, ambition, and a lot of discipline“, says the Olympic Champion, „but the fun should not be left aside. In this instance horses are good teachers.“
Future with „Destiny“
In lockstep to progress: this is how one could describe Kristina’s career. If her horse understands what she demands, this is the most beautiful feeling for her. And meanwhile this happens on „Destiny“ – the talented son of Desperados FRH, that is about to step into the horseshoe steps of his famous father.
