Diamond Fritz, a former international Grand Prix horse, has passed away at age 31 at his home in the U.K. The Oldenburg gelding carried numerous riders into the FEI ring throughout his life. He was a 1994 born Oldenburg by Donnerhall out of Gala and was first competed as a 3-year old in 1997 by Dirk Seewald. He was put into training with Holga and Birgit Finken and made his show debut in 1998, finishing second at the Bundeschampionate.
After being sold to Dr. Jorge de la Rocha from Brazil, Diamond Fritz was shown at small tour level in 2004 and moved up to Grand Prix level in 2005. In 2007, Bianca Kasselmann rode him at the CDI Wattens and some national shows in Germany. He was then sold to the Pidgley family in the U.K., where he was initially ridden by British young rider Amber De Savary before being acquired by Toni Terry as her FEI level schoolmaster.
Toni Terry debuted Diamond Fritz in May 2010 at elementary level and competed him through small tour level until 2013. He did his last show at Vicky Thompson’s Oldencraig stable in October 2013 before being retired from sport. Diamond Fritz spent his retirement at Thompson’s new stable Highview in the U.K., where he was remembered as a wonderful horse who taught Terry from a beginner in dressage to her first Grand Prix four years later.
