Hoffmann’s Boys Collect Blue at Pebble Beach
Reprinted from the July 23, 2004 Issue of the Chronicle of the Horse.
by Nicole Lever
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Jennifer Hoffmann loves her boys, and they both delivered blue ribbons at the Pebble Beach CDI*** and open show.
Herzberg and Pik’s Pride, both stallions, earned small-tour scores in the high 60s and low 70s, Herzberg in the CDI division and Pik’s Pride in the open show at the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center, Pebble Beach, Calif., July 8 – 11.
“I was just delighted with Herzberg,” said Hoffmann. “He was very clean, very correct, and I was able to push some of the movements to up my scores. We got 9s on our canter pirouettes; they were beautifully on the spot.”
Hoffmann rode in Germany for 12 years, where she earned her Bereiter FN status and met her husband, Jürgen Hoffmann. The couple now live in Carlsbad, Calif., and stand the stallions at their training farm, German Dressage
Herzberg, a dark bay Trakehner, has all the qualities that the Hoffmanns seek in their breeding stallions.
“They must have rideability, quality of character, and, of course, the movement and the talent,” said Jürgen. “We really focus on horses who have beautiful minds, because the beautiful movement doesn’t mean much if the mind’s not there.”
Jennifer said she really enjoys riding Herzberg because, as a lady rider without a tremendous amount of strength, Herzberg “is quick to the aids, with a little more go,” she said. “The French judge, Jean-Michel Roudier,” commented that he really liked the horse’s forward style and that he liked the risks I took in my Prix St. Georges test.”
Pik’s Pride, 8, a truly black Oldenburg, showed in his first Prix St. Georges at Pebble Beach to earn a 68.75 percent, despite being tired from consecutive days of showing. “What he did for me today is one of the many reasons I really like riding stallions, “ said Jennifer. They will fight for you and never quit if you have them on your side. Having a partnership with a stallion is very rewarding.”
Jennifer also showed Petit Danseur, whom she competed with at the USEF Intermediaire I Championships last month, for the first time at Intermediaire II. They scored above 70 percent in both, earning 7s and 8s on the passage and piaffe.
Photo credit to Nicole Lever.