Quater Back Junior FRH (VA) by Quaterback/Bonheur
Year of birth: 2009
Breeder: Gerd Janssen, Neuschoo
Rider: Nicolas Wagner-Ehlinger/LUX
Three years ago, Quater Back Junior FRH and Nicolas Wagner-Ehlinger made history when they became the first Luxembourgers to compete in dressage at the Olympic Games. Now they are repeating this success.
Nicolas Wagner-Ehlinger discovered the chestnut gelding with Klaus Balkenhol. The rider from Luxembourg made his apprenticeship as a Bereiter in Rosendahl at the time and Quater Back Junior FRH had been sent from Spain for training by his owners at the time. They had discovered the chestnut gelding at the 2009 foal auction in Verden and raised him under the Spanish sun. ‘When I saw him for the first time, he was quite small, thin and somewhat inconspicuous, but incredibly spirited,’ says the 32-year-old, describing his first encounter with the then five-year-old. Nevertheless, he immediately took a liking to the chestnut and bought him.
By the time Quater Back Junior FRH had returned to Germany, he had already celebrated success in tests for young dressage horses in Spain. However, Nicolas Wagner-Ehlinger first had to steer the temperament of his current successful horse in the right direction. Jumping out of the dressage arena is now history and the two are highly successful.
In 2016, Quater Back Junior FRH took part in the World Championships for seven-year-old dressage horses in Ermelo/NED and finished in a brilliant tenth place. Three years and numerous top placings later, he took part in the European Championships in Rotterdam/NED. The Olympic Games in Tokyo/JPN were followed by the European Championships in Hagen/GER in the same year. Quater Back Junior FRH and Nicolas Wagner-Ehlinger also took part in the 2023 European Championships, this time in Riesenbeck/GER. “Quater Back Junior FRH is very intelligent and attentive. He brings a lot of positive energy with him, which makes him incredibly expressive and strong in movement. He simply gives you a fantastic feeling!’ says Nicolas Wagner-Ehlinger.
Quater Back Junior FRH was born in East Frisia and was the seventh foal of the mare Bonita, a representative of the dam line of Pinie. ‘Even as a foal, he was very noble and strong-moving!’ recalls his breeder Gerd Janssen. He exhibited the foal with the head number 129 at the Verden foal auction. “The fact that Quater Back Junior FRH has qualified for the Olympics is absolutely amazing! Who has ever had a horse from their own breeding programme at the Olympic Games? We are very happy about it!’, the breeder had proudly said before the first Olympic appearance.
