The now 15 years old gelding, Castello 194 (v. Cristallo I) is to enjoy his retirement. After giving many successes to Henrik von Eckermann, Evelina Tovek and at last to Maria Elisa Conceicao Gonzaga, the time has come to say goodbye to the sport.
As a seven year old, Cristallo entered the jumping scene under Christian Ahlmann but was shortly after passed on to Kaya Ehning, who took him to his first 4* events and jumped Grand Prix's up to 1.60m heights. After half a year together, the gelding was spotted by Evelina Tovek.
The Swedish rider took over the reins in the beginning of 2017 and celebrated their first victory together in the CSI5* 1.60m GCT Grand Prix of Rome. In June 2018, her trainer Henrik von Eckermann came into the picture. Their only second jumping together already led to a first place in the 5* NC 1.60m class of Sopot, Poland. Tovek and Castello stayed together, with some interruptions by von Eckermann, until early 2019.
Von Eckermann only formed a close partnership from the beginning of 2020 up until September of that same year. The gelding then moved to Brazil, where both Maria Elisa Conceicao Gonzaga and André America De Miranda sat in the saddle.
"He thought me so much, he really deserves a last homage. He really deserves it all", we here from the Brazilian rider.
In total, the grey gelding gathered 435.141 euro in prize money and was six times on the podium of the big classes. Last year, in 2022, 71,4% of the classes he entered in, where ended by clear rounds.
At Equnews, we wish the gelding the best of his retirement and lots of love and fresh grass.
As a seven year old, Cristallo entered the jumping scene under Christian Ahlmann but was shortly after passed on to Kaya Ehning, who took him to his first 4* events and jumped Grand Prix's up to 1.60m heights. After half a year together, the gelding was spotted by Evelina Tovek.
The Swedish rider took over the reins in the beginning of 2017 and celebrated their first victory together in the CSI5* 1.60m GCT Grand Prix of Rome. In June 2018, her trainer Henrik von Eckermann came into the picture. Their only second jumping together already led to a first place in the 5* NC 1.60m class of Sopot, Poland. Tovek and Castello stayed together, with some interruptions by von Eckermann, until early 2019.
Von Eckermann only formed a close partnership from the beginning of 2020 up until September of that same year. The gelding then moved to Brazil, where both Maria Elisa Conceicao Gonzaga and André America De Miranda sat in the saddle.
"He thought me so much, he really deserves a last homage. He really deserves it all", we here from the Brazilian rider.
In total, the grey gelding gathered 435.141 euro in prize money and was six times on the podium of the big classes. Last year, in 2022, 71,4% of the classes he entered in, where ended by clear rounds.
At Equnews, we wish the gelding the best of his retirement and lots of love and fresh grass.