On Sunday, Otto Becker, guided his team to the first ever Longines League Of Nations Final win. Becker has a particularly strong connection with the ring in Barcelona as this is where he rode his final Nations Cup for Germany back in 2008. “I’m proud and honoured with our win here today!”, he said. “Today was a great day for us!”, added Vogel who is ranked 10th in the world.
He is one of many riders who relies implicitly on the help of his groom who he talked about his evening. “I have to thank Felicia (Wallin). She actually had him mostly in training since Paris. We gave him a bit of time off and we did Spruce (Meadows, Canada) and then another bit of time off. So since Spruce, I was, to be honest, not too much in his saddle and around him because I was in America. She overtook the training and clearly did a pretty good job. So I guess we have to keep it that way now. The plan works!”
He sees Felicia as a vital member of his team. “I'm very glad to have her by my side and the horses are very happy to have her by their side. We've worked together for three and a half/four years now. We're a young team. She is 24 and I am 27 - we are heading in the same direction and we have high hopes for the future. Her and United have a very special bond. If he could pick between me and Felicia, he always goes to Felicia. Their bond is special. She rides him very well. I'm the one that does the flat work that is more educating for him, which is also important. She's the one that goes in the forest with him and gives him a happy time, which I find very important to have the right balance there. Now, since I was away for two weeks, I said not only in the forest for two weeks, but also for work in between - and she did it very well!”, he pointed out.
Special awards
Felicia and the other winning team grooms, Sofie Karlsson, Heidemarie Jaeckel, Ulla Uusitalo and Johanna Klare all received special awards at tonight’s prize-giving ceremony while Ariel Grange, owner of the mare Legacy competed by Ireland’s Daniel Coyle won the Best Horse title for her performances throughout this first Longines League of Nations™ series.
He is one of many riders who relies implicitly on the help of his groom who he talked about his evening. “I have to thank Felicia (Wallin). She actually had him mostly in training since Paris. We gave him a bit of time off and we did Spruce (Meadows, Canada) and then another bit of time off. So since Spruce, I was, to be honest, not too much in his saddle and around him because I was in America. She overtook the training and clearly did a pretty good job. So I guess we have to keep it that way now. The plan works!”
He sees Felicia as a vital member of his team. “I'm very glad to have her by my side and the horses are very happy to have her by their side. We've worked together for three and a half/four years now. We're a young team. She is 24 and I am 27 - we are heading in the same direction and we have high hopes for the future. Her and United have a very special bond. If he could pick between me and Felicia, he always goes to Felicia. Their bond is special. She rides him very well. I'm the one that does the flat work that is more educating for him, which is also important. She's the one that goes in the forest with him and gives him a happy time, which I find very important to have the right balance there. Now, since I was away for two weeks, I said not only in the forest for two weeks, but also for work in between - and she did it very well!”, he pointed out.
Special awards
Felicia and the other winning team grooms, Sofie Karlsson, Heidemarie Jaeckel, Ulla Uusitalo and Johanna Klare all received special awards at tonight’s prize-giving ceremony while Ariel Grange, owner of the mare Legacy competed by Ireland’s Daniel Coyle won the Best Horse title for her performances throughout this first Longines League of Nations™ series.