August 7, 2023 
At age 28, Germany’s Sönke Rothenberger has already acquired a medal collection that rivals the careers of most international dressage riders.
The former jumper rider shot to dressage fame at 21 when he was part of Germany’s gold medal winning team at the Rio Olympics with his junior Grand Prix horse, Cosmo 59. At 22 and 24, he and the bay KWPN gelding collected a full medal set at the European Championships, including two team golds, three individual silvers and one individual bronze. At 23, he was a World Equestrian Games team champion and individual bronze medalist in Tryon.
On Sunday in Crozet, France, Rothenberger crossed a new career achievement off his bucketlist—an individual five star win—riding Matchball Old, an 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding that shows every sign of being his next championship horse.
Twelve pairs came forward in the CDI5* Grand Prix Freestyle at Jiva Hill Stables. Rothenberger and Matchball Old were the only pair to crack the 80% mark, earning a 80.765% from the judges and a new personal best.
“I am really happy about my horse and to win the CDI5*,” said a delighted Rothenberger. “You don’t win a five star every day.”
The partnership is a new one for German rider. Matchball Old was previously campaigned by compatriot Stefanie Wolf. Rothenberger and the expressive black gelding made their national Grand Prix debut in January—and won.
Their international career launched just two months later in March. By May, they collected their first win with the CDI4* Grand Prix in Manheim and in July, took third in the CDI4* Grand Prix Freestyle at Aachen. Last weekend’s Jiva Hill Stables CDI was the pair’s first CDI5* and saw them earn two more podium finishes: second in Saturday’s CDI5* Grand Prix and the victory in Sunday’s CDI5* Freestyle.
French rider Alexandre Ayache and Jolène finished second in the Freestyle on a score of 77.375%, after Larissa Pauluis (BEL) and Flambeau (78.540%) were eliminated due to traces of blood in the horse’s mouth. Charlotte Defalque (BEL) and her vibrant 17-year-old KWPN stallion Boticcelli finished third on 76.725%.
