Just four weeks into the new year, Richard Vogel and Cydello have already matched their Grand Prix win average from the two years prior and are well on their way to record annual earnings.
The German Olympian and 11-year-old Hannoverian (Cascadello x Forsyth FRH) have jumped to four podium finishes—including two Grand Prix wins—in their five starts at the Winter Equestrian Festival this season. One month into 2025, they’ve already earned $137,761, more than half their $217,164 total earnings in 2024 (Jumpr stats).
“He’s such a cool horse, so intelligent and such a fighter,” said Vogel. “He naturally doesn’t have the most scope in the world but he does it with his mindset and his will to do his best. That’s what we rely on. He loves this grass field; that’s why we chose these two weeks and luckily it worked out well.”
Their record suggests luck had little to do with it.
Vogel and Cydello made their international debut in August 2023. They won two Grands Prix that year and have every year since, including two at 1.60m height.
And it’s only getting easier, according to the German Olympian.
“Back in the days when we first started, I rode him more before the classes, especially before an important class like the grand prix,” Vogel explained. “Now we changed it up and he’s pretty relaxed on the longe line so he gets his steps in but in a relaxing way. He’s a very consistent horse so he makes my job quite easy.
“As soon as you take him out of the stall—it doesn’t matter if you take him for a handwalk or for a ride—he’s always high energy and pays attention to everything. At home, he can be a little spooky, but once he gets in the ring he really focuses on his job and the jumps. He’s actually very brave. He’s a perfect mix.”
Cydello will have the next two weeks off while Vogel decides whether to step the horse up to the five-star division at WEF.
“We don’t have a set plan yet,” Vogel shared.
“He’s a horse you shouldn’t plan miles ahead with because he’s very sensitive. He does it with his character so you always have to respect that and go with the feeling. At the moment he feels great so we try to keep that up.”