"Damsey - The Fast & Exciting Skier" Article by Dressursport Deutschland

TRANSLATED FROM DRESSURSPORT DEUTSCHLAND:

"A very special horse with a very special character," is how Helen Langehanenberg describes her successful partner Damsey. As the boss of a grocery chain and a downhill runner, his owner Louise Leatherdale sees him in conversation with dressursport-deutschland.de…

dressursport-deutschland.de: Damsey as a person - what type would he be?
Louise Leatherdale : What a funny question ... Damsey as a person ... So, since Damsey loves food, especially bananas and carrots, I could imagine that he would like to own a grocery store. Since he really wants to be the boss, he could be the owner of an entire chain of grocery stores. And he certainly has a lot of hobbies because he simply likes to be busy, but on the other hand he also loves his naps in between. He'd probably be a downhill skier because it's fast and exciting.

dressursport-deutschland.de : Why Damsey? How did you find him?
Louise Leatherdale: Basically, it was our partner Jens Meyer who first heard about Damsey. We saw him at the two-year-old at the licensing, but he was a normal two-year-old and was not that developed yet. Damsey did his stallion performance test in Adelheidsdorf and was in great shape, but then he got a fever. His owner at the time was told that the stallion could cancel the test, but would then get an average grade. Thankfully, the owner was smart, realizing Damsey's potential, and not getting involved. He just took Damsey home and let him get well. During that time Jens heard about him and the option to buy him. It was a week before Christmas when Jens called us and said we should absolutely come to Germany and look at this stallion. I was in pre-Christmas stress so my husband Doug flew alone and looked at the stallion with Jens. We always bought all our horses together, so it was really a difficult decision for me not to fly. After Doug saw Damsey and negotiated with the owner (and after a lot of calls from Doug and me), we bought this wonderful stallion and brought him to the Hengststation Meyer, where His Highness was already ridden.

dressursport-deutschland.de : How would you describe your personal relationship with Damsey, knowing that you live many kilometers away ...
Louise Leatherdale : Yes, unfortunately it is the case that my time with him is always very short because I am in the USA. Still, he always recognizes me when I come - like my other horses. Maybe because I always use the same perfume and because I am the one who always gives him lots of kisses and brings lots of bananas and carrots. I never ask him anything, I just bring my love for him. But I always have to be quick with my kisses because he is a fast horse!

dressursport-deutschland.de : Why do Helen (Langehanenberg) and Damsey fit together so well?
Louise Leatherdale : I think first and foremost Damsey respects Helen and knows that everything she asks of him is fair. I think that's what all horses expect, but especially intelligent and strong stallions.

dressursport-deutschland.de : What does it mean for you to be a horse owner?
Louise Leatherdale: It was always important for Doug and me that we help the horses to develop their potential. For this reason, it was always very important for us - and for the horses - that the horses were allowed to learn in their time frame and not in the time frame set by the rider. I was able to see how Damsey reached his potential and it was still growing. It gives me a lot of joy. One of the best moments in recent years was to see Damsey and Helen doing their freestyle in Sweden (note of the FEI World Cup Final Gothenburg 2019) when Damsey presented the last line with 'full speed'. That took my breath away (and I believe the judge at C too :-)). Damsey knew exactly what he was doing. It was a great ride. I cried many tears of joy!

Damsey and his team: Helen Langehanenberg, Ann-Christin Berger, Louise Leatherdale and Susanne Meyer.

dressursport-deutschland.de : Have you ever thought of bringing Damsey to the USA?
Louise Leatherdale : No, I never thought of that. His place is definitely in the dressage arena with Helen. It is pure beauty to watch them dance.

dressursport-deutschland.de : Damsey is now 18 - have you thought about a time to say goodbye to sports?
Louise Leatherdale : Damsey will tell us when it's time and we will listen to his needs - as always. I am hopeful that breeders in Germany and Europe will recognize what he has to offer his offspring. I can hardly put into words what Damsey gives his sons and daughters - incredible movement potential, talent and a fantastic work attitude. I know that. I hear it from many breeders around the world and I have some wonderful offspring from him.