Together all the way to the top: Consus and Caroline Locklair

26. June 2023

This pair has been making a name for themselves time and again in the results lists of major dressage competitions in Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg, securing victories and top placings, whilst also successfully competing amongst the best young riders at national level: Consus by Concreto-Coriano (Peter Nagel-Tornau, Wangels), line 6605, and Caroline Locklair from Mohrkirch.

The 21-year-old and her riding partner have been a team for seven years now. Towards the end of her pony-riding days, the student was looking for a dressage horse. Her trainer at the time, Vanessa Kempkes, who ran her own business at the Waterhues family’s Hof Norwegen, eventually suggested one of the horses she was training: the Holsteiner gelding Consus. The bay horse had previously changed hands at a Holsteiner auction and had subsequently been used as an eventing horse, so he didn’t quite meet the Locklairs’ expectations. Nevertheless, Caroline gave him a go – and fell in love with him straight away. “I realised straight away what a great work ethic and talent for collection he had,” recalls the rider. Caroline’s instinct proved her right: The pair initially competed at L-level, were soon invited to the National Young Riders’ Championships, and went on to enjoy success on the junior circuit, including at the 2019 German Youth Championships in Zeiskam, meaning they moved up to the Young Riders’ category a year earlier than planned. In 2020, they were once again selected for the German Youth Championships in Riesenbeck and, the following winter, began tackling the Grand Prix – the pinnacle of the discipline – winning their very first S***-level class straight away; their winning streak has continued unbroken ever since. At the Future Champions competition in Hagen a few weeks ago, they won the freestyle and were subsequently nominated as reserves for the European Junior Championships in Kronberg at the end of July. “Consus has a very strong character, loves to be the centre of attention and is always highly motivated in his work,” enthuses the rider, who, thanks to her successes with Consus, holds the Golden Riding Badge and has been training for many years with Markus Waterhues at Hof Norwegen in Mohrkirch. Last weekend, the dressage festival took place there for the first time, at which Consus and Locklair once again shone: they finished third in the Grand Prix, won the NOSPA Championship and also claimed victory in the Grand Prix Freestyle on Saturday evening. The judges awarded the performance a score of 77.250 per cent. Caroline Locklair beamed: “When I rode in and saw all the people lining the sides, I suddenly felt very nervous. That rarely happens to me. But then I simply enjoyed the round with Consus.” She also addressed her words to the organiser and trainer Markus Waterhues: “Thank you to Markus for this wonderful competition and thank you for helping me get this far with your support.” However, competition presenter Christian Schacht was able to make the winner’s joy even greater during the prize-giving ceremony, as he told her that she is now a member of the national squad for young riders.