After four Olympic gold medals and one bronze, two gold, one silver and one bronze at the World Championships, six gold, three silver and two bronze medals at European championships and more than 130 Nations Cups, Ludger Beerbaum has announced his retirement from international competition.
“For 30 years, Ludger Beerbaum has been a very important source of strength for our teams and has contributed to an incredible number of successes. We are very grateful to him for this. An era is over,” German Federation President Breido Graf said.
“Ludger has a unique career behind him and has again fulfilled all our hopes in Rio. It’s his decision, but which I very much regret,” said German coach Otto Becker.
But Beerbaum has long preferred to retire while he is at the top of the sport, and after winning Team Bronze at the Olympic Games in Rio on Wednesday, August 17th, felt that the time was right.
He will not participate in any more championships, and the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Final, which will take place in four weeks in Barcelona, will be his last appearance in the red jacket of the German team.
“I find it difficult enough to take this step,” Beerbaum admitted. “I will continue to participate in international tournaments, but I have some interesting projects to look forward to in the future.
“I’ll take care of my competition stable, the training of young horses, the horse trade.”
In 2015, Beerbaum opened the Pferdesportzentrum Riesenbeck International in his hometown of Riesenbeck, Germany. The equestrian center hosts competitions, offers seminars oriented international training. As President of the Longines World Equestrian Academy, Beerbaum also works to promote the development of show jumping in Asia.”
“I will not be bored,” said Beerbaum. “I am grateful that I was able to represent my country as a rider. Now I leave it to me younger colleagues take over!”