Objectivity and a calm demeanour are good traits for any journalist, but reporter Gabriele Pochhammer from Germany has found following ‘Rider of the Century’ Mark Todd at eventing tends to make her lose her cool.
Rio 2016 is the ninth Olympic equestrian competition that Gabriele has been to – and the most exciting of all, because Sir Mark’s horse Leonidas was born in her stables in northern Germany. He is the first Olympic horse she has bred.
“I am so nervous already and I do hope that my horse will help the New Zealand team to win a medal,” Gabriele said. “When I spoke to Mark he said, ‘Your boy is quite full of himself’. I was on the brink of tears already.”
She was also very emotional at the finish of the cross-country when the horse put in a superb performance and finished with just two time faults.
Gabriele wears a special bracelet as a good luck charm for Leonidas II. It is braided from a strand of hair taken from the tail of his dam, Pauline.
