DressageDaily: Alexandra Simons-deRidder and Chacomo at Aachen

Tuesday, August 1 2000

Alexandra Simons-deRidder and Chacomo at Aachen

Aachen's own "hometown girl" and her eleven-year-old Holsteiner gelding, Chacomo 003, (by Calypso I out of Paranka by Marmor) captured the crowd as they put in a solid performance in each of their classes. This earned them an equally solid position on the German Olympic Dressage team, and some have speculated a definite chance for an individual medal. To watch this horse perform the passage and trot movements is to watch a horse with incredible elevation as he seems to remain in the air with each stride, just a second longer than the others.

As with most of the German riders, Simons-deRidder has a heritage of horses in her blood. Her father Hans-Peter Simons is a passionate hunt follower and four-in-hand driver. The 36-year-old married mother has been riding her entire life.

Competing with Chacomo since 1998, out of 21 international competitions at the Grand Prix level, they have had six wins, eight seconds, and four thirds. In their only start in 2000 just before Aachen at Norten Hardenberg, they won both the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Special. Primed and ready for Sydney, the all women team from Germany are gunning for the gold, facing a tough rivalry with the Dutch team, that will be something to watch for the sold out equestrian audience in Sydney.

Related Links
German Women repeat Olympic History
7/19/1999 - Alexandra Simons-deRidder
HorsesDaily¨ Coverage at Aachen 2000