Heike Kemmer"Hobby: Horses "
- Learning by doing -
Soon there were more horses: Difficult "Wiesenfürst, then "Portwein", a stallion of Swedish origin, and "Akazie", sired by a pureblood. There was also a young horse which moved into a box in the Kemmer stable: 4-year-old "Gottberg", son of Cardinal xx. Gottberg stayed in the west at first and was supposed to work with the then stud manager of Amselhof, Hubert Schulze-Rückamp. But the two didn't like each other and couldn't cope so that Gottberg changed into the Verden stable of trainer Holger Schmezer, today federal trainer of the Dressage-Team. Together with ecuyer Birgit Wellhausen he invested much work and ambition in the schooling. Heike often attended the training and enjoyed the time she could spend outside confined Berlin in the Schmezer stable or on Amselhof. The first trainer outside her home town had been found.
In the meantime she was well equipped with horses at home. Besides Waidfee, Akazie, and Portwein, Nomade stood in the stable of the state riding school Berlin. Designated as a stallion on the studfarm Celle the son of Novum xx turned out to be rather reluctant of covering. Head of stud Dr. Burchard Bade offered to sell him and JoachimKemmer bought Nomade for his daughter. In 1979 they had their first competitions. Although she won the bronze medal at the German Championships in Walldorf in 1981 in Akazie's saddle, it was Nomade with whom she gradually formed a successful team. Together they collected ribbons in M and S dressage tests. Then came a turning point nobody could foresee. Nomade died of a colic and Heike was left without a suitable horse. 7-year-old Gottberg wasn't ready yet. "Gottberg didn't master the lessons well enough yet and it wouldn't have worked with me in the saddle. We didn't make a good team then", Heike said.
Life is full of surprises. "Good Boy" appeared. Good Boy was owned by Madeleine Winter-Schulze in Berlin, a good friend of the Kemmer family. Whereas Heike was still playing in the league of juniors and young riders, Madeleine had exchanged show jumping for dressage riding and took part in senior tournaments. She was the "star" of the Berlin riding scene. Without ado she placed Good Boy at Heike's disposal. Though only six he had a better command of the lessons than Gottberg. So Heike could bridge the time after her loss and placed often until the end of the season 1982. Unforgotten by Heike: "Something like this was absolutely unusual in those days – and still is. I am grateful to Madeleine for her generous offer to date."
Madeleine Winter-Schulze became an important companion who still supports Heike in word and deed whenever necessary. As patrons for Ludger Beerbaum, Isabell Werth, and occasionally for Karin Rehbein Madeleine Winter-Schulze and her husband Dieter are indispensable with their commitment to equestrian sport.
