Ingrid has competed at five Olympic Games previously in the discipline of eventing, bringing home two gold and a silver medal as part of a dominant German team at Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio de Janeiro 2016.
Ingrid and her star eventer SAP Hale Bob OLD (now retired). Image: FEI/Massimo Argenziano.
Ingrid’s father, the late Reiner Klimke, is of course one of the most successful dressage riders of all time, having won eight Olympic medals – six of them gold – across six Olympic appearances. For Paris, Ingrid has followed in her father’s footsteps and focused on the Grand Prix dressage arena.
Ingrid’s father, the late Reiner Klimke, on the way to Olympic gold at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics with Ahlerich. Image: FEI.
A strong team
Like Tokyo, the Paris Olympics only permits teams of three in each discipline, so making the travelling reserve slot as the fourth-ranked rider is certainly an achievement – especially when we’re talking about the likes of the German dressage team.
The German dressage team, announced 7 July, includes the Tokyo individual gold medallists, Jessica von Bredow Werndl and Dalera BB; Frederic Wandres and Bluetooth OLD; and Isabell Werth with Wendy de Fontaine. Isabell will be lining up for her seventh Games and hoping to add to her current tally of 12 medals. As the Travelling Reserves, Ingrid and Franziskus FRH will head to the Games to support the team and step in if required.
Ingrid Klimke and Franziskus. Image by Roger Fitzhardinge.
Top scores at Aachen
Ingrid and Franziskus had a very successful show at CHIO Aachen over the past week, posting big scores across all three CDIO5* tests.
The pair placed second in the CDIO5* Grand Prix, scoring an impressive 76.043% to sit between Isabell Werth and Wendy de Fontaine (76.5%) and Frederic Wandres and Bluetooth OLD (75.63%). In the Special, they scored 74.596% for fourth place, and in the Freestyle they finished third on 81.38%. Ingrid and Franziskus – by Fidertanz 2 and out of Antara, by Alabaster 29 – were also part of the dominant German team who claimed the Lambertz Nations’ Cup.
See Ingrid in Australia
In 2025, Australians will have the chance to learn from the German star when she presents both a dressage and eventing masterclass at the Queensland State Equestrian Centre on 25 January. VIP tickets are set to go on sale 24 July, with General Admission tickets on sale from 25 July. You can find out more via Equinesque.
This article was written in conjunction with Equinesque.
