It’s early August 2024, on location Chateau de Versailles in France. Two national teams are fighting for the Olympic gold medal in the dressage team Grand Prix special, and they are exceptionally even. After a nail-biting finale, team Germany wins over team Denmark, with 235.790 to 235.669 points. One of team Germany’s contestants has just won his first Olympic gold, in his first ever Olympics. His name is Frederic Wandres.

In this article, we’ll get to know Wandres further – who is the man behind the international praise and success? Why did he decide to go for a career in dressage, how does he handle setbacks, and what are his long-term goals? Continue reading to get all the details of the elite dressage rider.

About Frederic Wandres

• Born: March 25, 1987

• Lives in: Hagen, Germany

• Competes for: Germany

• Discipline: Dressage

• Instagram: @fredericwandres
  
  

When asked to describe himself, Frederic says:

– I’m a man living in Hagen, Germany, where I work riding horses at Hof Kasselmann. I was born in the south of Germany, where the riding scene isn’t as reputable as it is where I am now. Today, I’m living in the center of equestrian Germany, amid competitions and breeding programs. Warendorf is close by, with the headquarters of the German Equestrian Federation. I think I’ve found the right spot here; this is my home.

Born further away from the horse scene, Frederic grew up in a family with no ties to the equestrian world.

– My parents and my brothers only knew horses from pictures, he says jokingly and continues:

 – When I was eight years old, I went to the local riding school with some friends. We all went there and had riding lessons on the lunge line, but I was the only one who would continue after that. From that point on, I spent every day at the riding school with the school horses, just hanging out with friends there all afternoon. It was all I wanted to do, and I continued that way through my teenage years.

When Frederic finished school at 18, his parents urged him to get a degree in business. Frederic reluctantly agreed, though he never gave up the horses but continued to ride in his spare time. After three years, he was done.

– After the last exam, I said “over and out”. I decided that from that point on, I would spend my days at the stable, and I started my riding education at Hof Kasselmann in Hagen. I stayed for six years, then I moved to Bonhomme Stud Farm in east Germany to work with young horses, which was a nice experience.

However, wanting to pursue the sport in a more serious manner, Frederic returned to Hof Kasselmann.

– From that day on, it went just straight up.

“You need to manifest your goal, you need to envision it. If you don’t believe in it, it won’t come true.” 

– Frederic Wandres

In 2019, Frederic won the Hamburg Dressage Derby, the Germany Professional Dressage Riders Championships, and the World Young Horse Championships. In 2022, he secured a team bronze medal at the World Championships in Herning with the horse Duke of Britain. In 2023, he became a team silver medalist at the 2023 European Dressage Championships in Riesenbeck with Bluetooth OLD. And then, a team gold medalist at the 2024 Olympics.

– I did not expect a gold medal, I have no words for that! But I mean, for a long time, all my energy and all the energy of my team, at home and at shows, was completely focused on the goal of competing in Paris. That gold medal did not fall from the sky, Frederic says and continues:

– I’m a superstitious person, I have never talked about my success with people in this way before. Before the Olympics, I would never have said “oh, we’re going to win the gold medal”. But, as arrogant as it sounds, you need to see it clearly in your mind to be able to reach it. You need to manifest your goal, you need to envision it. If you don’t believe in it, it won’t come true. This experience has taught me to think a little bit bigger than I normally do.

Setbacks are, unfortunately, inevitable to an athlete. How do you handle setbacks?

– It depends on the situation. What I’ve learned over the years is that even if you don’t believe it in the moment, a setback will always help you come back stronger. You do not lose something, you learn something. And that’s very important. The next time you encounter a similar problem, you can handle it differently.

Reminding himself of why he started has helped Frederic through tough times. He explains:

– During my career, I’ve had setbacks where I’ve questioned myself. I’ve asked myself if choosing the horses was the right thing to do, if I really wanted to be at the stable working 24/7, if it was all worth it. And the answer was always “yes”. Why? Because I love horses. It all comes down to that; Yes, it’s worth it, because I love the horses.

Life as an athlete at the top is demanding and challenging, to say the least. But Frederic describes having significant backing from his team, his family, and loved ones the entire time. Frederic’s father (a former soccer coach) has been a big role model in his life, inspiring him to reach higher levels and teaching him the sportsman’s mindset. Frederic’s greatest supporter is his life partner, dressage rider Lars Ligus.

– Me and Lars work together. He is not only my partner, but he’s my trainer, my mental coach, my groom at the shows – we are doing everything together. I can really trust him. In my work, I need feedback from someone I trust, and me and Lars are on the same level. If he says something is good, then I know it is, and he also lets me know when it’s not good enough. I really value his opinion; we know each other inside and out.

“I’ve asked myself if choosing the horses was the right thing to do /…/, if it was all worth it. And the answer was always ‘yes’. Why? Because I love horses.”

– Frederic Wandres

For the last five years, Frederic and Lars have been working and riding in Florida, USA, during the winter months. In 2023, Hof Kasselmann established an estate in Florida, where the two are now working a few months a year.

What are your long-term goals as a dressage rider?

– There are always the competition goals, I mean in 2025 we have the European Championships in Crozet, then there’s the World Championships in Aachen 2026, and maybe Los Angeles 2028 – that’s something we’re working towards. But outside of the sports achievements, you always want to bring your horses further, you want to develop and educate them.

What personality trait do you value most in a horse?

– Over the years, I’ve had horses with all sorts of personalities. I’ve had shy horses and strong-willed horses, but I cannot say that one personality has been more successful than the other. They were all perfect in their own way. I’m there to assist them, to help them out with their traits. If a horse is a bit shy, it’s my job to take them by the hand and tell them “Come on, we can do it!”. And for the horses that are a bit overpowered, I must tell them to go a bit easy. In general, the most important thing for me is the feeling that the horse really wants to work with you. You cannot force something. I have had horses that didn’t have the best movements, but they went far because they gave their all since they wanted to work with me.

“Me and Lars work together. He is not only my partner, but he’s my trainer, my mental coach, my groom at the shows – we are doing everything together.”

– Frederic Wandres

What are your thoughts on becoming a Maya Delorez Team Rider?

– It’s very exciting! I’ve been aware of Maya Delorez for many years, and your products are very nice. I really like the style of MD.

What are your favorite MD pieces?

– You should have asked me if there’s anything I don’t like! Everything is so nice, you have a good mix of winter and summer collections. I just got the Nova Teddy Jacket, it’s super soft and I like it a lot. Fashion wise, everything is super stylish.

And with that, we thank Frederic for sharing his story with us. We are enthusiastic and proud to have him on board – and we can’t wait for more medals to come his way.