Christian Zimmermann’s Road to Rio Leads Through Wellington

For Grand Prix rider Christian Zimmermann the road to Rio leads through Wellington, Florida. The German born dressage rider competes for Palestine and seeks to consolidate his number one position on the Olympic Riders Ranking in Group F by competing at the 2016 Global Dressage Festival.

Zimmermann represented Palestine at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Caen, France, and now seeks to be the first Palestinian dressage rider to make it to the Olympic Games.

Zimmermann’s main iron in the fire is the experienced, 17-year old American bred Holsteiner gelding Cinco de Mayo (by Coriander x Alcatraz). With 700 points they are leading in Group F (Africa/Middle East) on the Olympic Riders Ranking. The Cologne based entrepreneur and his dark bay gelding last proved their form at 2015 CDI Salzburg in December, where they scored 66.400% in the Grand Prix and 68.875% in the Freestyle.

After an intensive winter training campaign with coach Henri Ruoste, they aim to up the ante in Wellington, Florida.