Bringing vaulting to the Olympics is something you’ve been working on for a long time. At the World Equestrian Games 2018 in Tryon you drew attention to the ambitions of your sport with a campaign and used a visit from Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee. What has become of it?
In 2018 we initiated an application for the Youth Olympic Games. In Tryon we drew the Olympic rings out of sawdust on the ground when Thomas Bach visited us in the stable. We would have had good chances for the Youth Olympic Games 2022 in Senegal, but they were canceled because of Corona – we remember, we had to see for two and a half years how the sport could continue at all. The whole process came to a standstill and we weren’t able to use the momentum of that time. But we keep at it. I can still imagine that because I believe that vaulting can be a very good link to the Olympic movement. Man as an athlete is valued even more in vaulting than in other equestrian disciplines. That can be a very good bridge.
Could the four equestrian disciplines – dressage, show jumping, eventing and vaulting – all coexist at the Olympics or would one of the “old” disciplines for vaulting have to give way?
There is an upper limit of riders and horses for the Olympic Games, within which something might have to move. We saw at the World Cup final that it works well with a relatively small field of ten or twelve horses without stepping on anyone’s toes.
You mention the Easter World Cup finals in Omaha, the conclusion of the indoor season. There, dressage riders, show jumpers and vaulters held their finals in one place. For the vaulters it was the first World Cup final outside of Europe. A sign your sport is growing?
It has to be said that our world association, the FEI, is doing a great job and keeps linking our discipline to the Olympic disciplines. It’s a huge experience for the athletes and everyone around them because the attention is greater. It was just great in Omaha to be so close to the show jumpers and dressage riders. We had a great team spirit, watching and supporting each other. And it has shown that it is logistically feasible. Some of the horses came from Europe, some from the USA.
For you it was the first World Cup final as national coach and it was a complete success. Your athletes have won all competitions – in singles and in doubles. Last year you took over the job from long-time national coach Ulla Ramge, whose assistant coach you were. What goals have you set yourself?
We want to remain the number one vaulting nation. In terms of the number of people who vault, no other country comes close to us. On the one hand, it is reassuring that we can draw from a wide range of athletes. On the other hand, it is an art to accompany certain athletes in such a way that they reach and maintain a top level over the years. Other countries are now not bad at all. France for example. We must not rest on our laurels, we want to be at the top in all disciplines, hold these positions and continue to create top athletes. An example: I am still the last German winner of an individual gold medal at a World Championships for men. The French have had three different singles world champions since 2006.
It is often said that vaulting is a sport for children, as an introduction to dressage or show jumping. How do you manage to keep young people in your sport?
