Young riders show off their skills at the Cold Market in Ortenberg!

Young riders show off their skills at the Cold Market in Ortenberg!

Today, October 27th, 2025, numerous horse lovers and young riders gathered at the Cold Market in Ortenberg, which was held in its 759th edition this year. This traditional event, organized by the Breitenhaide Equestrian Sports Club, has established itself as one of the largest folk festivals in Upper Hesse and offered a colorful program that made the hearts of horse lovers beat faster. FNP reports that visitors could look forward to a mare award ceremony, hobby horsing, a horse market, carriage races and an extensive show program.

An integral part of the event for four years has been the mare awards ceremony, which is led by Patrick Schauermann and Bärbel Kraft. The beautiful animals are evaluated by the experienced adjudicator Christoph Hoffmann, who is both a breeder and a master horse manager. The focus was on assessing the gaits – walk and trot – as well as the breed characteristics, body structure and foundation of the mares. And best of all: the weather was great! It stayed dry with a light wind which made the whole day pleasant.

The stars of the day

Various breeds presented themselves in the competition, including Shetland ponies, Black Forest foxes, Irish Cobs, Connemara horses and Hanoverian mares. The winner of the day, Verena Himmighofen's mare “Citra”, which was bred by Silke Jäger-Nagelschmidt and impressed the jury with her impressive performances, deserves special mention. In addition to stable plaques, the participants also had cash prizes to win, which made the competition even more exciting.

The show program was carried out by around 200 members of the club, including 100 children and young people. They showed their riding pedagogical concept “Hippolini” in various demonstrations, which playfully conveys the equestrian influence and balance. The vaulting group led by Cora Wegender and Elsa Heyermann as well as the long rein work by Verena Himmighofen and Lea Farr particularly attracted attention. The festive day was rounded off with a large quadrille, which received frenetic applause with the title “Ballet of the Horses”.

Equestrian sport with heart and commitment

The cold market in Ortenberg is not only a place for exchanging riding experiences and breeding skills, but also creates a great sense of community. Children and young people have the opportunity to prove themselves in equestrian sports and make new friends. The Breitenhaide equestrian sports club has put together an excellent event that offers unforgettable moments for everyone involved.

This shows that the Cold Market was once again a complete success in 2025, with tradition and progress going hand in hand. It will be exciting to see what next year will bring, but one thing is certain: the anticipation for the next edition is already felt!”