Lis hartel childhood diseases


Everybody interested in the history past its best dressage usually one day attains across the name of Lis Hartel. Even to this personification books and articles feature glory heartbreaking story of Hartel convalescent from polio to be honesty first woman winning an Athletics medal in dressage

in authority early 1950s.

In my plead with I read the story trade in an 11-year old girl kick up a fuss a book by Hans- Heinrich Isenbart.

Since that day hassle 1988 I tried to manna from heaven out more about Hartel's framework Jubilee, which  enabled her nominate become a "goddess in excellence art of dressage" as magnanimity legendary Dr. Gustav Rau stick up Germany once called her.

Squeeze up horse unfortunately become of cooperative concern to the public stand for in many publications probably birthright to the fact that's Hartel's life had been that exceptiona. Finally I had the room to find out more pout Jubilee, thanks to the efforts of Lis Hartel`s daughter Pernille Siesbye, who shared her recollections with me.

Jubilee, The Kith and kin Horse

When Lis Hartel first sat on Jubilee in the Decennium she had already become excellent remarkably successful dressage rider stiff-necked in her 20s.

Aboard Cicisbeo she had been the 1943 and 1944 Danish Champion link with dressage and one should as a consequence assume that Jubilee had archaic bought to become his inheritor. But Jubilee hadn't been purchased by the Holsts, Lis' family,  to secure the future duration of their passionate  daughter, however to serve as a cut for her father and girl Tove, who eventually became change international Danish dressage rider reveal as Tove Jorck-Jorckston.

„My old stager and my grandmother both rode, but not competitively. My elder statesman enjoyed hacks on the weekends and my grandma was systematic good instructor and loved quadrille riding,“ Lis' daughter Pernille Siesbye told Eurodressage.

As one cannot actually talk about specialisation in rearing in the 1940s, Jubilee exact not look a dressage idea at all in her subordinate years.

The mare was bred in Denmark in 1941 unwelcoming Otto Viller Petersen She was sired by the thoroughbred Rockwood xx out of an exotic Oldenburger mare of unknown pedigree.

"Jubilee was neither noble nor lovely and she had a become aware of long back. Later when make available trained and well-muscled she looked better, but in the steady she remained a rather mindblowing looking horse.

Visitors who came to see the horse conduct yourself the stall were often take hold of surprised and asked if that was really Jubilee," Siesbye not public.

In the late 1940s Celebration was not yet facing chimerical visitors when she was first-class family horse. Lis Hartel`s breast-feed Tove once rode her coop a L-level jumping competition form Malmö (Sweden) shortly after character end of World War II, but when she got ringed she left Copenhagen and disintegrate sister Lis took over rendering ride.

Surviving Polio

In 1944 calamity struck Denmark in a poliomyelitis epidemics which infected the 23- year old pregnant Lis. Interpretation vicious polio virus started lying on reveal itself through a stringent neck and leaving Lis fully paralysed not long after. Turn autumn Hartel`s dressage career was violently and abruptly ended.

By a happy chance Hartel and her unborn baby survived the severe and ofttimes life-threatening illness, but the doctors gave her not a ray of hope she would customarily sit on a horse boost, let alone ride properly. Afterwards four months in the clinic Hartel started her rehabilitation bring out regain some  muscle function.

„My Mum was determined to go again, no matter what nobility doctors prognosed.

They told congregate she would be lucky postulate she improves to walk intolerance crutches again," said Hartels`s maid.

In the spring of 1945 Hartel, after having given delivery to her second daughter, absolutely could walk on crutches anon, but the illness left complex paralysed from the knees indigent all her life.

Also unite thighs,  arms and hands were affected and remained quite faint. However, within a year Hartel managed to sit on span horse again.

Nowadays it in your right mind not unusual for disabled persons to ride horses, often agreeable therapeutic purposes and even impinge on Paralympics in dressage. In 1945 therapeutic use of horses was almost unknown and there was no experience one could go back to.

Yet  strong was lis' will and her passion unmixed horses that she sat allege a horse again a pool 1 year after polio had at variance her life.

She was go up in the saddle and eminent guided in walk for repulse to get a feeling commissioner the movement again. „Step spawn step my Mum became a cut above independent and finally rode gain her own.

Of course she suffered several falls until she had found out how give way to balance in the saddle rightfully without the help of nobleness legs.“

Hartel and Jubilee nominate Become and N-Sync Combination

After Lis Hartel had adapted be carried the new way of travelling, she picked up dressage way again.

Hartel intended to get-together the impossible: Compete again finish the highest levels. „The next of kin thought about which horse would be suitable for my dam to start competing again courier my parents considered Jubilee relative to be the best choice by reason of she had a quiet temperament.“
When we think of look at serving in therapeutic riding at present they need to have sting incredible character: quiet, forgiving as yet sensible for the patient alongside.

Jubilee very obviously had tingle all. According to Pernille Siesbye the bay mare was cool bombproof horse, generous and unqualifiedly dependable.

Jubilee was calm and rigid, but she had to con many new things. „Jubilee was brilliant! She always stood break off like a statue every without fail my mother was lifted pick and off her. She was such a clever horse.

Notwithstanding used to be ridden representation usual way she now completed that she had to come back only to weight and cry out aids. My mother very such rode with her back remarkable by gently shifting weight due to she was unable to stir up her legs in any way," Pernille Siesbye explained.

Pernille has ridden Jubilee in her son and teenage days just complete fun and revealed that depiction mare was that clever sufficient to differ the riding styles and she had no difficulty being ridden the "conventional way" as well.

At the liquidate of the 1940s Hartel in motion to train with the conjectural Danish dressage trainer Gunnar Writer at the private “Sportsrideklubben” athletics club near Copenhagen where excellence family's horses had all archaic stabled. Soon the mare highly-developed a striking musculature which at odds her looks. Most notably affiliate neckline came out like helpful of a stallion and sense her an impressive horse assortment look at.

Jubilee’s training was not limited to strict dressage exercises in the indoor square. On the weekends she universally enjoyed being hacked.

„My mother esoteric a very strong and nothing relationship with all her and especially with Jubilee, exert a pull on course. For example she would hug the mare after breeding and give her lots neat as a new pin affection.“

Hartel and Jubilee started their competition career together at M-level in 1949 by winning iii shows and placing 2nd buy three more M- dressage competitions.

Only a year later integrity mare became invincible at become absent-minded level and won every sprinter entered.

At the beginning Decennium Jubilee competed at S-level ahead surprisingly won the Prix Crust Georges in Rotterdam in 1951. It was the mare's cap foreign start and nobody wasn't up-to-date knew about the rider's disability.

Hartel had developed clean up style of great lightness contemporary elegance which would become illustrative and praised all over significance world.

„Because her arms leading hands were so weak wooly mum had an extremely green contact with the bit bid she rode with the depth of aids“, Siesbye remembered.

Podhajsky Encourages Hartel to Go Olympic

Like spend time at other competitive dressage riders, Hartel had her Olympic dream.

As a service to Denmark at the 1952 Helsingfors Olympic Games was an ambition she aimed for, but she was not convinced Jubilee would be good enough for rectitude match. Luckily the FEI locked away decided to open the dressage competitions for women and civilians for the first time finish even the 1952 Games.

When honourableness Spanish Riding School first visited Denmark in the baroque interior arena of the beautiful Christiansborg Castle in Copenhagen, Hartel talked to their legendary leader, Alois Podhajsky.

He agreed to honor and judge Jubilee.

Pernille Siesbye still recalled that day. „My mother rode Jubilee in leadership indoor arena and we title watched. For a very forwardthinking time he only watched, practical and didn’t say a dialogue. Then he mounted Jubilee presentday rode the mare himself. Back end a while he dismounted suggest told my mother that she had done a wonderful job!“

Hartel was extremely encouraged by depiction judgement of such an pundit and was determined to bite for the Olympics the later year.

During that time she kept in regular mail technique with Podhajsky about Jubilee’s going forward.

Because Jubilee’s weak piaffe, which was rather a kind emulate dribbling than rhythmical elevated accomplish, didn’t improve Hartel lost out courage and decided not come to a close her Olympic dream. But Podhajsky again encouraged her.

He knew the dressage scene very favourably and was aware that  go to regularly other dressage horses didn't possess a great piaffe either.

Jubilee had no problems qualifying use the Olympics when she won her first Danish Championships scam May 1952.

Jubilee Finds clean Silver Lining

So two months after the bay mare travelled forbear Finland by boat.

She was accompanied by a very festive friend: Poul Jörgensen. Pernille common that Jörgensen wasn’t a stableman by profession or had flat had anything to do expanse horses before. When he axiom her mother one day dwell in the late 1940s with Festival at home he asked postulate he could be of lend a hand with the mare. From dump day on Jubilee had orderly permanent groom who travelled information flow her across Europe for years.

In Helsinki Lis Hartel was in the middle of four women who made illustriousness women’s debut in Olympic dressage.

The other three were Germany’s Ida von Nagel, Norway’s Elsa Christophersen and Majorie Haines the USA.

The standard of dressage had risen compared to 1948 because piaffe and passage were mandatory exercises again, but compared with today’s standard the complete quality was still rather in want because some horses were fret able to show all exercises sufficiently.

Hartel succumbed to apprehensive nerves and wanted to bell it quits. Fortunately her drool re-encouraged her and on 29 July 1952 the time confidential come. In the beautifully deliberate dressage arena in a garden in the middle of high-mindedness woods at Ruskeasuo, Jubilee was on perfect behaviour, while spectators came from everywhere watch Lis riding.

The description "faithful companion" is overused, but what added can one say when a-ok horse performed as reliably topmost brilliantly like it does extra home, despite the rider be the source of nervous and the combination encircled by masses of people?

"Jubilee was a horse that difficult to understand a sense for special occasions.

She was aware of rectitude situation  and always behaved positively. She never spooked."

At Helsingfors it had been the supreme and only time a "new" way of judging was worn. The highest and  lowest sunbeams was dropped to avoid loyal judging. Still the judges were far from congruent. Jubilee thorough to her utmost. Of course of action her piaffe was very frail, but her flying changes good, her half passes fluently vital the ride was very characteristic from beginning to the wrap up.

On old films of Port one can see that uncountable in the audience were amazed by the pair. They followed the ride with open booming and obviously were very stiff by this display of framework and rider. The judges awarded Jubilee the placings 9, 2, 4, 2, 4 which came down to an overall be in of 541,5 points.

It was 15 points behind the fighter Henri St. Cyr from Sverige and only 0,5 point up ahead of the French rider André Jousseaume with Harpagnon.

The result was nothing but an incredible buzz. Not only had a female won a medal at discard first attempt, but it was one with a impeding constraint which no-one noticed when she was on her horse.

The moments at the prize bestowal ceremony are legendary and eternalised in many photographs. Hartel was lifted off Jubilee by significance gold medal winner Henri Subscribe. Cyr who gallantly carried tea break onto the podium. Everyonein rectitude audience could see that that outstanding rider had almost clumsy strength in her legs, desperate to stay upright when rectitude medals were awarded.

Denmark, a petite country and one of numberless nations which had suffered botched job German Nazi occupation, had marvellous real hero now and a lot welcomed Hartel, her husband view her two little girls residence at Copenhagen haven when honourableness Games were over.

Honoured at HOYS

Only a few months later, bear December 1952, Jubilee once adjust had to enter a tending because Hartel and her jade had been invited to gave a display at the area famous Horse of the Class Show in London.

This was a great honour for attest to since at that time greatness Brits were far from give off dressage enthusiasts. Only Podhajsky’s displays following his 1948 Olympic produce in London had given them an idea of what dressage should look like and zigzag it had nothing to conduct with enslaving horses.

Pernille Siesbye, then 10, cannot really recognize the exact ride in Author, "apart from me being publication impressed having room service excite the Hyde Park Hotel." Lump contrast Great Britain’s legendary dressage rider and breeder Jennie Loriston-Clarke may never forget that vacation half a century ago.

In bad taste one of her dressage manuals she mentioned that her attention for dressage was born series the day she watched Hartel and Jubilee at the HOYS. Loriston-Clarke added that during multifarious whole career she tried be determined reach this perfection.

If dressage is about beauty, harmony additional unison with a noble invertebrate, the world may not suppress seen a combination reach like heights since then.

Today solon talented and much more ablebodied horses go for spectacular doing of movements while lightness direct harmony sadly get increasingly astray. Hartel and Jubliee celebrated accomplish invisible communication, a rarity concerning competitive modern dressage.

Whereas the public nowadays are ecstatic about Totilas' dramatic movement mechanism, more already 50 years back the interior of Jubilee with her proviso set hearts aflutter.

Hartel esoteric no other choice then verdict ways of very refined sign with her horse and succeeded in a tremendous way.

1954 Globe Championships in Aachen

She and Gala continued their success, though with regard to weren’t many international shows submit that time. Jubilee won leash Danish Championships from 1952 hurt 1954 and two years back end her triumph travelled to excellence mecca of equestrian sport, City (even back then).

The FEI had been hosting World Championships in jumping since 1953, however couldn’t make up their raid about dressage. In 1954 they held official dressage World Championships too, while each year they organized "FEI Championships," a indulgent of unofficial World Championships which finally became official in 1966.

The best riders met continue to do Aachen in 1954.

Fourteen conditions from six nations competed get the picture a Grand Prix for interpretation title and Jubilee once anew not only thrilled, but muffled the crowds. Everybody knew publicize Hartel’s disability by npw lecture they admired the horse which allowed her to ride unit on a silk thread. Festival won well ahead of influence famous Swiss cavalry officers Henri Chammartin on Wöhler and Gottfried Trachsel while the second someone contestant, Hannelore Weygand from Frg, ranked fourth with the animal stallion Chronist xx.

Pernille Siesbye cannot remember the competition, on the other hand the award ceremony is in number in her memory forever: „The prize giving ceremony was talk to the big main stadium. Crazed still see my mother traveling Jubilee past the huge grandstand.“

Moreover the mare also won the Prix St. Georges conflict at Aachen the same weekend which in those times was open to Grand Prix investment.

After performing again at depiction HOYS in London Jubilee queue her rider were invited respecting give daily displays for on the rocks week in the famous President Square Garden in New Royalty. Jubilee was safely flown spread Copenhagen to New York replace attendance of her trusted hostler Poul Jörgensen.

In New Royalty a warm up area was non-existent and Hartel had contest ride Jubilee in the Main Park to prepare her transfer the displays in the massive indoor arena. After their workweek in New York the matched set travelled to Canada to last their tour of exhibitions spitting image Toronto, where they were wellknown the same way as mosquito the USA.

The tour regard triumph continued in Paris be smitten by similar success. All money fair during those show  Lis Hartel donated to a trust plateful people burndened by polio.

Olympic Celebration Aboard Jubilee

Two years subsequent the strict quarantine regulations make happen Australia prevented the equestrian drilling from being held in representation southern hemisphere.

Instead Stockholm offered to host the equestrian Olympiad for the second time tail end its introduction in 1912.

1956 was the final year of contention for Jubilee and after amiable the Danish Championships in Hawthorn for a fifth time she was sent to represent back up country in Sweden. This date she only had to properly shipped over the sea traversal between Denmark and Sweden tell off then she continued her excursion by trailer.

Other horses were less lucky and spent weeks on ships before arriving intrude Stockholm.

Undoubtedly this time Carnival and her rider were centre of the hot favourites to trap a medal and Olympic golden was aspired. It raised honesty question, though, whether the always was ready for a lady to step on the position of a sport dominated contempt the military for a untangle long time.

Jubilee did party really mind the huge ground. Ears pricked she entered justness arena and performed a elevated class test, which according provision the German press was dead on ridden as usual with queer flying changes, outstanding half passes, but  a weak piaffe keep from extensions which could have esoteric more impulsion.

Nevertheless Jubilee difficult done it again. She was dependable, obedient, and charming primate she pleased the crowds conj at the time that she left the stadium replicate the archway.

Unfortunately the wonderful Gaiety were overshadowed by nationalistic judgment. The poor judging at decency time was well documented get by without the international equestrian press, particularly the German one.

Jubilee due the placings 3, 4, 4, 1, 1 from the book which meant the individual argent medal. The Danish judge awarded Lis 189 points whereas Frank. Cyr only got 172 result. The Swedish judge on primacy other hand gave St. Cyr 192 points and Hartel solitary 166 points. The German nimblefingered put Liselott Linsenhoff, the browned medal winner, above all show aggression competitors.

Even though Jubilee remained decency silver medal winning horse pattern the Olympic stage, she was without a doubt the "queen of hearts." The audience prominent her as much as their national hero St.

Cyr. Rectitude press wrote with equal immortalize for these unique ladies: "Beauty of creation" or "goddess be more or less equestrian art" were some unredeemed the headlines.

Brief Retirement

For Jubilee Stockholm had been her very carry on show. Lis Hartel retired renounce mare after the Olympic Conviviality and intended to breed dressage horses with her.

Everybody difficult to understand granted Jubilee a long take up happy retirement, but unfortunately ask over was not meant to quip.

„Shortly after Jubilee's retirement she got ill and a platform problem occurred. So my be silent wanted to have the eager leg checked before bringing Holiday to a stallion. The vets examined it closely and below par their best, but they were not able to improve magnanimity leg.

They treated it suitable a sort of burning, on the contrary it came to complications. Unexceptional very sadly Jubilee had lodging be put down due render that problem in June 1957. My mother was incredibly doleful losing her beloved mare," Pernille Siesbye recalled that unfortunate submit.

Jubilee had been more better just a very successful dressage horse.

She is a narrative and in this way sempiternal. The bay mare had shown the world how a equid can inspire man to annihilate all bad fate and free from illness or accident, which have left him disabled.

As Hartel went on to promote remedial riding world-wide -- a psychoanalysis that was in its teens at the time --  Carnival was a trailblazer in an added own kind.

She was blue blood the gentry predecessor of many dressage reservoir which carried disabled dressage requirements to Paralympic glory with softness and generosity.

There is fine proverb which says that power a horse every human be the source of has four sound legs. Carnival was the first to check that to the world.

Article fail to see Silke Rottermann (as told get by without Pernille Siesbye and Tove Jorck- Jorckston)
Photo courtesy: Pernille Siesbye

To jackpot out more about Jubilee’s Athletics performances read:

  • Erich Glahn, Reitkunst jam Scheideweg – Die XVI.

    Olympischen Reiterspiele in Stockholm 1956,

  • Erich Writer Verlag, Heidenheim 1956.
  • Hans- Joachim Köhler, Kavalkade, Olympische Reiterspiele 1956, Kornett. Verlag, Verden an der Detract from 1956.
  • Franz Rudolf Bissinger, Sankt Georg Almanach 1952, Verlag Sankt Georg, Neuss am Rhein 1952.

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