One in a Million - 20th Show Jumping Auction Exceeds All Expectations

The top-priced horse at Holger Hetzel's 20th show jumping auction and its new owner immediately got acquainted – as best as one could in a hall filled with enthusiastic and excited people. Dior, a Holsteiner gelding by Diamant de Semilly out of a Corrado I dam, was worth one million euros to the proud buyer. The seven-year-old grey from an excellent pedigree wasn't the only horse auctioned off by Euro Power S.a.r.l. on Wednesday evening in Goch; the second most expensive horse, Playboy, which sold for 900,000 euros, also changed hands for the Luxembourg-based company.

Mutual Trust

Since the auction evening in Goch, one German show jumper in particular is delighted: Maurice Tebbel now has two valuable "new" horses in his stable, Dior and Playboy. Previously, he had three horses; now he has five sport horses, identifiable by the suffix EP after the horse's name. Behind Euro Power S.a.r.l. is Ulli Horrig, who has been associated with Holger Hetzel for around 40 years. What began with the support of the former Nations Cup rider Hetzel by Ulli Horrig, himself once active in show jumping, has long since developed into a special kind of relationship of trust and encompasses much more than just an investment in sport horses. "This is a foundation of trust built over decades," confirms Ulli Horrig. "Holger and I have a very similar view of horses. I know the entire team, their working methods, and how the horses are trained."

Euro Power S.a.r.l. also acquired a charity foal for the benefit of the RTL Foundation "Wir helfen Kindern" (We Help Children), true to the motto "the mother does it all." The foal's dam is Demoiselle de Toultia Z, who is also the dam of Crazy EP, ridden by Maurice Tebbel, who recently finished sixth in the Oldenburg Grand Prix and was also purchased at a Hetzel show jumping auction. A full brother to Crazy EP (Cornet Obolensky-Diamant de Semilly) is currently developing into a stallion prospect.

Top-priced Dior is not only highly placed in show jumping competitions up to 1.45 meters, but is also the Youngster of the Year 2025, a special award based on the German National Championships and the Tiemeyer x Hetzel Young Horse Masters 2025. A picture-perfect sport horse with a charming temperament. “He is very careful and has good riding qualities,” emphasizes Maurice Tebbel, “it is always a pleasure to get horses like Dior and Playboy into the stable.”

Quite a haul… 

Customers from all over the world, from Europe to South Africa, representing a total of 50 nations, flocked to the 20th edition of Holger Hetzel's show jumping horse auction in Goch, Rhineland, resulting in a phenomenal auction outcome. None of the 21 auction horses sold for less than a six-figure sum. Disco Inferno, a smart ten-year-old chestnut stallion registered with the AES (Anglo European Studbook), became the third most expensive horse, fetching a hammer price of €420,000. Zack Boom, an Oldenburg stallion by Chacoon Blue, was worth €400,000 to his new owners. Three other auction candidates alone sold for €280,000.

Martina Brüske