Dressage Profiles

Conrad Schumacher - Germany

A former German national dressage team member, Conrad Schumacher trained under the late German World Championship and Olympic medalist Josef Neckermann from 1968 to 1978. After winning the Hessen State Championships in 1982, he has focused on teaching and coaching. Among his famous protégés are German native Sven Rothenberger, who won team silver and individual bronze medals for the Netherlands at the 1996 Olympic Games; Rothenberger's wife and 1996 Olympic teammate Gonnelien Gordijn-Rothenberger; and Dutch rider Ellen Bontje, who won team silver at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Since 1991, Conrad has given clinics to up-and-coming talent in the U.S. Dressage Federation's Junior/Young Rider Program. He conducted the 1999 USDF National Dressage Symposium and in 2002, he presented the inaugural Kentucky Horse Park Dressage Symposium. He has since given USDF Instructor Training Workshops and continues to coach American Advanced Young Riders to numerous medals at the North American Young Riders Championships.

During the 2002 symposium, Mr. Schumacher stressed the development and training of the horse in a "Through the Levels" format. In 2004, Mr. Schumacher will also address the development of the rider on 'The Overview of Classical Dressage Education of the Horse and Rider.' He continues his training of Advanced Young Riders for the United States Dressage Federation program and has stressed the importance of rider education…"because in the long run what you have is the rider."