Christian

Christian Kukuk – A Journey to Success

Since February 2012, Christian Kukuk has been working as a rider at our stables in Riesenbeck. Initially, he focused primarily on training and presenting young horses at competitions. However, he has since become a successful competitor at international tournaments, up to 5* level, across Germany and abroad.

Christian’s childhood dream was to become a professional footballer, but life took a different turn. Today, the slender top athlete lives his dream as a professional rider in Ludger Beerbaum’s stable. Born in 1990 in Warendorf, it wasn’t initially clear that Christian would one day become a rider. Although his parents were riders, and he grew up around horses, his passion for football and natural talent with the ball were his main focus.

When there wasn’t a football match, Christian occasionally accompanied his father to tournaments to help him in the warm-up arena. His innate ambition drove him to show his father how things could be done better, and that’s when the “horse bug” started to take hold. After completing his commercial training, in which he graduated as the top student in Warendorf County, Christian moved to Riesenbeck.

With great talent, discipline, and hard work, Christian didn’t have to wait long for success. Today, he is among Germany’s most accomplished riders. It is not only his motivation and drive for success that define him but also his natural feel for horses and his passion for the sport.

One of Christian’s unforgettable moments was receiving his Golden Riding Badge in March 2015 during the opening ceremony of Riesenbeck International. Not only did his family, friends, and colleagues congratulate him, but he also received a special video message from football world champion Thomas Müller, which was displayed on a big screen.

Christian’s successes continued, and in 2016, he qualified for the CHIO Aachen for the first time. However, a severe fall at this tournament led to a long recovery period involving rehabilitation, physiotherapy, and immense patience. By the end of 2016, Christian was back in the saddle and achieved a remarkable comeback by winning the Grand Prix of Frankfurt with Limoncello.

Since 2014, Christian has been part of the German Nations Cup team and has contributed to numerous victories. Among his achievements are team wins in Sopot in 2021 and Aachen in 2022.

Christian Kukuk – Continuing the Path of Success

In 2018, Christian became a team member of the Berlin Eagles in the Longines Global Champions League for the first time. When he took the reins of the stallion Mumbai in 2019, it marked the beginning of a successful partnership. In 2020, they celebrated victories, including a World Cup qualifier in Riyadh, and Christian was subsequently named to the German show jumping development squad.

2021 brought another milestone: Christian and Mumbai represented Germany at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Just a year later, they competed at the European Championships in Riesenbeck, where they won the team silver medal and finished fourth individually.

In the meantime, Christian developed several outstanding young horses, which paid off in 2023. With the "Riesenbeck International" team, he claimed victory after victory in the Longines Global Champions League. This incredible season was capped with a new record: never before had a team won both the Final and the Playoffs in the same year. Christian played a pivotal role in this achievement, participating in nearly every stage of the global tour with his horses.

Equally remarkable was his performance at the Nations Cup Final in Barcelona just weeks earlier, where he secured an emphatic win with the German team.

2024 – A Year Christian Will Never Forget

In August, Christian achieved a lifelong dream by winning the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Paris with Checker. It was a historic and emotional moment for the entire team. Prior to this, he had already celebrated major victories, including the 5* Grand Prix at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington in March and the Grand Prix of Madrid.

Additionally, he continued to secure impressive results with Team Riesenbeck International. At the end of the season, they finished second in the overall standings of the Global Champions League and claimed third place in the Playoffs.

And his success story continues in 2025 - Christian has already defended his title in the 5* Grand Prix in Wellington for the second consecutive year.