Christian Hartung

[part time assistant trainer]

Christian grew up surrounded by horses and horse people in the former East Germany near Berlin. At the age of 11, he won his first State Championship in Dressage. In the following years he earned State Champion titles in Dressage and Jumping and competed at the German Championships for Juniors and Young Riders several times. Christian rode his first PSG at the age of 14. He became a licensed trainer by the FN, the German Riding Association, and carries the German Riding Medal Class I. 

Christian’s family has been involved in the horse business for generations not only as successful competitors and national team members, but also as Grand Prix judges, course designers, trainers, and breeders of licensed stallions. At home, Christian's mother Karin, a several time national champion in show jumping in East Germany, supervised his training. He continued to work with Reitmeister Wolfgang Müller and Michael Thieme on a regular basis until he came to the United States in 2006, joining the team at the Christiane Noelting Dressage Center. 

Competing in the U.S., Christian earned his USDF Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medals with destinction, won several FEI high point awards and CDS and USDF Championships. He also successfully campaigned young horses in Futurity classes. Besides teaching and riding, Christian has been a full time student at University of California Davis (major in managerial economics) from which he graduated in Spring 2011. Since then, Christian has been pursuing a professional career in the software industry while still putting his equestrian knowledge and talent to good use.

Selected Accomplishments in the United States

• 2024 CDS Open Champion (73.5%) and USDF Region 7 Open Champion (75.2%) at Second Level, 6yo California Futurity Champion (75.8%) with Velantis
• 2023 CDS Grand Prix Grand Champion and Grand Prix Freestyle Winner with 72.37% with Desario.
  
• 2023 First Level CDS Open Champion and USDF Region 7 Open Champion with Velantis
• 2022 CDS Grand Prix Grand Champion and Grand Prix Freestyle Winner with 76.67% with Desario 
• 2022 Training Level CDS Open Champion & USDF Region 7 Open Champion with Velantis
• 2022 CDI 3* GP and GP Freestyle Winner with 71%
• 2019 PSG and Intermediare-1 Grand Champion (Open) at the California Annual Show with Desario including the CDS I-1 Freestyle Horse of the Year award; Reserve Champion First Level Open with Walentino
• 2018 CDS Open Champion on Desario at 4th Level and 4th Level Freestyle
• 2016 Markel/USEF Young Horse National Dressage National Champion on the 5 year old Desario (OLD by De Champ / Rosario)
• 2013 USDF Region 7 Champion with 81.9% - Training Level open division on Dreamcatcher
• 2011 USDF Horse of the Year Winner at 4th level on Watulele (season average 73.662 %)
• 2009 USDF Horse of the Year Winner at Intermediate 1 on Wilco
• 2007 PSG and Intermediare-1 CDS Open Champion on Pizarro and Wilco
• numerous placings in the top three at CDS Young Horse Futurity Classes and USEF National Young Horse Championships; horses included Romano, Rubina, Dreamcatcher, Serendipitous, Wintessa, Wiscotti, Wrigley, Wincento, Desario, Walentino

Selected Accomplishments in the Germany

• multiple State Championship Titles in both, Dressage and Jumping at the Pony and Junior/ Young Rider divisions
• participation at several German Championships for Junior and Young Riders
• repeated wins of the Böckmann-Junior-Cup (Jumping) 
• repeated wins of the Dressage Chance Junior Cup 

Christian at the age of 14 on Ladoucette at the Redefin Stallion Parade

Christian on his way to the State Championship with his pony stallion Gigant

2016 USEF 5 year old National Champion - Desario and Christian Hartung

Hanoverian gelding Wilco and Christian, CDS Open Intermediate 1 Champion 2007 and USDF I-1 Horse of the Year 2009

Watulele was named 2011 USDF Horse of the year at 4th level with a season average of 73.6%

Serendipitous and Christian wining the 4 year old FEI Young Horse class at Del Mar