A tournament is stress - Alone the organization of a horse show means hectic, ingratitude and grey hair. Nevertheless, Herbert Ulonska enjoys his event organization job under the motto : "Pressure as balance".

A life without horses? Impossible for Herbert Ulonska. The Asset Manager lives Hamburg, has been riding since he was 12 yrs. old, is a member of the North German and Flottbeker Riding Club since 1962, known for the German Jumping Derby. Ulonska learnt how to ride on the school horses at the Riding Club. His first privately owned horse, sponsored by his grandfather, was named Valetta. He named the competition stable that he grounded in 1984 after the mare. In 1991 the Stal Valetta moved to the facilities of the German Jumping Derby Winner Achaz von Buchwaldt.

In the middle of the 70's the Banker turned his back briefly on the equestrian sport to build his own business after his special studies. At that time he found his sporting balance on the water. He sailed in Regattas. It wasn't long before he got back to the horses. When he rented stalls again in Flottbek he noticed something: The tournaments over Easter and Advent were not taking place anymore. "So I started to organize tournaments in 1982. Till 1993 I had done approx. 40 Events for the Riding Club, and from 1986 to 1993 sat on the Tournament Organization Committee for the German Jumping Derby."

Why the stress, even though the Investement Company that he founded in 1976 was running well? " I need the competitive riding and the stress of it as balance. I also ride at the Events that I organize, enjoy it and don't loose the contact to the basis of the sport. I am not neccessarily the winning rider type, but have a lot of fun when I jump a clear round." And regarding the placings: Over 60 at the higher level classes and more as 400 in the medium and light level classes. Also Ulonska's Partner, the Swedish born Terese Lindroth, is an inspired jumping rider.

The Event Producer Herbert Ulonska organizes tournaments "while it's fun for me."What started as a passionate hobby has held it’s ground on a professional level for a long time now. "Equestrian Sports Events" (ESE) is the Investment integrated Agency with which Herbert Ulonska organizes the International tournaments for the past ten years. "6 of the 12 people in the office are riders. We always have something to talk about at lunch", says Ulonska with a smile. "My first International tournament was Rostock-Dummerstorf 1990, before the reunification. We produced the last DDR tournament. I remember it very well. We had two tills, one for the East mark and one for the West mark.And we brought everything with us, from the timers to the public address system."

The adventure was fun for Herbert Ulonska. He organized 11 tournaments in Rostock-Dummerstorf, with the last being held in 2000. Why? "While the surroundings had not developed. And while the East Bonus, that had helped us in the beginning, wasn't there anymore." And why had Ulonska ventured to the East? "In the new states we had opportunities that we did not have in the old. Generally I'm happy to try something new!"While he is so inspired he naturally said ´yes´ when the Agricultural Minister from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern offered the Landgestuet Redefin as a tournament location. "The picturesque back drop excited me. When the riders ride onto the arena from the portal they have an entry like an actor coming on stage!" After Redefin, Neustadt-Dosse followed. Both contracts run until 2009. What does he look out for as an Event Organizer? " The budget plan has to be correct. In the first two years you have to invest to be able to see in the third year where you stand. Nothing works without television. In Redefin it is NDR that handles the coverage and at Neustadt-Dosse it is the RBB. And: Every event organizer needs to have a signature. I make relatively a lot of show. It comes across well. Also, I try to make the programme rider friendly. Each rider is allowed to bring two young horses as well to Neustadt."His newest coup: ESE has taken over the management of the Sunshine Tour in Spain.

Source: Pferdesport International 4/2004

Edit: Cornelia Wumkes