Felicia Wallin has a key role in the newly crowned German European Champion's team at home at the facility in Pfungstadt, a bit outside Frankfurt. Her main task: taking care of United Touch – at home and at competitions. It rests on her that the horse is cared for in the best possible way in all contexts.
He goes for a walk in the forest with me and once with Richard in the afternoon. If Richard is not at home, I ride dressage work in the afternoon, said Wallin in an interview with Tidningen Ridsport.
Vogel pointed out several times in interviews after the European Championship gold in Casas Novas outside La Coruña how important his groom is.
She is very important. She is the one who is closest to the horse. They are very close to each other.
Vogel's fine gesture
Then Richard Vogel showed how highly he values his horse caretaker.
Vogel hung the gold medal around Felicia Wallin's neck when they managed a first brief celebration. After the prize ceremony, Wallin had to take the stallion to a doping test and one thing led to another. This meant that she was forced to decline interviews with Swedish media.
Wallin has worked for Vogel since the German rode two-star competitions and was ranked around 2,500 in the world.
Vogel's development from an unknown to a world star has gone at almost record speed. He can thank the now 13-year-old stallion for that. As recently as 2022, he started riding him. Last summer, they unexpectedly got a place in the German Olympic Games team and since then it has just kept going.
"Loner"
Wallin about United Touch:
It took a long time to get to know him, he is a loner, no stallion who wants to be heard and seen. He does not seek contact with either horses or people.
But he started showing more and more character and after half a year, he neighed when I came into the stable.
Vogel was ninth in the world ranking before the European Championship. With the gold, he can expect to climb a few places.
His girlfriend for eight years is Sophie Hinners, sixth in the European Championship final. With two top riders under 30, German show jumping is strong for the future, not least considering the World Championship at home in Aachen next year.
