What began as a planned return home to Auckland for New Zealand dressage rider Haydee Wells-Parmenter took an unexpected turn just one week before Easter 2006. Initially training in Krefeld, Germany, with European star coach Jean Bemelmans, Wells-Parmenter had already booked her flight home. However, a twist of fate involving her horse Rubinstar becoming unsound and a fellow rider’s injury dramatically altered her course, potentially leading her to the Beijing 2008 Olympics.
The chain of events began when Dr. Britta Schoeffmann, an acquaintance at the stable where Wells-Parmenter resided, suffered a knee injury from a fall. Needing someone to ride her horses during her recovery, Schoeffmann turned to Wells-Parmenter, who had previously helped her with another horse. Wells-Parmenter was asked to ride two of Schoeffmann’s horses: the experienced eleven-year-old Grand Prix mare La Picolina, affectionately known as “Liese,” and the five-year-old youngster Courbière, nicknamed “Buffalo.” This unexpected request prompted Wells-Parmenter to cancel her flight home, extending her stay in Germany for an additional six to ten weeks. “Britta’s flight interrupted my flight,” Wells-Parmenter jokes today, reflecting on the circumstances that reshaped her future.
Six months prior to this incident, Wells-Parmenter had made a lighthearted remark that would have significant consequences. She found herself getting along exceptionally well with both of Schoeffmann’s horses and developed a strong working relationship with Schoeffmann as her new coach. This camaraderie led Wells-Parmenter to ask, half-jokingly, about the schedule for upcoming competitions. Schoeffmann, a Grand Prix rider, esteemed German equestrian journalist, and trained judge, took her up on the offer, and their shared endeavor began to gain serious momentum.
“I liked Haydee’s riding style and her attitude towards horses,” Schoeffmann stated. “It was and is fun to work with her and train her. So I thought: Well, let’s try a show.” Initially, Wells-Parmenter competed Courbière in young horse classes, achieving a winner’s rosette and a third-place finish in four starts. As a token of appreciation, Schoeffmann then allowed Wells-Parmenter to compete the more advanced mare, La Picolina, at a local Prix St. Georges event, where they secured third place. “Liese is such a delightful horse to ride,” Wells-Parmenter commented. “She’s so easy and so willing. It’s a unique and different feeling competing her; there’s absolutely no reason to feel stressed, it’s just pure fun.”
Impressed by their harmonious performance, Schoeffmann decided to take the next step, permitting Wells-Parmenter to ride her first-ever Grand Prix on La Picolina. For the twenty-six-year-old talent, this marked the opening of a new dimension in her riding career. Wells-Parmenter began her equestrian journey at the age of four with her first pony, but her serious riding career commenced at eleven. “At first, I did eventing, but my passion was always dressage, and I put much more effort into that,” she explained. “I stopped eventing after I sold my last pony and went straight into dressage.”
With her “first serious horse,” she progressed through the levels from four-year-old training to Inter-II, with the guidance of her then-trainer. Subsequently, she sold that horse to fund her move to Australia, where she trained with Clemens Dierks for several years before making the significant decision to relocate to Europe. This move proved to be more impactful than initially anticipated, as inquiries arose from back home about her potential to continue competing these horses and perhaps pursue international competitions, with the Beijing 2008 Olympics on the distant horizon.
While Schoeffmann herself might not have had a clear path to the German team with La Picolina due to the high level of competition in Germany, the situation looked different for a rider from New Zealand. What started as a temporary arrangement could potentially evolve into a career-defining opportunity for both rider and owner/trainer. To be eligible for the Olympic longlist, Wells-Parmenter would need to achieve a score of 64% in two international qualifying events. “And that,” she admitted, “may not be a given, but it is more than a dream. At the least, it’s a chance to see how far you can go. Even if we don’t make the qualification, it’s a chance to represent New Zealand in the Grand Prix arena, and a wonderful opportunity to get known.” This unforeseen turn of events has transformed a planned departure into a potential Olympic dream, showcasing how a single accident can reroute a rider’s destiny.
