Janne began riding horses at a young age, and her passion for jumping was clear from the start. At twelve years old, she competed in her first German championship.
As is often the case, she became part of the equestrian world thanks to the passion of her parents, a passion that was ever-present as the years passed.
In 2010, she was part of the German team that won gold at the World Championships, and two years later she rode as part of the national team at the London Olympics.
Among the many titles she holds, that of National Champion in the women’s category is noteworthy, winning twice (in 2006 and 2011). In 2008, she placed second at the Rider’s Tour.
Her greatest individual achievement thus far was her victory at the Grand Prix of Aachen in 2011. Just one day earlier, she had won the ‘Best of Champions’ class, competition which is limited to the five highest ranked men and women in the world plus Olympic, World and European Champions.
In recent years, she has had a constant presence on the German team in the Nations Cup.
Janne is and always has been very closely tied to her hometown of Hamburg.
A few years ago, Janne and her husband Christoph Zimmermann made a lifelong dream come true: they opened their own stable, purchasing an equestrian centre near the German port city.
The husband and wife team have poured their passion for the sport into the renovation of the former dressage facilities and the creation of a breeding barn and training centre, with the goal of producing the next generation of top international jumpers.
The new name, Hof Waterkant, is a tribute to her hometown.
After taking a break from competition for a very happy event (the birth of her son Friedrich), Janne has energetically returned to her equestrian career.
In June of 2022, she was part of the German team that won gold at the Nations Cup, and she ended the year with a victory in the GP at the Show Jumping World Cup held in La Coruna, riding Messi van’t Ruytershof.
(Photo: Sportfot)
