Here are a few of the latest tidbits from the equestrian world. We have lots of Dutch news:
Did you know that Anky van Grunsven has a new three year old. Claiming that she just loves the Flemming offspring now that she has Krack C in her training, Van Grunsven bought a three year old Dutch warmblood by Flemming out of Diane (by Meridiaan x Acer xx). We'll see how this one will turn out in the show ring. Because, her 5-year-old former silver medallist, Gestion Ictenos (Trakehner by Sir Chamberlaine), at the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses has been tucked away in her barn in Gemert for more than a year now..
Gestion Goliath, on the other hand, is announced to be coming back to the competition world. Arjen Teeuwissen hasn't been showing his Zebulon-gelding who was lame for more than half a year. Goliath is back in training now and is supposed to be recouperating fine. The career of Olympic Ferro, on the contrary, is rumoured to be at its end. The KWPN studbook's favorite stallion has been injured for a while now and his entry in the Dutch Dressage Championships and CHIO Aachen has already been annulled. It is also rumoured (!!) that the owners, Lamers and Van de Goor, are thinking of ending Ferro's show career completely and focus him primarily on breeding.
The American Dressage Team is coming over to Europe for extensive training at Klaus Balkenhol's barn in Rosendahl, Germany. Guenter Seidel will be bringing Nikolaus for sure, Jane Clark agreed to let Betsy Steiner ride Rainier. The situation with Everest is insure. While it has been announced that Guenter Seidel was to take over the massive Hanoverian, this has not happened yet. The American Dressage Team will be competing at the CDI Rotterdam and Donaueschingen.
Everybody knows by now that Christine Traurig has a new sponsor. The generous family Trierweiler has bought her the stallion Cordino (Calypso II x Cor de le Bruyere) with which she hoped to qualify for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
Belgian Young Rider Tom Franckx has sold his SBS bred Hopje van Duinoord (by Unique Drum II) to Japan. Franckx is planning on entering his new horse, the Hanoverian Doncaster (by Donnerhall) in the young riders' division.
Did you notice it too that Karen Rehbein's Flambo made a remarkable appearance under the Dutch rider Joop Gondrie at the CHI Eindhoven? The KWPN bred Flambo (by Kaiserstern xx) presented by Donrie placed second in the Grand Prix. Congratulations! Penny Zavitz-Rockx' Heyu was presented by Karen Nijvelt at the show in Eindhoven. We wonder if that horse got sold too due to her pregnancy.
Christine Doan was kind enough to inform us that her Belgian warmblood Nector van het Carlshof (by Randel Z) is now in training with Ingrid Klimke. Doan used to train in Belgium with the Grand Prix rider Jan Dupont, but then moved to Michael Klimke's place near Aachen. However, it is Ingrid Klimke who has finally taken over the training of the exceptional bay gelding.
This is old news but here we go anyway. Australian dressage prima donna Rachael Downs is marrying former Olympic Australian show jumping rider George Sanna. We got that one from Chris Hector.
John, Janet and Jacqueline Paxton are hosting the first ever North American Junior Riders Championships at Paxton farm in Batavia, Ohio. Teams from Canada, Mexico and the U.S. will be riding for the honory medals and a position in the hall of fame of winning dressage riders. More info at www.paxtonfarm.com
The Belgian Dressage Promo Team has gasped its last breath. After the resignation of Carmen van Ingelgem, the promo team slowly but steadily went downhill and eventually was dissolved begin May..So that was the short attempt (about five years) to promote dressage in Belgium. L'arroseur arrosé