The German licensed pony breeding stallion Power and Paint will stay in training at Coby van Baalen's barn in The Netherlands. After having won team silver and individual silver under the Dutch 16-year old Marrigje van Baalen
, there was much interest from Germany to bring the stallion back to his home country and put him in training with a German rider.
However, Coby van Baalen and Dutch Pony chef d'equipe Mieke de Kok were able to secure the buckskin pony stallion for Van Baalen's student Mara de Vries. The 15-year old De Vries has already competed at FEI Pony level with ponies Dodo and Aladin, but will now be riding the medal winner Power and Paint.
The Rhinelander bred Power and Paint (by Power Boy x Dancer) is owned by Mr. Pasch from Germany. He started his dressage career in Germany claiming his first important show success in 1999 under Anne van der Horst. The pair finished fifth in the 6-year old division at the Bundeschampionate. In 2000 he placed third at the Rhinelander Regional Championships under Caroline van der Linde, who trains with Johann Hinnemann.
In 2001, Power and Paint, who has an average trot but an extraordinary canter and dazzles the judges with his beauty, moved to Dressage stable Van Baalen to be ridden by Coby's niece Marrigje. The licensed stallion won three times team silver at the European Championships and was several times Dutch Pony Champion. The 2004 individual silver medal was the icing on the cake of his career under Marrigje.
Mara de Vries will try to qualify Power and Paint for the Dutch FEI Pony team in 2005.
Image copyrighted: Astrid Appels
Related Links
Marrigje van Baalen and Power and Paint, Fourth at 2003 European Pony Championships
2002 Dutch Dressage Pony Team Named