Dutch equestrian magazine De Hoefslag reported today that Gestut Vorwerk's Oldenburg breeding stallion Relevant will be trained and competed by Dutch Marlies van Baalen. The chestnut stallion by Rubinstein x Goldlöwe x Venator xx
was in training with Johann Hinnemann this summer, and he suggested to Gudula Vorwerk-Happ to let Van Baalen ride the horse.
"Johann Hinnemann is training several stallions of Gestut Vorwerk and their new rider competes them, but she doesn't ride Grand Prix," Marlies van Baalen told De Hoefslag. "The idea arose to let me ride Relevant, which sounds good to me. I'm going to Germany twice a week for two days to ride Relevant. On the other days, Johann rides him."
Relevant claimed international fame under Vorwerk's previous head rider, American Lisa Wilcox. She competed Relevant at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez de la Frontera and the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, but left Gestut Vorwerk in December 2004 for Switzerland. Vorwerk hired two new riders, Tanja Lammers and Johanna Bergstrom, but had no experienced Grand Prix rider to compete their top stallions. Leonie Brammall and Ingrid Klimke showed Relevant and Royal Diamond at the stallion shows this winter, but noone actually competed the Grand Prix stallions this season.
"It's a very nice opportunity for me to compete such an experienced and successful Grand Prix horse," Marlies van Baalen said. "I don't know yet when I will show him for the first time. I will only take him to shows when we are really ready for it."
Source: De Hoefslag
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