Despite the regrettable fact that Horses Unlimited and Olympian Dr. Cesar Parra have split ways, Parra continues to move forward. On a recent two-day trip to his native country Colombia, Cesar Parra met the Colombian prime minister Dr. Bernardo Moreno. "It was cool to talk to someone who makes decisions for what goes on in a country," Parra said. Cesar also got interviewed for two different two shows and several news programs, being one of the most prolific international athletes representing Colombia.
Dutch WEG team member Imke Schellekens-Bartels has a new freestyle for her ride on the Hanoverian mare Sunrise (by Singular Joter). The internationally acclaimed pianistWibi Soerjadi composed "The Spirit of Sunrise," a kur custom made to the movements of Sunrise. "The kur is not only brilliant because Wibi is at the top of the music world, but he is also rider who knows something about the equestrian sport," Imke Schellekens said. "It was a thrill to practise the kur during training and I'm excited to see how the audience and judges react to it at Jumping Amsterdam."
Kirsten Beckers won't be competed Broere Jazz at the CDI-W Amsterdam this weekend. She fell off a youngster a week ago and bruised her ribs. She has difficulties breathing but there are no severe injuries. "I've ridden Jazz but it's more like keeping him going than real training. In agreement with Mr Broere we withdrew for Amsterdam," Beckers told Dutch magazine De Hoefslag. Beckers will be competing three stallions at the 2007 KWPN Stallion Licensing the weekend after Amsterdam.
The Danish owned FEI Dressage pony Kastanienhof's Vitus has been sold to England. Under Carina Nevermann Torup, Vitus was one of the most successful FEI ponies in Scandinavia. The German bred Vitus has been sold to Miss Olivia Kuropatwa, who previously competed Bernwode Duvalier in Great Britain.
The FEI dressage pony Pan Tau B also moved barns. Upon purchasing the palomino gelding Arts Demaran from the Luttgen family in the autumn, Maria van den Dungen also took an option on the pony stallion Pan Tau B. The Power Star x Black Magic son claimed his first fame under Marion Engelen. He competed at the 2001 Bundeschampionate and received the highest score ever for a 6-year old dressage pony (so far - 9.7). Pan Tau B was Louisa Luttgen's second FEI pony and always stayed in the shadow of her first ride Dornik B. Under the Dutch pony team member Maria van den Dungen, Pan Tau B will take a prominent position in her team of top quality FEI ponies.
Ulla Salzgeber is selling two of the most important horses she owns herself. Both her Grand Prix horse Piet (by Jazz) as well as her small tour horse Wakana (by Wolkentanz) are listed for sale. Apparently, this news was posted on Ulla's website www.ulla-salzgeber.de but the site has been inaccessible for days. Salzgeber, who recently resigned from her position as the Australian Training Adviser, also lost the ride on Gisela Carstens' Wanesco and Furst Finley. Both horses are now being trained and competed by Martina Sternberg. Until Piet is sold, Ulla's stable rider Frank Freund will be riding the horse. They have scheduled to appear in the Piaff Forderpreis' seminar February 8-11, 2008.
Americans Scott and Susanne Hassler will be representing Karin Offield-Reid's Grand Prix stallions Lingh and Hexagon's Louisville. The Hasslers recently resigned as stable managers of Hilltop Farms and started their own business in Rising Sun, Maryland. They are currently standing four stallions at stud: Harmony's Rousseau (formerly Hilltop Rousseau, Ferro x Roemer), Davidoff Hit (Don Davidoff x Sandro Hit) and Offield Farm's Lingh and Louisville. "Our careers have been dedicated to the professional representation and management of stallions that bring depth and quality to the North American sporthorse industry. We continue in this tradition as we proudly announce our representation of Offield Farm's internationally renowned Dutch Warmblood stallion Lingh. Lingh possesses the qualities we aim to produce for top sport," Susanne Hassler said.
Gestüt Sprehe and Gestüt Gronwohldhof,two of Germany's most prominent breeding stallions have formed a union and will co-operate intensively in the future. For the 2007 breeding season, 18 horses will be standing at stud at Sprehe's in Benstrup, Germany, and 12 stallions at Gronwohlhof. Gestut Sprehe was founded in 2000 by Paul Sprehe and will be focusing more on showjumping than dressage. The dressage division of Sprehe will relocate to Gronwohldhof, where Karin Rehbein and Falk Rosenbauer are the head riders. "We hope that this co-operation will produce a valuable synergy," Sprehe explained in a press release.
Carol Cohen's super deluxe Two Swans Farm is on the market. The gorgeous property in Wellington, Florida, is offered for sale for a mere 9.6 million dollars. Cohen owns Viegaards Come Back II, a stallion who was competed at Grand Prix level by Hubertus Schmidt last year, but who has been recovering from a severe injury for almost a year now.
At Trakehners-international.com we picked up the news that Wilfried Bechtolsheimer'sTrakehner stallion Polarion is back in the breeding business! The internationally successful Grand Prix dressage stallion by Van Deyk is the sire of the World Young Horse Eventing Champion Grafenstolz TSF. Polarion was competed by Laura Bechtolsheimer but he is now breeding again for the first time since several years. Trakehners International also wrote that Key West, son of Stradivari and the full brother to the champion K2, will remain in France for another season.
Some more info on the unfortunate passing of Hubertus Schmidt's Forest Gump NRW is posted on the St. Georg website. The 12-year old Westfalian gelding died of colic even though he was operated on. However, he could not be saved as too much intestine had died off. Also, St. Georg states that Martina Teichert's Wansuela Suerte is no longer for sale as Hubertus plans on competed her at the CDI-W Neumunster. Aboard Anna Paprocka's Andretti H, he hopes to qualify for the 2007 European Championshipships. The Hanoverian Andretti H is owned by Anna Paprocka Campanella. She used to train the horse at P.S.I. and German dressage master Holga Finken competed the bay gelding once (in 2005). Now it's Schmidt's turn to prove himself aboard the Aarking xx x Cavalier son.