Some of the participants at the 2009 European Dressage Championships in Windsor went on holiday right after the show to recover from the excitement, thrill and stress. Laura Bechtolsheimer and her family cruised the Greek islands, DanishAnne van Olst traveled to Thailand for two weeks and Imke Schellekens-Bartels went to New York for some business (clinic at Ashley Holzer's stable) and pleasure (the Big Apple).
No break for German rider Matthias Alexander Rath. He had planned on taking his upcoming Grand Prix horse Triviant (by Olivi) to the CDI-W Wroclaw in Poland but his trip was aborted prematurely. 80 kilometers from his home in Kronberg, Germany, the trip came to an abrupt stop when a car signaled the lorry driver that there was smoke coming out of the truck. The driver stopped immediately and the horse was unloaded. Triviant had breathed in some smoke but there were no injuries. Matthias Rath drove with car and trailer to the spot to load Triviant onto the trailer and bring the horse back home for a full medical check up. The fire in the lorry probably started due to a defect in the cable wench which pulls the tack box into the lorry. The saddle and bridles were damaged due to the fire.
More than a month ago the Dutch bred Welsh pony gelding Den Ostriks Dailan sold to Sven Rothenberger. The team silver medal winning FEI Dressage pony finished fourth at the 2009 European Pony Championships in Moorsele. Soon afterwards, owner Julia van Schaijk (who was actually too tall for her pony) sold the chestnut gelding to Rothenberger. Youngest daughter Semmieke will be riding him.
It was rumoured thatRothenberger also bought Cyrill WE (by Champion de Luxe x Power Man) but this has been denied by Gonnelien Rothenberger. The 3-year old palomino stallion won the Bundeschampionate scoring 10 for trot, 8.5 for canter, 9.5 for walk, 9.0 for training, 8.0 for conformation, and a 9.0 for overall impression. Cyrill WE is bred by Anja Hoorn and is owned by Dr. Katja Bodenkamp.
Rothenberger did, however, exchange his recently acquired Prix St Georges horseFleuri (by Florestan x Akzent II) for an FEI pony and a show jumper. Dutch pony rider (and niece) Antoinette te Riele will give her EC gold medal winning mareGolden Girl to Semmieke Rothenberger next year and Sven also got the Grand Prix show jumper Kid Gentleman from uncle Yves Houtackers. Sönke Rothenberger has taken a big interest in show jumping lately and will be competing Mauna Kea and Kid Gentleman soon.
Dutch dressage rider Petra van Esch is three months pregnant. The 29-year old former young rider is due to deliver in March 2010. At the moment she is still riding her own horses but in the future a few will go in training with Bianca Koenen en Puck Slaats. Last summer, Van Esch became Brabant regional champion at fourth level with her unregistered palomino Thito.
We had a major inpouring of emails about Patrick Swayze, following our new editorial commemorating the renowned actor as a horse man. Even our own German liaison Barbara Schnell shared her wonderful meeting with Patrick Swayze in real life! "I met Patrick Swayze a few years ago when he was in Cologne to promote a film," Schnell reminisced. "I am convinced that unlike many other Hollywood celebrities, he didn't have a false fiber in his body. A very generous and serene guy, and a very memorable encounter (and I hadn't even seen Dirty Dancing at the time). A very nice touch to post that eulogy on your site." Thanks Barbara!
We hardly ever see fun, interesting or exhilarating new websites on equestrian sport or dressage online, but we did have a good chuckle when we saw the futuristic, fantasy site "Super Prix: Your Guide to Dressage in the 21st Century" The author of "Super Prix" writes that "you will learn howbold advances in the technologies of genetics, high-tensile metals and plastics have vastly enhanced the performance of both horse and rider." One of the tools used nowadays is "The Spine Crancker," which is "a highly popular device that serves as a training harness that combines elements of a head-setter, bitting rig, tail-setter and action enhancer." Read more about it here
However, we were shocked when we read"Shame in the Horse Show Ring" for the first time. Not by the obscene language of the author, but most definitely by the malpractice happening in the Western world. The most outrageous and torturous bits are invented and used for Western riding. Western "guru's" giving clinics all over America are praised by the laymen, but you can see a trainer absolutely not making any sense to the audience, nor the horse. And what about Western Pleasure: yes the light contact is a far outcry from the cruel barrell racing kicking and pulling, but talk about developing unnatural gaits. Western Pleasure competition is a "slowness" race. The slower you go, the more distorted the natural gait of a horse and the more chance you get to win. It's upside down in Western world!
Forty-four year old Nadine Capellmann had to withdraw from competing her Danish warmblood Raffaldo at the CDI Donaueschingen due to a bee sting. Capellmann experienced severe allergic reactions to the sting and had to be rushed to the emergency room for treatment. Though she recovered quickly, the medication in her system prevented her from starting in Donaueschingen.
American Grand Prix dressage rider Heather Blitz is moving back to the United States. After a three year stint in Esjberg, Denmark, Blitz has decided to build up a new business in Loxahatchee, Florida on December 1, 2009. "I have had a wonderful time in Europe and have made many friends as well as some great clients but the time has come for me to return home," said Heather, who has frequently returned to the U.S. for clinics. "I already have a number of clients who will be joining me which is very exciting and I'm looking forward to getting started with the new business," she added. Blitz will be bringing her 6 year-old Danish Warmblood gelding, Paragon, back to the U.S. to continue his training and begin competing.
The Dutch continue to blow their horn following their medal streak at the 2009 European Championships. In a column in the Dutch newspaper Paardenkrant, former Dutch Olympic rider Johan Swaab puts feathers in Sjef Janssen's cap: "it is more than clear that the system of Sjef Janssen is supreme to all other methods. This fact forces us [the Dutch] to provide an education system for future instruction based on the Sjef Janssen-system if we want to keep that lead position." The 80-year old Swaab argues that there should be training not only on a technical and gymnastic level, but riders also need to be taught discipline, eager and ambition which are necessary to succeed. "I'm not pointing at riders of today who already know Janssen's system and know how to train and compete their horses. They will do everything to complete their training within the system. No, I'm pointing at next generations." Swaab's box-thinking culminates in the eye-brow raising expression: "At the European Championships there were no better trained, gymnasticized, happy moving horses that those of the Dutch team." (editor's note: horses like Mistral Hojris and Augustin immediately come to mind). Swaab finished his argument with: "before I have written that we breed top horses in The Netherlands, but that's in the best case only half. The training/instruction and manner of riding is equally important and that is why Janssen's system is essential to continue this success."
Anky van Grunsven's stable in Erp, The Netherlands, is being totally rebuilt and revamped into a huge educational and training centre with offices for the Anky Technical Casuals clothing line and apartments and living quarters for grooms and clients training there. The stable is turning into an absolutely gorgeous brick building with all the facilities you can dream of. Mrs Maij-Weggen, the Noord-Brabant commissionaire of the Queen of The Netherlands, inserted a special plaque in the outer wall. This was done in appreciation of the support the province of Noord Brabant has given to Anky.
On his fantastic website Dovers World, American Olympic dressage rider Robert Dover showed his support for this year's edition of the 2009 Global Dressage Forum. Dover wrote, "The 2009 GDF should be particularly interesting with the participation top riders Steffen Peters and Heike Kemmer. Ton de Ridder [...] will also present a Master Class. Results and conclusions from the ground breaking Aachen Judging Trials will also be discussed. Plus much more! This year the International Dressage Trainers’ club will increase their support of the GDF by offering a 40% discount on the price to clients and students of IDTC members. All that is required to obtain the discount is to mention the name of the IDTC member when making your reservation. As the current economic situation has sadly caused the cancellation of several other dressage forums it is important to attend the Global Dressage Forum to keep abreast of latest developments and to have your opinions heard."
We're often very concerned with the shocking news Greenpeace brings of multinational industries destroying our earth. The latest disgrace of humanity are the Tar Sands, one of the largest remaining deposits of oil in the world. "Developing the tar sands has created the biggest industrial development project, the biggest capital investment project, and the biggest energy project in the world. It has also created a literal hell on earth," Greenpeace writes. "Areas of wilderness the size of small countries are chewed up and replaced by a landscape of toxic lakes, open pit mines, refineries, and pipe lines. The tar sands are what unrestrained fossil fuel use and unchecked greenhouse gas emissions look like." Stop TAR SANDS NOW!