Our "Dressage to become a blood sport" article has generated tremendous response world wide from innumerable dressage lovers. We've received tons of emails which have been forwarded to Trond Asmyr and Frank Kemperman (chair of the now infamous Dressage Committee, which disregarded the opinion of the IDRC, IDOC and AIDEO against the propsed blood rule). The No Blood petition has been signed by approximately 5,000 people. Get the message???!!
Unfortunately many federations don't!. They are reluctant to choose for animal welfare and maintain a positive image of the sport. Germany, for instance, who has been working hard at cleaning up their image of a doping infested equestrian nation, has washed those efforts down the drain as they are now tainting themselves once again by voting in favour of the blood rule at the FEI general assembly next month. According to the FN press officer, Susanne Hennig, the reason for FN secretary-general Sönke Lauterbach to vote yes is because an Olympic team only has three horses and if one horse bites its tongue and gets eliminated there will be no team result. Keep working at it Germany!! After multiple doping incidents, you will now need to improve your image as a blood tolerant country as well!
By the way, aren't the Olympics supposed to be the pinnacle of the sport and not the scene where blood is allowed!?
To many trainers (hello IDTC!!) and countries success is more important than the welfare of the horse (no matter if it's a big or small injury). And then we are not even talking about the Impracticality and unfairness towards other competitors of this proposed blood rule.
Don't let blood destroy our sport!!! Sign the petition at http://www.no-fei.com
On a lighter note...
Our third instalment of the "Test Your Freestyle Knowledge" quiz has been a tremendous success. We've received tons of entries but so far not a single person has answered all 10 questions correctly. All answers can be found on the internet, so start searching!
The freestyle seemed to be a hot topic as the video of the production of Tinne Vilhelmson's new Broadway freestyle was viewed more than 2000 times within 10 days!
Matthias Rath apparently reported to the German Press Agencey DPA that he will not be campaigning Totilas in the 2011-2012 World Cup circuit. The young German champion did, however, confirm his entry in the World Cup Qualifier of Frankfurt in December. So the next appearance of the pair will be at their "home show" in Frankfurt, where they will be riding in the Grand Prix and World Cup qualifying Kur to Music.
At the beginning of September Sydney Olympic rider and WEG representative Rachael Sanna launched the new equestrian book "Stories From the Saddle" at a private launch venue in Sydney. The launch was well attended and guests included ex Equestrian Australia CEO Franz Venhaus and his wife Toni, who is the director of the Sydney CDI. The speakers included Australia’s highest scoring dressage rider Brett Parbery, as well as author Samantha Miles.
Stories From the Saddle is the first of its kind in Australian equestrian history: a collection of stories from Australia’s leading and legendary riders in the three Olympic disciplines of dressage, eventing and showjumping. Dressage contributors are, for instance, Rachael Sanna, Brett Parbery, Heath Ryan, Rozzie Ryan and Mary Hanna. For more information contact Samantha Miles at samantha@finch.com.au or www.storiesfromthesaddle.com, RRP $35.00.
The 10-year old Dutch warmblood licensed stallion Ufo (by Metall x El Corona x Nurprimus) has been gelded and will continue his career as a sports horses instead of a breeding stallion. The black stallion is trained and competed by Stable Broere's head rider Kirsten Beckers.
Jens Thorsen's 6-year old Westfalian gelding Freak Blue Phantom (by Florencio x Feinbrand) has been sold to a German rider. The bright bay with white stockings was trained and competed by the Danish Kristine Moller, who showed him at the 2011 World Young Horse Championships in Verden and 2011 Bundeschampionate.
At the 2011 Pony Forum Sales held in Alsfeld, the black mare Djaufaila (by Danny Gold x Silverado) became the price highlight, selling for 91,000 euro to a 12-year old rider from Frankfurt. Congratulations!
The 31-year old Jörg-Wilhelm Wegener has been appointed new director of the training and auction centre of the Hanoverian society in Verden. Wegener has been working at the Verden auction centre since 2006 and was the auction deputy director since 2010 but now he will be heading the auction centre.
Horses.nl reported that the KWPN stallion Zardando (by Tango x Gribaldi x Contango) has been sold to Dutch small tour rider Peter de Boer. The dark bay stallion competed in the KWPN Stallion Competition under Theo Hanzon and finished third. Afterwards owner Arno Pullens took over the ride, but he has now sold the stallion to De Boer.
Yvonne Copal sold her Fourth level horse Webster (by Krack C x Ulft x Able Albert xx) to a 14-year old junior rider student of Jan Brink in Sweden. The KWPN bred stallion has been competed at M-level and was ready to go Prix St Georges.