After the World Cup Qualifier in London, Portuguese Grand Prix rider Luis Principe took his number one Grand Prix horse Washington out for a relaxing hack on Porthcawl beach in South Wales, UK. "It was his christmas break before we carry on our campaign in January," Principe told Eurodressage. Principe took these wonderful photos of him on his horse.
Lotje Schoots has sold her rising small tour horse Wonja to Canadian based Mexican Elizabeth Monaghan as a Pan Am hopeful. The 8-year old bay Wonja (by Rhodium x Krack C x Nuriel) finished seventh at the 2006 KWPN Mare Championship and was a VSN Trophy finallist.
We asked Swedish breeder Lena Nystrom why she named her fantastic 2,5-year old Swedish bred and Oldenburg approved stallion Tight Junction (by Temptation x Sandro Hit). "My horses born here are all named after medical terms," said Nystrom, who is a veterinarian by profession. Some of her horses are Scapula, Synovia and Toxin. "Tight Junction is a very close communication channel between two cells and a beautiful name as well, at least in my opinion!". American owner Jamie White-Welling, who acquired Tight Junction at the Oldenburg stallion licensing auction for 800,000 euro, renamed the colt into Tomahawk.
Former American Olympic dressage team rider Gwen Stockebrand has to appear in court on 28 December 2011 after the Sonoma County District Attorney filed a felony animal abuse charge against her. Stockebrand neglected two of her horses by starving them. The horses arrived at the animal rescue in a state of 1 and 3 on the Henneke scale (emaciated and thin). See photos here.
In her blog for Equestrian Life Australian Grand Prix rider Lyndal Oatley reflected on the year 2011 which has been "mammoth" for her. Besides her own personal major accomplishments, including Australia qualifying a team for the 2012 Olympics, she also looked back on the tragic losses Australian Dressage has suffered the past year. Two of the 2010 WEG team horses have passed away (Victory Salute, Relampago do Retiro) as well as Blas Lago's Northern Hector. Read her blog here.
At an exceptional general assembly of the Westfalian breed society, chair Volker Kückelhaus was relieved from his position as chair and from the board following a vote (60 in favour, 40 against the resignation), and 3 invalid votes). Internal struggles about finances between Kuckelhaus and breeding director Dr. Friedrich Marahrens lay at the basis of this board crisis.
De Niro (by Donnerhall x Pik Bube II) has been accepted by the Holsteiner Breeding Association. Generally, the Holsteiner Breeding Association pursues a pure breeding strategy. However, they have decided to license De Niro for their breeding program. With De Niro included, seven dressage stallions from external populations are available for Holsteiner breeding (Ampere, Belissimo, Damon Hill, Krack C, Lissaro Van de Helle, Quaterback, Totilas).
Zuchterforum published that the famous Gronwohldhof farm (the old home of Karin and Herbert Rehbein) has been sold to show jumping owner Manfred von Allwörden.
