German Matthias Alexander Rath made his return to the show ring since he was diagnosed with Pfeiffer's disease in June 2012. Rath competed the home bred mare Hope (by His Highness x Rubinstein x Flaneur) at M-level at the local show in Mainz-Bretzenheim on 2 September 2012.
The pair won the class with 67.843%%. Rath also stated that his ultimate goal with Totilas will be the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
Gemma Appleton-Green and her husband Nathan are expecting their first baby together. The 28-year old Gemma is a British FEI dressage rider, while her husband is a farrier by profession.
Irish FEI rider Anne Marie Dunphy has been forced to withdraw from competing at the 2012 Irish Dressage Championships after breaking her leg. We wish her a speedy recovery.
Equestrian.ru reported that David Gurevich, director of the Russian Museum of Horse breeding and co-author of "The Dictionary for Horse Breeding and Equestrian Sports", has passed away. A veterinarian by profession Gurevich fought during World War II and was stationed in Germany until 1949. He retired from the army in 1967 and began working for the Department of Breeding. In 1975 he began his job at the Museum of Horse Breeding. Gurevich was known for his vast knowledge in the field of hippology and author of numerous articles and essays, which were regularly published in Russian horse magazines.
Belgian paralympian and former Young Rider Ulricke Dekeyzer has lost her youth riders horse, the 18-year old Belgian warmblood gelding Rey van de Goublomme (by Domburg x Grundstein II) the day she arrived to compete at her first Paralympics in London. Dekeyzer last competed on the elegant Rey at small tour level at the 2012 CDR Marke. It never rains but it pours as Ulricke also had to euthanize her FEI horse Palmarino the same week. The 15-year old Dutch warmblood gelding (by Lancet x Purioso) was recovering for more than 2.5 years from a tendon injury.
Anne Meulendijk's top young riders' horse Ohio has been successfully operated on by Dr. Tom Mariën. The black Dutch warmblood by Indoctro had an eye problem for years and the condition deteriorated. It was now decided in the best interest of the horse to have the eye entirely removed.
Dutch-Italian junior rider Chiara Prijs-Vitale has acquired the Oldenburg mare Hot Chocolate (by Sandro Hit x Lateiner) which she had leased from Italian Michele Betti for the 2012 show season. After the 2012 European JR Championships, the Prijs family bought the horse from Betti. Prijs also got a second ride, the 12-year old Oldenburg gelding Korenbloem Dior (by Donnerhall out of Randora). The black gelding made his debut in the show ring as a youngster under Lizzie Bell in Great Britain. In 2010 British Gareth Hughes competed him at FEI level and then the horse got sold to the United States. In the U.S.A Dior returned to the show ring under Nick Wagman and Yvette Pickrell. The horse is now back in Europe and Chiara has him in training. "He's a nice horse, an eye-catcher," said Prijs.
European Young Riders Champion Cathrine Dufour has received the ride on a new star for the future, the 7-year old Danish warmblood mare Atterupgaards Orthilia (by Gribaldi x Donnerschlag). The dark bay mare is bred by the same family as her European Champion's horse Atterupgaards Cassidy.