As World Dressage Masters CDI5* Palm Beach approaches, the top names in international dressage are gathering. On Saturday evening, Jim Brandon Equestrian Center welcomed two horses that will certainly catch the eye of spectators at the 24-26 January competition.
Withney van 't Genthof, who will be ridden by Hans Peter Minderhoud, and Next One, Edward Gal's mount, stepped off the trailer around 6 p.m. A veterinarian representing the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service was present to supervise the horses' unloading from the sealed trailer.
Minderhoud arrived not long after the horses, while Gal, who was feeling under the weather, was resting after the trip and did not come out to Jim Brandon. Minderhoud hoped that Wellington's warm climate would help Gal recover, saying, "We'll put him in the sun tomorrow," Minderhoud joked.
Minderhoud took Withney and Next One out for brief rides to "show them the place a little bit" and give them a chance to stretch their legs after the long journey. Although Next One especially was keen to check out his surroundings, both horses quickly relaxed as Minderhoud put them through their paces. Under lights in the equestrian center's schooling ring, Withney and Next One stayed calm and focused through simple schooling exercises.
Minderhoud enjoyed riding outside in the warm Florida weather after a hectic trip from Amsterdam, where he and Gal competed in the sixth leg of the World Cup Dressage Western European League on Saturday. "It was really like, go home, throw all the winter clothes out, put all the summer clothes in," Minderhoud said. "We left really early this morning."
Withney van 't Genthof, winner of the 2008 Belgian Dressage Championships and competitor at the 2009 World Dressage Masters in Palm Beach with previous rider Stefan van Ingelgem, has already been successful with Minderhoud, who took over the ride in the spring of 2011. The pair won the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special CDI3* at the 2012 CDI Villach in Austria. Withney (Ferro x Balzflug) is a black Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by Bart van Malderen.
Next One's recent achievements with Gal include victories in the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle at the 2012 Drachten CDI3* in the Netherlands. Gal and Next One also competed together at WDM in 2009. Next One (Jazz x Le Mexico) is a bay KWPN gelding owned by Lens Nekeman.
According to Minderhoud, both horses looked in good condition after their arrival. "I'll start training a bit tomorrow," Minderhoud explained. "We'll be in form on Thursday."
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