Laura Bechtolsheimer is preparing herself for her nuptials. She has picked a dress from British designer Bruce Oldfield but unfortunately "Alf is not coming," to the wedding, Laura joked. "Dad failed to teach him to pull a horse and sledge while I was in Argentina - useless!"
Danish pony rider gone junior Emma Nymand Hansen has acquired her second horse. After receiving the ride on Anne Troensegaard's Grand Prix schoolmaster Seduc, Hansen now bought the 7-year old Danish warmblood Rollo (by Romanov). Under Ulrik Sorensen, Rollo was an alternate for the Danish team at the 2011 World Young Horse Championships.
The 25-year old licensed breeding stallion Davignon has been retired from stud. The Donnerhall x Pik Bube offspring was bred by Horst Rudneck and became a Bundeschampion. Owned by Ingo Pape, Davignon has 30 licensed sons. His most famous offspring include Kristy Oatley's Don Bolero and Uta Graf/Anna Katharina Luttgen's Duvalier. There is no more frozen semen available of Davignon.
Dutch FEI team pony Boticelli, which won team silver at the 2012 European Pony Championships in Fontainebleau, France, with Lotte Meulendijks, has been sold to the up and coming Dutch FEI pony rider Esmee Donkers. Congratulations!
De Hoefslag reported that Laurens van Lieren's Grand Prix horse Ulysses La Haya (by Gribaldi x Ulft x Farn) got seriously injured in a trailer accident. The horse was being trailered to a national show in Nieuw en St. Joosland when the mare spooked and panicked on the trailer. She cut herself badly resulting in heavy blood loss and had to be stitched up. Fortunately there is no deep tissue damage and it will take a month for the wound to heal properly.
Horses.nl reported that Gerd Folkers' stallion station has closed down begin January 2013. "The continuous economic crisis and reduced numbers in coverings made us decide not to stand anymore stallions as of 2013," Folkers explained. Gerd Folkers, who is a former member of the Oldenburg Stallion Licensing committee, stood his home bred Royal Doruto (by Royal Hit) as well as Diomedes (by Belissimo M). The latter stallion has been relocated and is now in training with Adelinde Cornelissen, alongside 2012 KWPN reserve licensing champion Expo (by Wynton).
Swedish Grand Prix rider Nina Hofmann had to make the hard decision to put down her upcoming Grand Prix horse Diamond Dancer. The 11-year old Diamond Hit x Lothringer offspring has been with her for almost six years and was ready to go Grand Prix. "After a year on and off, he stopped answering to treatment so it left me no other choice than let him go," Hofmann explained. "I will never forget (him), and it breaks my heart to be without (him)."
Katja and Tobias Galmbacher have a new addition to their stallion station: the 12-year old Zweibrucken premium licensed Baden Wurttemberger stallion Le Mans (by Lord Sinclair I x Carolus x Cordeur). The S-level trained bay stallion is owned by Kurt Fink.