U.S. based Dutch warmblood breeder and dressage rider Willy Arts severely injured himself yesterday in a carriage accident during the 2013 Friesian Stallion Testing which took place at his employer Tony DeGroot's place DG Bar Ranch in Hanford, California.
Arts was in a horse and buggy accident and had to be air lifted to the hospital with severe head trauma. At the hospital he was diagnosed with multiple skull fractures and two broken vertebrae in his back amongst other broken bones. Thought Arts is conscious, his head injuries are the biggest concern.
The next 24-hour are most critical for Arts' recovery, even though Willy is stable, awake and talking.
Willy Arts is a highly respected dressage trainer and breeder. In 2008 he competed the home bred mare Valeska at the World Young Horse Championships in Verden. Arts has been a guest judge at the 2005 Pavo Cup Finals and annually attends the KWPN Stallion Licensing in 's Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands. In 2010 Arts won the U.S. Young Horse Championships on the 4-year old Brendo DG. Arts chairs the board of the KWPN- North America association.
Photo © Astrid Appels
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