Canadian FEI dressage rider Leah Wilson married her long-time boyfriend Mark Wilkins, a professional race car driver, in a lavish ceremony in Muskoka, Canada on the weekend of 26 - 28 December 2014.
Muskoka is very popular elite cottage country in Ontario. The wedding was a fully private weekend with 100 guests coming together at the Sherwood Inn for a weekend of partying, hiking, spa, and eating. The 28-year old Wilson and the 31-year old Wilkins are not going on a honeymoon at this point because the rider is heading down to Florida with her horses for the winter show season in order to qualify for the Canadian Team for the 2015 Pan American Games. "How romantic, driving 25 hours to Wellington," Wilson jokingly told Eurodressage. "I'm sure we will do something at a later date." Leah will be taking her husband's last name and will continue as Leah Wilkins.
Gaston and Kathrin Glock have announced that the 30,000 euro they get from the Dutch Olympic Horse (NOP) foundation in support of Dutch Olympic A-team riders, will be donated to charity. The Dressuurstal Van Baalen Foundation for paralympic riders, the World Animal Protection Nederland and Foundation Project Ondersteuning Asiels are the three recipients of the money. "These organisations do great work and like that we can put in our two cents," said Glock.
Renowned Westfalian breeder Günther Dieckmann-Großhundorf has passed away age 87. Dieckmann-Großhundorfwas honorary chair of the Westfalian breed society. He bred four state premium mares and two licensed stallions: Paradiesvogel (by Parademarsch I) and Pelikan (by Perlkönig I).
For many high performance riders the Christmas holidays are the ideal occasion to go on a holiday. Swedish Grand Prix rider Charlotte Haid-Bondergaard is spending the holidays with her family in the Maldives. Hans Peter Minderhoud and Edward Gal are joining Patrik Kittel and Lyndal Oatley in Lyndal's home town Sydney, Australia, to ring in the New Year. Belgian young rider team member Alexa Fairchild is with her family at the posh St. Barts and U.S. Team coach Robert Dover had a lovely getaway with his husband Robert Ross in the Alpine mountains in Meribel, France. German based Australian GP rider Briana Burgess returned to Australia for a few days and then spent NYE in Queenstown, New Zealand.
A lot of dressage riders also went to the Alps for some skiing. British junior team rider Erin Williams got her certificate to be a ski instructor in Kitzbuhl. Also spotted in the Alps were German WEG team gold medalist Kristina Sprehe and European Junior rider champion Anna Christina Abbelen. From cold to hot, American dressage rider Susan Dutta and her husband Tim Dutta invited a group of their close friends, including Ulf and Eva Möller and Christoph and Patricia Koschel, to a tour around the North of India. Belgian youth team rider, Antonia Arl and her sister Lavinia, spent the holidays in sunny Dubai. Belgian FEI rider Tom Franckx travelled to Barcelona, Spain, for a quick city trip right after New Year.
British FEI rider Paul Hayler lost his Grand Prix horse Flolando on Monday 29 December 2014 due to a sudden heart attack. Flolando was a 12-year old Oldenburg bred gelding by Floretto out of Alancia. The pair had made its national Grand Prix debut in the U.K. but hadn't made their international debut yet.
Kirsten Brouwer's string of horses is still growing. Stallion owners Adri Zekveld and Ad Valk have given her the ride on the KWPN licensed stallion Electron (by Ampere x Fidermark x Inspekteur). The stallion was previously ridden by Emmelie Scholtens. Brouwer has a full day-time job riding stallion Electron alongside Charmingmood, Winningmood, Five Star, Ferdeaux, Ferguson and Dancer.
Also Diederik van Silfhout's collection of horses in growing. He has received the ride on the KWPN licensed stallion Cupido (by Daddy Cool x Jazz) which was previously competed by José van Haaren.