Spanish Grand Prix rider Alexandra Barbançon Mestre has acquired a new Grand Prix hopeful, the 9-year old Dutch warmblood gelding Bolero (by Johnson x Vincent). While Alexandra's number one GP horse Don Lorean recovers from a minor injury, she is focusing on her talented new ride who is schooling at Grand Prix level but has no show experience.
"He can do everything, but really needs to get strength," Barbançon told Eurodressage. "My plan is to work him at home and start at national shows first. Once he is ready I'll do the U25 division and hopefully in late srping start him in the Grand Prix. He is really nice and talented so we want to show him only at his best."
Maree Tomkinson's Australian WEG team horse Diamantina is on double duty. Thanks to embryotransfer the high performance sport horse is also a brood mare, though she does not carry the actual foals. Diamantina is already dam to a 2- and 3-year old filly by Totilas, a colt foal by Negro and she has a recently confirmed ET to Furstenball.
Trakehner breeder Reiner Seemann has passed away at age 48. Seemann was the manager of Gestut Krotenbach and breeder of the Trakehner licensed stallion Herbstbach (by Occacio). Krotenbach also owned the renowned grey Trakehner stallion Schampus (by Karon x Mahagony) which died in 2004.
Alexandra Stadelmayer's Grand Prix horse Lord Lichtenstein has been named "Baden Wurrtemberger Horse of the Year 2014" at a dressage evening held in Pforzheim in January 2015. Lord Lichtenstein beat the other candidates for the title, which were all 7 - 9 year old rising stars, including Diabolito (Ina-Kathrin Schmid), Grafit (Bina Schrödter), Long Island Ice Tea (Lisa Maier), and Siena (Susan Konrad). Lord Lichtenstein, a Dutch warmblood by Lord Loxley x Gribaldi, also won the title in 2013.
In a very short period of time, The Netherlands has lost two renowned equine veterinarians by suicide. Rob Evers has died at age 38 on 15 January 2015. Evers was based at equine clinic Honselersdijk and worked closely together with Jacques Maree. He was specialized on lameness and fertility. On 19 January vet and stud farm Buitenzorg owner Jan Nas (55) took his own life.
Dutch dressage rider Yvonne Copal has given birth to her second baby, a son named Thomas. Copal and her partner Willem van Hoof are already parents to a daughter named Sanne. Copal is best known for having ridden the KWPN licensed stallion Tuschinski. She currently competes small tour horse Anne.
Danish stallion owner Lone Boegh Henriksen of HP Horses has sold the 5-year old Oldenburg bred Feuerball (by Furstenball x Akzent I) which Lone acquired as a foal at the auction in Vechta. The bay Feuerball was trained and competed by Maria Falkner Hansen and has now been sold as an FEI hopeful to Finnish WEG team rider Mikaela Lindh and her Danish partner Poul Fabricius Bjerre of Dressage Stable Solyst.
Swedish dressage trainer Rolf Lindgren has passed away at age 87. According to Ridsport, Lindgren grew up in Umea, Sweden, and was involved with the Norrland Dragoons, where he trained the officer's horses. Lindgren was a very active and well respected trainer of horses and riders and worked up to one week before his death. He was honoured by Antonia Ax:son Johnson with a plaque at the 2014 CDI-W Stockholm last fall.
British breeders are supporting their own national riders. After Dujardin has been giving the ride on a youngster and a pony to British Pony rider Phoebe Peters, now the 18-year old British young rider Daisy Jackson has received a half share in the ownership of Heather Stack's Larkshill Divinity (by Don Frederico x Rotspon). Jackson, who was a member of the British junior squad in 2012-2013 on Saint Swithens, plans on campaigning Furst Larkshill (by Furst Heinrich) at young riders level.
Ronny Voigt has been appointed head manager of the mare barn at the Neustadt/Dosse State stud as of 1 February 2015. Voigt will be succeeding Walter Teske, who was "Stutenmeister" (Master of Mares) in Neustadt/Dosse for 30 years. Teske supervised the birth of over 1000 foals, including world young horse champion Poetin and licensed stallions Quaterback and Belantis.
British International Grand Prix rider Hayley Watson-Greaves (31) has got engaged to her long-term partner Paul Logan (32). The couple has been together for the past 15 years and are now sealing their union. Logan proposed during his birthday celebration in the Lake District on 26 January 2015. Congratulations!