Thea Felicitas Müller's Hanoverian gelding Highway (by Hohenstein x Weltmeyer) has passed away at age 20. The black represented Germany at the 2008 European Junior Riders Championships in Azeitao, Portugal, where he won silver in the kur to music.
They also won the 2008 Preis der Besten in Warendorf and got silver at the German Junior Riders Championships. At the 2009 European Championships in Ermelo, they were 56th in the team championship test. Müller quit competing him for two years and the black gelding moved in training with Louise Luttgen, who only showed him once at the Preis der Besten qualifier in Kronberg in in 2010. In 2012 reappeared in the show ring with Anna-Franziska Franz and between September 2012 and May 2013 Muller rode two more national shows on him. The Wipperfürth-Kreuzberg in May 2013 was their last together. Highway diagnosed with atrophy of the retina and slowly turned blind. He achieved his best results in the competition as a blind horse. He was euthanized on 30 May 2016 as he was suffering from ortopedic problems.
2015 European Young Riders Champion Dana van Lierop has been submitted to the hospital in Geldrop, The Netherlands, on 30 May 2016 for balance problems and suffering from dizziness. The CT-scan did not show any major issues; nor did the MRI. A virus most likely affected the semicircular canals in her inner ear, which control the balance system. Van Lierop left the hospital on 2 June 2016.
Kristy Oatley reported that her broodmare Rosemount Hallo died peacefully last night on 15 May 2016 at the age of 26. The 1990 born Oldenburg chestnut mare Rosemount Hallo (by Donnerhall x Pik Bube) was bred by Hendrik Schulte-Frohlinde and became the 1994 Oldenburg Elite Mare Champion in the Brilliant ring in Rastede. "A warm thank you to Zucht- und Ausbildungsstall Rump for taking such wonderful care of her and the rest of my breeding stock over the last 8 years," said Oatley. Hallo produced 9 registered offspring of which 5 are still actively registered with the German Equestrian Federation: Abigale (by Argentinus), Avatar (by Argentinnus), Happy Day (by Florestan), Joreen (by Just Perfect) and San Hallo (by Sandro Hit).
Gareth Hughes' former British team horse, the Danish warmblood mare Stenkjaers Nadonna (by Donnerschlag), has become a first time mom. A recipient mare delivered a De Niro colt out of the 18-year old Nadonne via embryotransfer at Newton Stud in Devon on 4 June 2016. Nadonna represented Great Britaina the 2013 European Championships in Herning and 2014 World Equestrian Games in Caen. The foal has been nicknamed Dascha by its owner Jane Brewin and equestrian photographer Kevin Sparrow.
Russian Grand Prix rider Tatiana Makarova has taken over the ride on the Dutch Grand Prix mare Wenicienta from Dominique Filion, who has moved to Nikolaj Aristov's Maxima Stables in Moscow, Russia, to become an assistant trainer there. Wenicienti is by Rosario x El Corona x Amethist and owned by her breeder, the Van de Erve family. Filion did not take Wenicienta with her to Russia, but the mare remained in The Netherlands and moved in training with Makarova, who is based at Bartels Academy in Hooge Mierde.
Danish Grand Prix rider Lars Petersen and Marcia Pepper, the owner of his top horse Mariett, have acquired the 9-year old Dutch warmblood Coltrane WRF together as a future investment project. Coltrane, aka "Jonni", is by Jazz x Freestyle x Florestan and bred in the U.S.A. by Judy Reggio and Suzanne Reggio Belles. Petersen and his wife Melissa Taylor also own the 8-year old Dixieland WRF (by Jazz x Zeoliet x Roemer, who is Melissa's ride.
Czech FEI rider Ema Kopuleta will have to take it easy for a while. Kopuleta tore several knee ligaments in a fall where one of her young horses spooked while she was getting on. Kopuleta had an operation at the beginning of April and is now looking at six months rehab. "So just training duties for me this season," Ema told Eurodressage, "but a change of pace is sometimes not so bad either, gotta look to the bright side."
Leigh Clifford AO has joined the board of Equestrian Australia (EA). Clifford is an experienced director. He is Chairman of Qantas Airways, Chairman of Bechtel Australia, a Director of Bechtel Inc USA and a Senior Adviser to KKR & Co. He was previously Chief Executive of Rio Tinto from 2000-2007 and his career with them spanned 37 years in Australia and overseas. "My family have been involved in equestrian sport for many years in Australia and in the UK and I am delighted to continue that association," said Clifford. He is filling a casual vacancy position and this term concludes in October 2018.