Danish Long List for the 2005 World Young Horse Championships

In order to improve the results of the Danish riders and horses at the WBFSH’s World Championships for Young Dressage Horses in Verden, June 29 to July 3, 2005, the Danish Equestrian Federation

and Danish Warmblood Society have initiated a co-operation that focuses on a thorough preparation for Verden.

The first group of Danish young horses qualified for the "Verden Long List" at the 2004 Danish Dressage Championships. The second and last group of horses competed in a selectian trial on April 2-3, 2005.

The current short list for Verden consists of fifteen 5-year olds and ten 6-year olds. These young talents are now being trained in special clinics, after which the actual short list for Verden will be nominated. This year four Danish warmblood horses of each age group are expected to compete.

Danish Olympian Morten Thomsen, who himself has competed several Danish horses at the WBFSH championships and who has trained many of the Danish competitors in recent years, has been nominated as team coach. He is aiming at better preparing the riders, the horses, and the individual trainers for what is actually required to make a solid performance in Verden.

Thomsen has no doubt that the Danish Warmblood horses are of very high quality, but in recent years Denmark has been lacking in training and preparing their competitors compared to other nations.

"We need to get our squad team together at training sessions where the FEI tests are being practised, judged and taped in order to make a final selection of the most suitable horses and riders that will compete under Danish flag in Verden," Thomson told Eurodressage.

5-year olds