British Grand Prix rider Nicky Barrett sadly had to euthanize her top horse Faberge. Her Hessian licensed stallion (by Fidermark x Pazifik) suffered from a tear in his miniscus, which was operated on
, but unfortunately the operation did not generate the hoped for recovery and the horse suffered to much. The past few years Barrett was sidelined herself due to severe back problems but she recently recovered and started riding again. "I am just devastated," Barrett told Eurodressage. "He was such a lovely horse and at last after 2 years with my back I could ride again." Barrett and a syndicate of friends bought Faberge five years ago. He was 12 years old and competing at Grand Prix level.
At its meeting held in Taipei today 1 November, the FEI Bureau reappointed British dressage trainer David Hunt as member of the FEI Dressage Committee.
Hanover seems the place to be to retire dressage horses from competition. Madeleine Winter-Schulze and Isabell Werth's Apache OLD was retired in Hanover and one day later Julia Katharina von Platen-Elmerhaus retired her 19-year old Grand Prix horse Capuccino (by Classiker). The dark bay stallion was trained to FEI level by Karin Rehbein and then sold to von Platen, who finished third with him at the 2008 German Championships for Professional Dressage Riders. With a trembling voice Julia-Katharina gave a farewell speech to the Hanoverian public and moved the audience to tears with their last round together. "If he still wants to go one or two small tournaments, then we will. If not, he'll be comfortable at home," said the young rider.
The FEI has launched a mobile phone application which gives those involved in horse sport much faster and easier access to crucial information on prohibited substances. The Clean Sport app allows immediate access to the FEI Equine Prohibited Substances online database, which was developed early in 2010. The app will initially be available for iPhone users only, however the FEI is investigating how the technology could be adapted for other smart phones. The app is available to download Free of Charge from today at the iTunes Store.
Ridehesten.com reported that the 4-year old Danish licensed Hanoverian stallion Stevie Wonder (by Stedinger x White Star) has been sold to Norwegian WEG team rider Cathrine Rasmussen. The gorgeous bay stallion was previously owned by Katrinelund.
Horses.nl reported that Fritz Kundrun's KWPN licensed stallion Ampere (by Rousseau) is currently in Sweden in training with Jan Brink. Kundrun is also owner of Rosevelt and the World Championship bronze medallist Schumacher (by Stedinger), who has been gelded.
Ridehesten.com reported that a Danish syndicate consisting of Stallion Stations Katrinelund and Priess as well as German Paul Schockemohle, acquired the 2,5 year old Hanoverian stallion by Fidertanz x De Niro which didn't get licensed at this year's Hanoverian Stallion Licensing.
JJ Hathaway, husband of Dressagedaily's Mary Phelps, injured his finger while cutting squash and had to be transported to the hospital where he was operated on. "I cut two tendons, two ligaments, and a muscle. Fingers move but the pointer finger is still numb," JJ told Eurodressage. Get well soon!
On 9 November 2010 Mary Phelps celebrated her 60th birthday. "I am not afraid to say I am 60 years old today. I made it. This year I went through a life changing experience," Phelps wrote on her website Dressagedaily.com. "A horrible accident June 26 almost took my life. I had a wreck on my 4 wheeler, and 15 broken bones, three weeks in the hospital and three months recuperating, and miraculously well enough to cover the 16 gruelling days of the Alltech/FEI World Equestrian Games." Phelps is a long time board member of the Equestrian Aid Foundation. Read more about it here
Congrats to Grand Prix dressage rider and sponsor Emmy Sobieski and Joe Longo on their recent engagement. Isabell Werth's long-time groom Anna Kleniuk got married right after the World Equestrian Games. Kleniuk wed teacher Peter Guretzki.
While Anky van Grunsven hasn't competed in dressage for weeks and has no successor for Salinero in the pipeline, her peer and biggest rival at the time, Isabell Werth, is going onwards and upwards seting new records...sort of. In three weeks time, busy-bee Werth competed at four shows, in twelve tests, with five different Grand Prix horses: Satchmo, Warum Nicht FRH, El Santo NRW, Don Johnson and First Class. She booked seven victories in total. She also retired her sixth Grand Prix horse Apache OLD officially at the CDN Hanover. The fiesty German is definitely not biting the dust yet in this new era of dressage dominated by Totilas, Mistral and Parzival.
Van Grunsven's fighting spirit and meticulous riding, especially in the Kur, is greatly missed in the show ring. Major Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant recently did an interview with her. In their article, titled "My children Sometimes Also Get a Slap", the newspaper wrote: "For twenty year Anky van Grunsven (42) dominated the dressage world. She won three times Olympic Gold, seven World Cup Finals, nine Dutch Champion's titles and was procalimed "Rider of the Century" in 2010. However, her status of "unbeatable" is degenerating. Journalists ask her if she thinks of quitting and wrote in the papers she now only wins silver or bronze instead of gold. "I still consider myself the best rider," Van Grunsven replied, "I just no longer have the best horse."" De Volkskrant continued and stated that Edward Gal and Totilas have taken Anky's place, to which she answered: "Nobody is taking my place." Read the complete article here (in Dutch)
German journalist Kim Kreling reported that Christoph Niemann lost the ride on his Grand Prix horse Whizzkid. The Oldenburg bred Welt Hit II x Andrew gelding sold to Christina Ullrich at the 2001 PSI Auction and has been in training with Niemann ever since. Ullrich relocated the 13-year dark bay gelding with Dorothee Schneider.
Dutch equestrian magazine De Hoefslag reported that the Westfalian licensed stallion Don Fuego (by Don Bedo x Fidermark) sold to Belgian young ride Steffi Hesters, who is trained by Floris de Coninck. Don Fuego competed internationally at small tour level under Christa Laarakkers.
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