Wow!!!! We don't think we've seen Kyra Kyrklund and her husband Richart White looking any more fabulous and glammed up as on this photo. The couple was amongst the fortunate invitees to attend to the President's Ball in Kyra's native Helsinki, Finland,
to celebrate the national independence day on 6 December. The current Finnish president is Tarja Halonen and her guests included politicians, business people, celebrities and sports people. (Photo © Yle.fi)
One day after the Independence Ball, Kyra Kyrklund was invited by the Finnish Equestrian Federation for lunch, during which they celebrated her 60th birthday. Kyra also received "The Golden Spur," which is a Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution and achievements to the equestrian sport.
Ridehesten.com reported that Andreas Helgstrand has hired Mads Rom as stable manager and assistant rider at his barn Møgelmosegård in Denmark. Even though Helgstrand employs Thomas Sigtenbjerggaard and Anna Blomgren as extra riders, Helgstrand still can barely handle the work running his big 80-box commercial training and dealers yard. Rom will strengthen the time giving Andreas more time to focus on his own riding and selling horses.
The list of FEI yellow cards issued to dressage riders the past half year has been updated on November 15. Check out which dressage riders were tapped on the fingers by the FEI. See the staggering amount of yellow cards is for show jumpers because of "abuse of horse"!!
The once so powerful American show jumping team recently lost its position in the Nations' Cup League. In an open forum held in the U.S. chef d'equipe George Morris spoke wise words: “The hunter and equitation divisions are our base. If that’s sick, which it is, the whole animal is going to be sick, which it is. It’s been a downhill slope. Our base is becoming more and more artificial. There is more and more medication, more exhausted horses, and more incorrectly ridden horses. These horses are medicated and exhausted, not ridden. We’re teaching false values. We’re bringing up these young children with zillion-dollar ponies and horses, zillion-dollar this and that. That’s false values,” Morris said. (source: Chronicle of the Horse)
Dutch European Champion team bronze medallist Sander Marijnissen has been sentenced by the Haarlem court to pay 170,000 euro plus 75,000 euro stabling fees for selling his M-level horse Starfighter (by Florestan) to the U.K. with an undisclosed tendon injury. The Morris family won the lawsuit against Marijnissen after battling the sale in court for three years. The Dutch rider is shocked and told Dutch magazine Horses.nl that "the client came to look at the horse, tried him out, had the horse totally vet checked and weeks after Starfighter had arrived in the U.K. they said he was not ok. What else could I have done?" Marijnissen is considering an appeal.
More tough luck for Marijnissen this month. He had to euthanize his almost 27-year old first Grand Prix horse Dakota (by Vincent x Jagermeester). Marijnissen trained the Dutch warmblood to Grand Prix level with the help of Annemarie Sanders and later on together with Jo Willems. The horse was retired at age 12 and had a happy life in the field ever since. Dakota was put down because he was struggling to move and get up after he had lied down.
St. Georg magazine has launched their very first e-magazine which celebrates the life and story of wonder horse Totilas. St.Georg is exploring the concept of an e-magazine and used Totilas as source of inspiration. Check out the extra photos and video links, as well as original foal photos, of the black stallion. Click here to go to the e-mag.
Rolex has become an official partner of the World Equestrian Games 2014. The agreement was signed today, 13 December, in Geneva (SUI), home town to Rolex and venue of the sixth leg of the Rolex World Cup Jumping 2011/2012. The Swiss luxury watch maker has been involved in equestrian sport since 1957 and is a major force behind many of the sport’s finest events and riders. The brand’s association with the World Equestrian Games dates back to 2002 and Rolex was the official sponsor of last year’s World Equestrian Games in Kentucky (USA).
American FEI rider Jessica Jo Tate married her long-time partner Richard Malmgren on Sunday 11 December 2011. The Swedish born Malmgrem is the director of sales and marketing at Hassler Dressage and has been with the Hasslers’ since 1996. After completing his degree in the United States in business management and marketing Malmgrem’s passion for the Hassler Young Horse Dressage Trainers’ Symposium is where his passion for one of America’s top young horse trainers and FEI competitors, “JJ” Tate flourished. Read the full story on Dressagedaily.com.
Pan American Games Gold Medalist, Heather Blitz, has secured the ride on the 4-year old Danish Warmblood Stallion Ripline (Hotline x Cavan) and will begin his 2012 campaign at her training barn in Wellington, Florida this week. Ripline, bred by Richard Freeman's Oak Hill Ranch in Folsom, Louisiana, is the first U.S. Bred Danish Warmblood stallion to be approved by the Danish Warmblood Registry. Heather will focus his training in 2012 on the prestigious FEI Young Horse Four Year-Old Program.
Watch out world!! Dutch Madeleine Witte-Vrees had her Grand Prix debut with Vontango B and scored 73% at a national show. This pair might be one to watch during the 2012 show season!