What's Happening: August 2025 - Part II

Wedding bells keep ringing...

Spanish professional rider Sergio Garcia Bermejo married Dutch professional rider Julia Bouthoorn on 16 August 2025 in Spain. The couple had a church wedding in the cathedral of Leon followed by a big party. Bermejo proposed to Bouthoorn in August 2023 on a trip to Spain.

Somerford Park in the U.K. has announced that it's dropping all premier league dressage competitions as they are no longer financially sustainable. Somerford is one of of only seven venues in the UK that host national (premier league) dressage competitions in the U.K.. Their CDN is traditionally in May. Somerford will continue to host the British Dressage Championships in September. "This difficult decision has been made in response to evolving competition trends and financial challenges affecting the viability of competitions in the horse world," Somerford stated. The driving forces behind the CDN's were Julian Sebire (partner of British 5* judge Stephan Clarke), Sarah Rodger and Sarah Irving. Organiser Millie Heffernan told Horse and Hound that their entries during last show were the lowest ever. "People are more conscious of what they’re spending their money on. People who used to compete fortnightly are perhaps competing monthly,” she said. "And sadly I think the BD calendar is quite overpopulated, there’s a lot of shows for people to go to so it’s spread a bit thin."

Former international youth rider Mathilde Hannell is engaged. Her boyfriend Kevin Huberty (LUX) proposed mid August on the beach and she said yes. The 28-year old Hannell represented Sweden at the 2016 and 2017 European Under 25 Championships on Deela Mae. They scored the silver medal at the 2017 Swedish Under 25 Championships. Mathilde has not competed internationally since the 2017 European Under 25 Championships. She works as a project leader at Boston Consulting Group in Stockholm. Her father Patrik Hannell is a big investor with a string of horses and a dealing yard. They collaborate with Jan Brink.

Kenneth Damgaard's Grand Prix horse UNO Day Sun tested positive to "Hordenine" at the CDI-W Gothenburg on 19 - 23 February 2025. The rider, as person responsible, accepted the FEI's administrative sanction as part of the fast track. Administrative proceedings apply to Controlled Medication offences only. This was announced on the updated table of 18 August, just days before Damgaard announced his resignation as Danish Youth Team Trainer.  Hordenine is described by the FEI as a "stimulant" and according to the FEI it is commonly known under the trade name "Victan". "Hordenine is a Specified Substance. Specified Substances should not in any way be considered less important or less dangerous than other Prohibited Substances. Rather, they are simply substances which are more likely to have been ingested by Horses for a purpose other than the enhancement of sport performance, for example, through a contaminated food substance."

Spanish young horse rider Juan Manual Acosta Ponce proposed to his girlfriend of one year, dressage rider Victoria Vila Carbo, a few months ago but he announced their bethrothel only recently. "It's hard to put into words what you mean to me.. much more than a life partner," he took to Instagram. "You're my best friend, the person I can laugh with the most and the one I'm lucky enough to have an out-of-the-box complicity and trust. You are my biggest support, in the good and not so good you are always by my side to hold my hand, and when I see the glass half empty, there you are to remind me that it is also half full." The 34-year old Acosta is best known as the rider of Saltes TR (by Secret) whom he competed at the 2023 and 2024 World Young Horse Championships, placing 11th in the 5-year old finals in 2023. The 32-year old old Vicky Vila represented Spain at the 2013 European Young Riders Championships on Isaprinz, which was her last international show. They live in Huelva.

Sudipti Hajela, member of the Indian gold medal winning team at the 2023 Asian Games, is engaged. Her boyfriend Vansh Arora proposed in a big stage event with lots of cameras and photographers. Hajela is based at Pamfou dressage in France with her horses and has been competing Deauville de Hus this year. Sudipti and Vansh have known each other since childhood and their friendship developed into love over the years.

Dutch Children team horse, 18-year old oversized pony Happy Feet, has found a new owner and rider. This is his 8th children's rider in his career. Happy Feet is a  Dutch warmblood (by Tuschinski x Animo) bred by C.J. van de Bergh. In the ownership of Linda van Woudenberg the bay gelding has 6 riders: Sanne Buijs, Jill Bogers, Anne Uijtewaal, Senna Evers, Kebie Raaijmakers, and Robin Dicker. Happy Feet then moved on to Eliev Verstappen and in 2024 he became the schoolmaster for Kate van Lee. Happy Feet will now continue his "professorship" with Tooske Twint. Happy feet is the most decorated, medal winning Children's horse in The Netherlands. 

Saskia van Es has sold Bianca ten Brink's 12-year old Dutch warmblood Italo (by Furstenball x Houston) to Natalie Lankester from the UAE. The bay stallion mainly competed in The Netherlands up tp Grand Prix level. Internationally they showed at three CDI's, all at small tour level: twice in Grote Brogel and once in Sint-Truiden between July 2020 and May 2021. At his last CDI in Grote Brogel he won all three small tour rounds.