Ok, it has nothing to do with dressage, but we just loved this photo. The 42-year old, Bavarian born Jurgen Krackow has changed nationality and is currently riding for Austria. At this first CSI*** competing as an Austrian in Lons le Saunier, France, Krackow won the Grand Prix
with his delightful Dutch bred Looping. Krackow rode his Grand Prix in a halter bridle! This halter is called a "bosal" and is made of nylon, cotton and horse hair. The horse hair is prickly so it makes the horse respond to the halter. The rope about l2-l4' long and about 1/4 or 3/8 inches thick. Which Grand Prix dressage rider is up for the challenge?
Photo copyrighted: Steckenpferd Austria
OK, back to dressage...
The Dutch "Topsport Commission Dressage" (TCD) has finally found two replacements for the resigning Nico Verwer and Arie Hamoen. Rien van der Schaft (51) and Christa Laarakkers (42) are the new members who will represent the Dutch dressage riders in the Dutch Equestrian Federation (KNHS). Chairman of the TCD is Kees Vellenga (58).
The KWPN licensed breeding stallion Pardon (Jonggor's Weyden x Amor) has beensold to the 15-year old Spanish Lucas Calsapeu. Dutch owners Nico Krol and Willy Arts sold Pardon to Calsapeu as a Junior Riders' dressage horses. Calsapeu trains with the Spanish Grand Prix rider Victor Alvarez. In The Netherlands, Pardon was competed by Remy Bastings.
The former Hanoverian licensed breeding stallion Longchamp has been sold to Belgian Young Rider Amandine Prevost. Longchamp (by Lauries Crusador xx x Eisenherz) was stationed at the Landsgestut in Celle, but manager Burkhard Bade decided to geld and sell the bay. The 13-year old Longchamp has now moved to Belgium where Mss Prevost will try to qualify him for the Belgian Young Riders Dressage Team.
Horse-Gate reported that German team trainer Holger Schmezer got married to his long time girlfriend Martha. The couple is expecting their first child.
According to Horses of the Dutch, fresh Dutch Fourth level champion Remy Bastings sustained severe injuries falling off a horse at stable De Watermolen in Haaksbergen. He bruised his pelvis and suffers from internal bleeding. Bastings was transported to the Medisch Spectrum Twente in Enschede, where he still is under observation.
Nadine Capellmann will be competing her 9-year old Elvis VA at the German Dressage Championships in Verden, July 1-3, 2005. At the beginning of the 2005 show season, Capellmann just planned on competing the chestnut Espri offspring at some national Grand Prix shows, but because he's been throwing high notes, she has decided to enter him for the big Championships next week. "These past weeks and months he's getting more and more secure in the Grand Prix movements. He's so much fun to ride and he's quick learner," Capellmann commented.
We made a fun discovery today. The website of equestrian photographer Arnd Bronkhorst doesn't get its biggest amount of visitors through Anky van Grunsven's site (he's her official photographer) nor through the Dutch Equestrian Federation (whose website is beautifully laid out with his photos). No, Bronkhorst attracts most visitors through Reitstiefelfetisch.com, a German website created by and for fetishists of riding boots and breeches. They search Bronkhorst's extensive database for such photos, of girls in boots and butts in breeches.