Belgian Dressage News

Belgian Pony Team ready for 1999 European Championships in Sweden

From 21st till 24th July 1999 the European Pony Championships will take place in the Swedish Stromsholm. Belgian Pony Chef d'Equipe Jan Meersman selected Delphine Meiresonne (Noble Casper), Kaatje de Bie (Halesius), Hannelore Volders (Arastou S), Katrien Verreet (Nurasco) and Ruth van Campen (Voltreffer) to shape the Belgian pony team.

Title defender in Stromsholm will be Delphine Meiresonne who came, saw and conquered last year at the Championships in Le Touquet, France. "We were planning on taking our second pony Top Yellow to the 1999 championships but because the palomino stallion is not ready we need to fall back on our first pony Noble Casper. We hoped that Yellow would be in top condition for Sweden, but he's only six and too immature, plus he shows incredible stallion manners which are not suited at such an event. It would have been more fun if Delphine could have show Yellow because the chances of winning the championship with the same pony twice are very small, "commented mother Meiresonne. "Delphine competed Casper yesterday at the CDN Waregem to introduce him again in the show surroundings. Casper did well but we are very disappointed with the organization of the show. All pony, junior and young riders had to compete indoor which was unbearable with 30 °C. weather. There were no seats, not enough drinks and no awning to protect the spectators from the sun. And I was not at all pleased with the judging of the pony tests even though Delphine won," said Christine Meiresonne.

Image copyrighted Dirk Caremans - no reproduction without permission/payment