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Dutch
Dressage News
Bert Rutten, New Dutch Dressage Chef d'Equipe
November 7, 2003
 42-year
old Bert Rutten has been appointed new Chef d'Equipe
for the Dutch senior Dressage Team. Rutten is succeeding
Jan Peeters, who was has been kindly thanked for his
services by the Dutch Equestrian Federation (KNHS) as
chef d'equipe and head of the triumvirate that consisted
of Peeters and trainers Sjef Janssen and Johan Hinnemann.
It is right to say that the Dutch Equestrian Federation
(KNHS) is having a small crisis over the organization
of its dressage commission. Since to the extremely disappointing
results of the Dutch Dressage Team at the 2002 World
Equestrian Games and 2003 European Championships, the
KNHS and "Dutch Dressage" got into dire straits.
In order to solve the current problems and to build
towards a positive future for the Dutch Dressage Team
in sight of the 2004 Olympic Games, the KNHS has searched
for a new management system and pink slipped Jan Peeters,
Sjef Janssen and Johan Hinnemann.
 Internationally
respected O-judge Jan Peeters will still be adviser
and clinician for the KNHS as well as chef d'equipe
of the Dutch Junior and Young Riders team, which has
won thrice gold and once silver this year.
Peeters, Janssen and Hinnemann were appointed as co-operative
chef d'equipes last year. "Peeters has done very
much, but he was unable to fulfil the role we had envisaged,"
said George de Jong, ceo of the KNHS, "we have
talked with the riders and they also preferred a different
approach."
 The
KNHS has been having problems finding the right person
in charge of the dressage department in Holland, since
German Jurgen Koschel, the most successful Dutch Chef
d'equipe so far, was dismissed in 2002. Judge Gishlain
Fourage became interim Chef d'equipe at the 2002 World
Equestrian Games, and he was followed by the trio Peeters/Janssen/Hinnemann,
who were hired to create the path towards the 2004 Olympic
Games. De Jong, however, was not satisfied and appointed
Rutten today. A special Olympic Selection Committee
will also be created, in which three persons will have
a strong voice in selecting the Dutch Olympic team.
 Bert
Rutten participated in several European and World Championships
in the 1980s, winning team silver and team bronze. He
is currently managing a dressage stable in Hunsel, The
Netherlands, and training international riders from
Spain, Sweden, Canada, England, the U.S.A and Germany.
Bert's father, Jo Rutten, participated in the 1976 Olympic
Games. Bert has trained 13 horses to Grand Prix level
so far and is also active as a judge in the KWPN Stallion
Performance Testing Committee.
Images Rutten-Janssen copyrighted: Arnd
Bronkhorst
Images Hinnemann-Peeters copyrighted: Dirk
Caremans
Related Links
Koninklijke
Nederlandse Hippische Sportbond (KNHS)
Dutch Dressage Reorganized
Jurgen Koschel Abruptly
Resigned as Dutch Chef d'Equipe
Koschel Limits His Activities
as Dutch Dressage Chef d'Equipe
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