Dutch Dressage News

Marlies van Baalen in Dutch A-Team

March 20, 2006

Following her highly scored performance at the 2006 Zwolle International Stallion Show, Marlies van Baalen and Gestut Vorwerk's Oldenburg stallion Relevant have been submitted into the Dutch A-team. Chef d'Equipe Sjef Janssen passed on the news to Van Baalen in the stable area in the Zwolle Ijsselhallen.

While the Dutch A-team is growing, the B-team has been drastically downsized. Five riders dropped out of the B-team because of injured horses or the inability to produce recently the necessary qualification marks. Dropping out of the B-team are: Antoinette Falandt (Jarwo), Kirsten Beckers (Broere Montecristo), Stepanie Peters (Jeff), Johan Rockx (Tango) and Roger Schulkens (Monarch).

To qualify for the Dutch A-team one has to score three times at least 70% at a national show or 68% at an international show within a period of six months. To become a B-team member one has to score three times 68% at a national show or 66% at an international show.

New additions to the Dutch pony and junior rider teams are Maria van den Dungen and Frances Blommers. The 12-year old Van den Dungen was submitted into the pony B-team with Milkshake, while junior riders Frances Blommers conquered a B-team spot with Rosenthaler.

The Dutch A and B-teams are at the moment:

Senior Riders

• A-Team
  • Marlies van Baalen - Relevant
  • Imke Bartels-Schellekens - Sunrise
  • Kirsten Beckers - Broere Jazz
  • Patricia Callaghan - Joy
  • Edward Gal - Lingh and Gribaldi
  • Anky van Grunsven - Salinero
  • Laurens van Lieren - Hexagon's Ollright
  • Alex van Silfhout - Luxform's Nimbly
• B-Team
  • Bart Bax - Krawall
  • Leida Collins - Strijk - On Top
  • Anky van Grunsven - Krack C
  • Hans Peter Minderhoud - Exquis Escapado
  • Madeleine Vrees - Punto Blanco's Madorijke
  • Thamar Zweistra - Hexagon's Kyrain

Young Riders

• A-team
  • Angela van den Berg - Mix
  • Désirée Senden - Noblesse
  • Jenny Schreven - Kennet W
  • Inge Verbeek - Quidor
• B-team
  • Elisa Swanenberg - Akatschi

Junior Riders

• A-team
  • Chantal van Lanen - Beaujolais
  • Lotje Schoots - Reine B
  • Diederik van Silfhout - Special D and Ruby
• B-team
  • Frances Blommers - Rosenthaler
  • Marjolein Cho Chia Yuen - Ghostbuster

Pony Riders

• A-team
  • Michelle van Lanen - Basalt
  • Laurens Sliepenbeek - Hoby
• B-team
  • Maria van den Dungen - Milkshake
  • Lotte Jansen - Oosteind's Rocco
  • Madelon Lobert - Hogewald's Naziri
  • Henriëtte Ruitenbeek - Da Vinci
  • Anne van der Weerd - Quatro

Photo copyrighted: Astrid Appels/Eurodressage

Related Links
BMC to Sponsor Marlies van Baalen and Relevant
Milkshake Sold to Maria van den Dungen