What's Happening in the Dressage World

January-February 2005

Dutch dressage rider Leida Strijk is relocating to the Netherlands after having been based in Great Britain for several years. Strijk, who was a member of the bronze team medal winning Dutch Dressage team at the 1993 European Championships in Lipica, has been stationed at Stretcholt Stud Farm in Somerset, England. Strijk is married to Bermuda eventing rider Tim Collins and they have two children together. Collins has decided to focus on show jumping as well and the couple has chosen Valkenswaard, The Netherlands, as their new home base.

Claartje van Andel's book on classical dressage "De Eenvoud van de Dressuur" (The Simplicity of Dressage) is now in its fourth Dutch edition and second English edition. Van Andel's book discusses the training principles of Johann Hinnemann and Coby van Baalen and is at the moment one of the best books on the market on dressage riding. Writing this book was an unbelievable experience to Van Andel. "Johann let me sit on Weltino to make me feel what a naturally talented horse with true rideability feels like, who just offered everything by himself," Van Andel told Eurodressage. Van Andel also revealed that there might be a Part II version coming up in the near future. "Johann keeps a little notebook with him all the time in which he notes his thoughts on dressage."

More books news. American magazine Sidelines reported that Catherine Durand and Michel Henriquet published a book titled "Henriquet on Dressage". The English version of the French original is available at Trafalgar Square. "the book follows the training of three young horses, from their first schooling experiences to the execution of classical airs at the age of nine. Henriquet’s technique involves progressive stages, which he calls the time to understand, the time to learn, the time to do, and the time to perfect," Sidelines wrote.

Anky van Grunsven and Hans Peter Minderhoud have a new main sponsor. Kelders Group of Keltec Dispensing Systems has decided to sponsor Van Grunsven and Minderhoud until the 2008 Olympic Games in Bejing. Keltec is financially supporting both riders through its affiliate IPS (Internationale Paarden Samenwerking) Horse Group. IPS is constituted by Joop van Uytert, Ad Valk and Erwin Samuels, who own KWPN stallion Painted Black and United and FEI horse Lucky Times. IPS will purchase young horses that will be presented by Hans Peter under the guidance of Van Grunsven. At shows, Anky's top horse will be named Keltec Salinero. Her other horses get the suffix IPS added to their names. Krack C and Edward Gal's Gribaldi will be sponsored by IPS as well.

Van Grunsven also announced that she will be defending her title at the 2005 World Cup Finals in Las Vegas, USA, in April. Anky will have to ride two World Cup Qualifiers before the finals, which is an FEI rule actually launched by the Dutch chef d'Euipe Sjef Janssen, who is Van Grunsven's life partner. "At the moment, I have more trouble than joy with all of Sjef's jobs," Anky joked in an interview with Claartje van Andel. Anky will be riding Salinero at Indoor Brabant and in Dusseldorf, before going to Vegas.

Dutch equestrian magazine De Hoefslag reported that American dressage rider Belinda Nairn-Wertman will be travelling to The Netherlands after the Dressage in Florida season to compete her Grand Prix horse Goffert in Holland. Owned by Mary Alice Malone of Iron Spring Farms, Goffert is the first Friesian stallion ever to compete at Grand Prix level at a CDI competition. Nairn is ecstatic about this exclusive opportunity to compete ISF's Goffert in Europe.

We heard about it only a month ago but in July, the Hanoverian licensed stallion Weltmeyer II van de Zuuthoeve (by Weltmeyer x Lungau) was put down. The chestnut stallion, who caused a big stir in the Belgian Warmblood Society because they refused to license him, tore the achilles tendon in his hind legs during training. The damage was so severe that there was no other choice but to put him down. Weltmeyer II competed at Intermediaire I level in Belgium under Wim Verwimp and Philippe Jorissen.

Hubertus Schmidt, Mariette and Raymond Withages & Linda Zang will be conducting a special Dressage Workshop at Dr Cesar Parra's barn in Jupiter, Florida, March 7-8, 2005. The event will begin with a four-hour session on the daily training of the FEI horse. Hubertus Schmidt will demonstrate how to prepare the horse for FEI movements. He will also coach demonstration riders. Schmidt has trained numerous horses to grand prix and his expertise will address many of the common concerns of the rider and trainer. Throughout this session Mariette Withages will comment, explain and score movements. She will also ask for participants’ marks and comments. Dr. Parra explained, “This will be an extremely interactive workshop. Participants should come with questions.”

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