What's Happening in the Dressage World?

July 2007

They have been working on it for almost three years, but the FEI Handbook "Guidelines for Judging" has finally been published. What struck Eurodressage the most was not the announcement that the book is finally finished and published, but that the cover photo of this "handbook" shows a picture of a rider with his hands in the wrong position. It depicts the so-called terrifyingly wrong "piano hands" instead of the hands in a fist with the tumbs at the top. Good way to start these "guidelines to judging".

Christoph Hess, director of training for the equestrian sports on the German Olympic Committee, will share his expertise during the gala evening at the British Dressage Young Horse & Breeding Championships at Addington Manor, Great Britain, on 11 July 2007. He will replace Jo Hinnemann, who has pulled out to support one of his pupils at the European Young Rider Championships. Susanne Rimkus and Markus Gribbe will join Christoph in the demo. Susanne, who is in charge of the training and buying of stallions as head of the state stud at Warendorf, is the first woman to hold this position in more than 100 years. She will be bringing her own grand prix horse and five stallions at different stages of development.

De Paardenkrant reported that the KWPN stallion Citango (by Contango x Jazz), formerly ridden by Sarah van Fessem, is now in training with Nars Gottmer. Owned by the Brinkman family, Citango moved to Gottmer's stable a few weeks ago. He will be preparing him for the Pavo Cup and KWPN Stallion Competition. Citango is bred by the American based Dutch breeder Louky Hagens-Groosman and is out of keur mare Rita Morka (Jazz x Zuidhorn).

Jumping Amsterdam, the CDI/CSI-W qualifier that takes place in Amsterdam each year, will no longer be managed by show management firm EQI International. Director Chris van Dam aimed to get more cooperation from the city of Amsterdam and the Amsterdam RAI Building, where the show is hosted, and more support from the FEI to find a better date to organise the show. "We were unable to realise any of these objectives. With only half a year to go we have no security for the successful continuation of the show," Van Dam stated. In 2006, Amsterdam hosted the 2006 World Cup Finals.

Dutch judge Ellen van den Berg has lost her Grand Prix mare Zaloete (by Saluut x Doruto). The 21-year old died of internal bleedings, but leaves behind an entire legacy. She gave birth to Caloete, a healthy filly by Dreamcatcher and has seven more offspring.

Coby van Baalen has a new horse in training. The 7-year old Troubadour (Jazz x Zeoliet). The bay gelding stands 18.1 hh!!

The German magazine St. Georg received a video tape with footage of a well known German dressage rider (and former World Cup finallist) Christine W. who abuses her horse for 53 minutes being roping him up, yanking his head, and lashing him with the whip. The full story can be found here

Lots of people from the horse world went on holiday in July. Anky van Grunsven, Sjef Janssen and the two kids Ava Eden and Yannick Janssen spent a week in Mallorca relaxing, while Austrian team rider Victoria Max-Theurer and her family boarded their private yacht and cruised the Mediterranean Sea with a stop-over on the island Brioni. American photographers Mary Phelps and JJ Hathaway flew to Alaska for a two week vacation, where they visited horse friends and covered a show. Check out their beautiful photo album with Alaska pictures

Those with sharp eyes on the dressage scene must have noticed the presence of a reverend on the international dressage scene. The American Father Larry David McCormick attends the big shows such as the World Equestrian Games, World Cup Finals (and Devon) and is a regular contributor to Dressagedaily. Last weekend, he blessed Dr. Cesar Parra's barn Performance Farm in Whitehouse Station, NJ, in order to get God on one's side. Following the untimely passing of Parra's young stallion Donavan, the time was right to bless the barn and commemorate that lovely Oldenburg stallion. Read more about the blessing of barns here.

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