|
2006 End-of the Year Questions
December 30, 2006
Reactions to the 2006 End-of-the Year Questions from
 Richard Davison
Great Britain - Former British Olympic team rider |
| Most important event in your equestrian life in 2006? |
The World Equestrian Games. It was such a huge promotion for equestrian sport. Congratulations to Frank Kemperman and the Aaachen team
. |
| Most important happening, evolution or trend in the world in 2006? |
I detect a trend, although far too belated, that people are wising up to the appalling policies of Blair and Bush !
|
| Best and worst tv and radio show |
Best tv: the X-factor
Worst: Big Brother, it's ghastly!
|
| Best book, play, concert, movie and CD |
Best film: Casino Royale, I only just missed getting the part of James Bond.
|
| What would you like to see changed in the dressage world in 2007? |
What change in dressage world? That the journalist from Eurodressage.com, who attends the Global Dressage Forum every year, would make my life easier as chairman by asking her questions earlier than 10 minutes before the lunch break. I am looking foward to being invited to Eurodressage's 2007 party and seeing how she gets 350 people through lunch in under an hour!
|
What do you wish for in 2007?
|
In 2007 I wish everyone a very happy, healthy and succesful new year!
And also that I finish this skiing holiday without anymore injuries! |
|
 Leif Törnblad
Denmark - O-judge |
| Most important event in your equestrian life in 2006? |
For me personally, the European Pony Dressage Championships in Saumur. It is great to watch and judge these wonderful children and their ponies. It is the future of our sport - and what a fine future. It was of course also fantastic to see a new young name in the top three at the World Equestrian Games and even a Danish one: Andreas Helgstrand is our first real star after my Wife Anne Grethe and her wonderful Marzog.
|
| Most important happening, evolution or trend in the world in 2006? |
From a Danish persective it was the very articulate reaction on the Muhammed drawings in a Danish newspaper. It made all Danes aware of the global world and the difficulties in understanding cultures and people that seem to look like ourselves and in the daily life live more or less like ourselves.
|
| Best and worst tv and radio show |
I do not watch much TV but I saw the transmission from Lingen where Dieter Schüle and Katarina Wüst commented. Both did a very good job and we need to have more of that kind of expert commentry.
|
| Best book, play, concert, movie and CD |
Best book: Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons"
Best Movie: Broders (Danish)
Best CD: Robbie Williams
Best Concert: None but I enjoyed "Swan Lake" at the Danish Opera House.
|
| What would you like to see changed in the dressage world in 2007? |
I think that the dressage world is moving in a good direction, but I could hope for more seious and correct press coverage where also some of the journalists were more open to the fact that very few things in life is either black or white.
|
What do you wish for in 2007?
|
A good health to my family and a sound and doping free sport.
|
|
 Klaus Balkenhol
Germany - former Olympic gold medallist. U.S. Dressage Team coach |
| Most important event in your equestrian life in 2006? |
The World Equestrian Games in Aachen.
The loss of our highly talented nine year old horse, Little Big Man, who died of stomach cancer in April.
|
| Most important happening, evolution or trend in the world in 2006? |
Positive:
People from all over the world came peacefullly together to see the Sport at the WEG and at the soccer World Cup in Germany.
Negative:
The growing danger to the world through wars and terror.
That the violence against children is becoming more and more scary.
|
| Best and worst tv and radio show |
I rarely watch TV, I do like crime dramas of the German TV- Series "Tatort"
I dislike violent movies, reality TV |
| Best book, play, concert, movie and CD |
Book - Methusalemkomplott
CD - Klassic- Pavarotti
Movie - The Da Vinci Code |
| What would you like to see changed in the dressage world in 2007? |
A lot could be changed and improved:
-improvement of the doping-law to reach maximum protection of the horse and humans
-Promoting the youth in our sport- we are getting more shows for young riders, but the training and the schooling should be improved
-Better comunication even though people have different points of view, concerning the riding and training.
|
What do you wish for in 2007?
|
Health for all of us and our animals.
For the future I wish peace for the world; that the rich countries support the poor countries.
No violence against humans and animals. |
|
 Lone Joergensen
Denmark - Danish WEG Dressage Team Member |
| Most important event in your equestrian life in 2006? |
Of course the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, even if I never had a worse ride before that!! But there was so many faboulus rides too see, and some of the best judging we have ever seen!!
|
| Most important happening, evolution or trend in the world in 2006? |
As I live in Germany it was absolutely the Soccer World championship. I have never seen the German people so happy, friendly and hopeful before. That was a great experience.
|
| Best and worst tv and radio show |
The absolute worst tv show is " Big Brother".
|
| Best book, play, concert, movie and CD |
Best book: " Bin dann mal weg" by Hape Kerkeling
Concert: Robbie Williams in concert in Munich. GREAT :-)
|
| What would you like to see changed in the dressage world in 2007? |
At least not a new riding " Uniform" for the dressage riders.
|
What do you wish for in 2007?
|
Good health for my family, me and our horses.
|
|
 Chris Hector
Australia - Editor-in-chief of The Horse Magazine |
| Most important event in your equestrian life in 2006? |
The World Equestrian Games in Aachen obviously – the greatest competition at the greatest venue and the Aussie medals in eventing and Edwina Alexander in the showjumping, helped a little.
Right at the end of the year, the performance by the young riders at the Académie du Spectacle Équestre at Versailles, was very special in a totally different way – dressage riding in the spirit of art and theatre instead of competition with all the judging / admin / in-fighting etc, that goes with that.
|
| Most important happening, evolution or trend in the world in 2006? |
The most important thing is that our Australian government finally recognized that there is a climate crisis – now the task is to do something about it...
|
| Best and worst tv and radio show |
None worth watching – only listen to the news...
|
| Best book, play, concert, movie and CD |
Best book: hard there were so many good ones in 2006, The Diviners by Rick Moody
Best cd – Charles Lloyd / Sangam
Best dance performance – toss up between Bill T Jones’ Dance Company at Melbourne Arts Festival, and the Giselle by the Paris Ballet
|
| What would you like to see changed in the dressage world in 2007? |
A serious attempt to eradicate the wild discrepancies in dressage judging
|
What do you wish for in 2007?
|
Looking forward to catching up with all our friends around the world...
|
|
Back to the "End of the Year" Index
|
