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2003
World Cup Dressage Finals
Former Young Rider Finishing Eleventh at 2003 World
Cup Dressage Finals
April 3, 2003
 It's
been since Nicole Uphoff's 1988 break-through that no
young rider has ever made such an easy and successful
transition from Young Riders to Grand Prix level. Only
one year ago, Dutch Marlies van Baalen was the team
gold medalling winning rider of the 2002 Dutch Young
Riders team, and this year she already finished 11th
in the 2003 World Cup Dressage Finals.
Of course, Marlies van Baalen's conditions are exceptional.
She is probably the only former young rider -- together
with Ellen Schulten Baumer -- who has so many good horses
at her disposal, thanks through trainer Johan Hinnemann.
Riding many of the Westfalian State Stud stallions,
such as Fidermark, Roman Nature and Feinsinn, as well
as the American owned KWPN breeding stallion Idocus
(by Equador), Marlies can draw straws when chosing which
Grand Prix horse to ride at which event.
For the World Cup Qualifiers and Finals, Van Baalen
chose Idocus, who was already trained at Grand Prix
level by American dressage riders Lendon Gray and Courtney
King when he became Marlies' new partner.
 Van
Baalen only had to fine tune the buttons on Idocus,
but the result of her efforts is impressive. With the
help of mother Coby van Baalen and trainer Johann Hinnemann,
Marlies got Idocus in shape to win the World Cup Qualifier
of 's Hertogenbosch. At the 2003 KWPN Stallion Licensing
one month earlier, Marlies and Idocus' owner Christine
McCarthy were honoured for their contribution to the
promotion of the KWPN breed on the international dressage
scene.
The apex of the still young relationship between Marlies
and Idocus is now probably finishing 11th overall at
the 2003 World Cup Dressage Finals. Their scores in
Goteborg were not as high as expected of them, 66.52%
in the Grand Prix (11th) and 72.14% in the freestyle
(11th), but their performance in general is one to be
envied.
 In
the Grand Prix at Goteborg, Idocus was very tense, as
he was impressed by the large indoor arena. The pair
made two mistakes in the piaffe, but overall Marlies
was able to relax Idocus better in Goteborg, than during
their Moscow ride six months ago where everything went
wrong. "Marlies has improved so much, " Coby
van Baalen said. "Everytime there is a bit of tension,
Marlies can cope with the problem and fix it instantly.
The next time she not only has to solve the problem,
but she also has to try to correct and improve the movement
at the same time."
Being 22-years old Marlies was the youngest participant
at the 2003 World Cup Dressage Finals.
Related Links
Scores 2003: World
Cup Dressage Finals
Focus 2001: Marlies
van Baalen and Idocus
News 2001: Idocus
In Training at Van Baalen Farm
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