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 Link
BMC to Sponsor Marlies van Baalen and Relevant