Anky van Grunsven's Joker has been put down. The Hanoverian gelding Joker, by Prince Thatch xx x Absatz, was the successor of Bonfire after his retirement after the 2000 Olympic Games. Joker was very successful at small tour level (1999) and competed briefly at Grand Prix (2000). In January 2003 Joker threw off Anky which resulted in a complicated fracture of Anky's tigh bone and she had to be operated on. It took five months recovery. That same year the bay gelding also injured himself and Van Grunsven and her veterinarians were unable to bring the horse back in business. He was retired and spent his days in the field. On Anky's website the following was posted: "Recently he was deteriorating and going in the field with pain killers no longer kept him pain free. In agreement with the veterinarian, Anky made the tough decision to put him down. Anky is saddened by the loss of Joker. She brought him to the veterinarian herself yesterday." Joker was 16-years old. (Photo copyrighted: Dirk Caremans)
The Queen of The Netherlands,Queen Beatrix has appointed Frank Kemperman, the ALRV General Director, Companion of the Order of Orange-Nassau. Queen Beatrix had decided that he was to receive the commendation, and now the Order has been awarded to Kemperman. As Tournament Director, the 52-year-old Kemperman was responsible for the World Equestrian Games Aachen 2006. Visited by almost 600,000 people, attaining outstanding TV viewing quotas, the championships in seven equestrian disciplines surpassed all expectations. As General Director of the ALRV Kemperman has also been responsible for the most famous equestrian sporting event in the world, the CHIO Aachen, since 1993. Furthermore, he co-organised the Equestrian World Championships in the Hague (1994) and in Jerez (2002).
“Frank Kemperman is one of the most influential and important people of international equestrian sport" is how his commendation was substantiated. The award was handed over during the CDI-W ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands, where Kemperman has been acting as the Sports Director for five years. Roderick van de Mortel, Deputy Mayor of `s-Hertogenbosch, handed over the award. “My heart is orange, and therefore this award has a very special significance for me," Kemperman said. He also noted that the award is a huge incentive, not only for himself: “I can’t do anything alone, so this Order has also been earned by my fantastic employees and colleagues.“
The KWPN stallion Ro-Lex has been sold to Switzerland. Isabelle Ros purchased the horse from Dutch owner Nico Witte and she will be competing him internationally in dressage. Ro-Lex was the VHO-Trophy winner with a score of 76.25% and was trained and competed by Madeleine Vrees. "We purchased Ro-Lex with a syndicate, just like we did a long time ago with Jazz, but the difference is that breeders don't use Ro-Lex. We couldn't refuse an offer knowning that he only breeds 25-30 mares," Nico Witte told the KWPN society.
The Oldenburg Grand Prix horse Escapado has recovered from a severe injuryand is back in training with his Dutch rider Hans Peter Minderhoud. Escapado, who is a former British EC Team horse, injured himself one year ago and took almost 12 months to recover. The last two of those months were spent in an equine clinic in Germany where he got special swimtraining to recuperate and to build up muscles. At the end of February 2007, Escapado (by Ex Libris) returned to his stable in Harskamp, The Netherlands, and went back under saddle. "I'm glad those two months are finished," Hans Peter Minderhoud said. "The treatment was succesful and Escapado has been proclaimed cured. In the next few months we're going to build up his condition. I don't dare to make a show schedule yet, let's just wait and see how Escapado is holding up."
The Dutch equestrian news paper Paardenkrant is nominating a Dutch "Pony of the Year". Readers of the paper can send in their votes. Three ponies have been selected to become Pony of the Year: the German Reitpony stallion Power and Paint, the New Forest Pony stallion Kantje's Ronaldo and sport ponies Nadir Westland and Promotie van de Kastanjehof.
De Paardenkrant also reported that the KWPN stallion Tolando will have a new rider. Theo Hanzon will be training and competing the Krack C son in the future. A part of Tolando's owners' syndicate was not happy about the fact that Tolando hardly ever competed under his current rider Edward Gal. Hanzon will be showing the chestnut stallion at Fourth level, a level at which Edward Gal does not compete. Gal, who did show Tolando at the 2006 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses, only competes his horses at small tour level or higher. "It's a pity to see Tolando go. I put three years of work into him, but I just don't want to ride lower level competitions. Firstly because I'm often enough away to shows and secondly, a whole of students of much compete at these shows," Gal explained.
On March 21, Oldenburg gelding and Olympic gold medallist Bonfire (by Welt As x Praefectus) celebrated his 24th birthday. Congratulations.