Maria van den Dungen will not be riding on the Dutch Pony Team which is representing The Netherlands at the 2008 European Pony Championhips in Avenches, The Netherlands, July 23-27, 2008. Her chestnut gelding Dino P, a 15-year old German Reitpony, sustained a minor injury two weeks ago and will not be fit for the Euro Championship
in two weeks time. Anne Meulendijks and Boticelli will be replacing her.
Though Van den Dungen was also selected with her second pony Pan Tau B for the Dutch Pony Team, the Dutch Equestrian Federation considered it necessary to organize a "jump-off" competition for the three reserve pony combinations. Disregarding the considerably higher qualifications scores achieved by Van den Dungen on Pan Tau at the 2008 Dutch Pony Selection trials and CDI-P shows this season, the Dutch Equestrian Federation believed that one test show between the three reserve combinations would be a better selection criteria to pick the best of three.
Disappointed with the injury of Dino P, Maria Van den Dungen was not interested in re-confirming her already achieved team qualification score at this officious show in Ermelo, The Netherlands, today July 12, 2008. The chef d'equipe and Dutch Equestrian Federation did also not take into account Rachell Fokker's and Anne Meulendijks' achieved selection scores this season and placed them in a head to head battle. Meulendijks and the Swedish Boticelli won the trial just three points ahead of Fokker on Power and Paint.
The Dutch Pony Team competing at the 2008 European Championships now includes Antoinette Te Riele on Golden Girl, Lotte Jansen on Oosteinds Rocco, Danielle Houtvast on Domino and Anne Meulendijks on Boticelli.
Photos copyrighted: Astrid Appels/Eurodressage.com
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