FEI Dressage Director Eva Salomon is resigning from her position at the FEI headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. Salomon will quit her function at the end of March 2009.
The Swedish born Salomon has had a turbulent last year at the FEI with the request for immediate resignation of the FEI Dressage Committee by Princess Haya. Salomon, however, indicates that her resignation has nothing to do with this. "I decided already many months ago to hand in my resignation at the end of the year and this has absoultely nothing to do with recent events in Dressage," Salomon told Eurodressage. "I will have worked 6 years at the FEI in March 2009 and the time is now right for me to move on to other things." Salomon has not decided what she will be doing in the future but she is moving back to Sweden in April. "I am planning on having a long vacation something that I have not had in the last 6 years," she added. Photo courtesy: EFA
The Danish Equestrian magazine Ridehesten reported that a half ownership of the famous Hanoverian stallion De Noir has been sold to Norwegian Kristin Andresen. She also invested in two more Danish based show jumping stallions, Crelido (by Calido x Raimond) and Cabochon (by Casall x Concerto II). The black stallion De Noir (by De Niro x Matcho AA), which has received the Elite status by the Danish warmblood society in 2008, is currently in training with the Norwegian Isabel Bache at Holga Finken's stable in Germany. The combination will first appear in public in 2009 at the Artic Equestrian Games in Norway.
Melissa Taylor's Prix St Georges horse Dacardo (by D-Day x Calypso I) has passed away. The past two weeks, the 9-year old Swedish warmblood gelding regularly suffered from neck blockages and on New Year's Eve's day he was trailered to the equine clinic for an MRI. Ultrasounds revealed that Dacardo had a fragment broken off in his neck which caused him to be regularly blocked in his neck and body. There were no real options for recovery and in agreement with the veterinarians it was in the horse's best interest to euthanize him. Dacardo made his U.S. show debut in 2004 under Danish Lars Petersen. He stood out with his outstanding quality of movement. Petersen brought him on to PSG level, competing him in Florida, before owner Taylor took over the ride in 2007. The pair won the Prix St Georges at Dressage at Devon and competed at the American National Championships. "I am so proud to have owned this majestic animal and even more proud that I could ride him," a heavy hearted Melissa told Eurodressage. "I am completely devastated. And I almost can't believe it. But it was the right choice and the episodes started happening almost every other day and it would only get worse. I don't know if I will ever get another horse with that talent or heart but I will always be thankful I had him."
Photo courtesy: Astrid Appels for Phelpsphotos.com
The illustrous competition career of KWPN stallion Idocus came to end in December 2008 when the stallion was retired to stand at stud at DG Bar Ranch. However, the bay stallion continues to receive honour as he will be available as a Breyer Model Horse soon!
Hans-Henrich Meyer zu Strohen is succeeding Reinhard Baumgart as manager of the Verden Auction team. The 52-year old Meyer zu Strohen will be heading the training of the dressage horses which will be sold in the Hanoverian sport horse auctions in Verden, Germany. Based in Hoya, Germany, Meyer zu Strohen is highly active in the German dressage sport as trainer of the German Junior and Young Riders team and chair of the Hanoverian Stallion Licensing Committee. The 62-year old Reinhard Baumgart is retiring from his position which he took up in 1962 initially as rider and later on as stable master and head manager. A transition period between Baumgart and Meyer zu Strohen will take place and should be completed by the autumn on 2009.
Wolkentanz II has been sold to Canada! Nancy Schmidt and Kathleen Sulz of Crooked Creek and Woodhaven Farm announced that they will be standing the Hanoverian stallion Wolkentanz II (by Weltmeyer x Ludendorff) at stud for the 2009 breeding season. Previously owned by Johannes Westendarp and bred by Georg Brinkemuller, Wolkentanz II has competed successfully at small tour level and has 12 approved sons, 21 State Premium mares, and offspring competing and winning at shows. Wolkentanz II was owned by Westendarp since he was three days old and stood at stud at the Böckmann Stallion Station.
Last time we were at a restaurant we received a copy of the Dutch lifestyle magazine "The Art of Living". Last night we were flipping through it and came upon an article on Maria Swanenberg, mother of former Dutch young rider Elisa Swanenberg. Maria, who's wife to a major Dutch steel mogul, is an avid collector of perfume bottles and has created her own private perfume museum in Schaijk, The Netherlands. You can also read about this charming museum here (in Dutch)
Imke Schellekens has announced that Sunrise will be returning to the show ring at the CDI-W 's Hertogenbosch. The Smarius family's Hanoverian mare Sunrise got injured at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong in August and has been off since then. Schellekens reported that the mare is fully recovered now and will do her first show in Den Bosch in March 2009.