This year Switzerland will not be sending any horses to the 2010 World Young Horse Championships in Verden, Germany. Fortunately, to ensure that the Swiss presence is not non-existent, Guido Bernasconi's 4-year old Hanoverian mare Honeymoon HRH
(by His Highness x Wenzel x Absatz) will participate in the Hanoverian Championships held in Verden as well. Bernasconi acquired the mare at the Verden Elite Auction in October 2009. He is a successful breeder and enthusiastic driver living in Breganzona, Ticino, Switzerland. Bernasconi bred Wanilla della Crespera CH (by Abanos) which became reserve champion at the 2006 Swiss Breeding Championships as a 3-year old.
Swiss FEI dressage pony rider Estelle Wettstein will not be competing in the dressage division at the 2010 European Pony Championships in Bishop Burton. The experienced pony rider opted for show jumping this year and is member of the Swiss Pony Show jumping team. The FEI does not allow riders to compete in two different disciplines. Wettstein will therefore be leaving home her 20-year old dressage pony stallion Rythm N Blues.
Florestine, member of the German team for the 2010 World Young Horse Championships, has been withdrawn due to an injury. She will be replaced by the first reserves: Dorothee Schneider and Sir Rubin (by Sir Donnerhall x Rubinstein).
The Swedish horse Flash Dancer IM (ridden by Minna Telde) will not be competing in Verden either. He will be replaced by the first reserve, Manchester (by Weltman x Midt West Ibi Light) and Jennie Larsson.
We made a great find on Youtube the other day. Check out the video in the top right corner of your page! You'll see a clip of Isabell Werth schooling Gigolo at the 1995 CDIO Aachen. The show grounds are unrecognizable as they are the old ones before the big stadium was built!
According to horsetelex.nl, the 2009 Pavo Cup winner TC Athene did not make the final cut of the Dutch selection for Verden because the chestnut gelding sustained an injury as well.
Danish Blue Hors Stud bought the 5-year old Swedish warmblood mare Divinity (by Don Romantic x Master). The chestnut mare was trained by Ebba von Essen and owned by Jeanette Joelsson and Per Jansson.
Horses.nl reported that Imke Schellekens-Bartels has lost the ride on her talented small tour stallion Voice (by De Niro x Rohdiamant). Owner Isabel van Gisbergen-Sponselee moved the black stallion to Edward Gal's stables but did not want to provide a comment on why she switched riders.
At the annual Brandenburg Elite Mare Show Donata become the champion mare. This Damon Hill filly is out of Montezuma dam line and is bred by Ralph Vogel. Champion of the .... was Glückskind, a Samba Hit II x Future mare bred by the Brandenburg State Stud in Neustadt/Dosse.
American Grand Prix rider Catherine Haddad has decided to fly Winyamaro to the U.S.A. to take part in the American WEG Selection trials held at Gladstone. This means that she is leaving her more experienced mount Cadillac (by Solos Carex) at home, despite the fact that he is the fourth ranked U.S. horse at the moment with an average of 68.064%. Winyamaro is ranked 13th with 66.767%
Lloyd Landkamer will serve as Dressage and Para-Equestrian Discipline Manager at the 2010 World Equestrian Games. Lloyd Landkamer has been active in the equestrian community for years. His list of accomplishments are plentiful, including owning DressageShowInfo.com, managing dressage at the Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, IL, managing dressage at The Florida Horse Park, and he is Owner and Operator of Brandywine Farm, a dressage facility in Hamel, MN. Landkamer has won the United States Dressage Federation (USDF) Horse of the Year award, has bred multiple nationally ranked horses, served as secretary at the Pan American Games and North American Junior/Young Rider Championships and is a "R" rated Technical Delegate for the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) along with being a C1 and C2 steward. Lastly, the United States Dressage Federation has awarded Landkamer as show Secretary of the Year, Manager of the Year, and Volunteer of the Year. Talk about a list of achievements!