American Grand Prix rider and WEG team rider Katherine Bateson-Chandler has received the ride on the 7-year old Dutch warmblood gelding Alonzo (by Contango x Ferro). Sponsor Jane Forbes Clark acquired the rising small tour horse as future FEI prospect.
The dark bay gelding will arrive in Florida, U.S.A on Thursday and should be in Bateson's barn on Saturday 7 April 2012. Katherine is thrilled with her new horse.
"He has three fantastic paces and a lovely, friendly happy character," Bateson told Eurodressage. "His basic training is very correct and he shows a lot of talent for all the upper level movements even at his young age."
Alonzo's young horse competition career started under Christa Hogendoorn who qualified the dark bay gelding for the 2009 Pavo Cup Finals as a 4-year old but only finished 49th. A year later Jonna Schelstraete became the new owner and rider and she competed the gelding in the 2010 Pavo Cup for 5-year olds in which he finished 15th in the semi finals and 12th in the Finals. As a 6-year old Alonzo qualified for the 2011 World Young Horse Championships in Verden, Germany, where the pair finished 12th in the consolation finals.
Bateson and her trainer Carl Hester tried out the horse in The Netherlands at the beginning of March 2012. A sale followed soon afterwards.
Katherine will take her time to gently nurture him up the levels. "I plan on enjoying developing him carefully for a great future at Grand Prix eventually," she explained. "I will spend the summer in England at Carl Hester's so he can keep us on the straight and narrow."
Photo © Astrid Appels
Related Links
Jeannette Haazen's Nartan Sold to Jane Clarke as Bateson's WEG Hopeful
Scores 2011 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses
Amazing Star Continues to Amaze in 2010 Pavo Cup Finals
Broere Argentino and Zhivago Lead the 2009 Pavo Cup Semi Finals