Anja Plonzke likes the lush lifestyle in Wellington, Florida. The German has returned to Florida for the third time this winter show season. Recently she's been trying out some polo.
Jacques Verkerk will be succeeding Christa van Duin as press officer for the Dutch Equestrian Federation as of 1 May 2012. For more than 20 years Verkerk has been working as an editor, journalist and announcer in the Dutch equestrian world. In 2009 Verkerk resigned as a regional KWPN inspector for Guelderland and Overijssel as well as chair of the inspection panel for the KWPN-NA.
The gorgeous Italian city of Arezzo is so far the only official candidate which has applied with the FEI to host the 2014 European Junior and Young Rider Dressage Championships. They suggested the dates of 9 - 13 July 2014. The application still needs to go to the FEI Bureau for allocation.
The late legendary mare Poetin (by Sandro Hit x Brentano II) has become a grandmom. Poetin produced two foals in her life time. The first one passed away after a few months, the second one by Jazz is A Special Poetin and owned by IPS Horse Group. This black mare produced a stillborn Totilas foal in 2011 but this year she successfully gave birth to a chestnut Bon Bravour colt.
German stallion owner Tobias Galmbacher and his wife, dressage rider Dr. Katja Galmbacher-Weisbrod, became the proud parents of a baby boy on 14 April 2012. Tom is 53 cm tall and weighed 3.335 kg at birth. Congrats!
Former Canadian Young Rider Alexandra Duncan, who is permanently based at Anky van Grunsven's, has taken over the ride on the big black Hanoverian Grand Prix horse Walkingstar (by Weltruhm). The black was trained to GP level by German Janine Siemers and then sold to Estonian Joanne Vaughan who briefly competed him. "I am having a blast learning on him," Duncan wrote. "I have entered him for a few national shows. Starting with a practice show on the 27th and a national show on the 29th."
Vera Nass, long-time assistant rider at Burkhard Wahler's Klosterhof Medingen, has moved to Jurgen and Christoph Koschel's stable Hof Beckerode in Hagen, Germany. She will assist Christoph in the daily training and competition of the horses.
Dutch FEI rider Tommie Visser has discovered a hidden talent within him self: sing star. The 27-year old student of Anky van Grunsven auditioned with his friend Kevin van der Meer for Holland's Got Talent and made it to the next round. Check out the video of his audition here.
British FEI pony rider Rosie Hugh Smith acquired a new pony at the 2012 Ponyforum Open Sales in Germany. She bought the 8-year old black FEI Pony level competed gelding Holsteins Derwisch (by Disagio x Patrick) which was already competed by Annabelle Manganaro and Michele Schulmerig in Germany.
The 20-year old Dutch warmblood stallion Rubiquil (by Rubinstein x Roemer) has been leased to Nina Karstensen's stallion station in Norway, where he will stand at stud. Laurens van Lieren competed the dark bay stallion in the young riders division and moved up to Grand Prix with him.
Former German Bundeschampion Farewell III (by Fidermark) has switched riders. The chunky dark bay stallion was trained and competed at Grand Prix level by Markus Gribbe but is now in training with Christoph Koschel.
Carl Hester has signed to be keynote speaker at the annual British Dressage Convention to be held in 2012 on 24 - 25 November.
Check out our embedded video in the top right corner. Mitt Romney, U.S. Presidential candidate for the Republican party, talks horses with a news reporter. Mitt's wife Ann is co-owner of Jan Ebeling's Rafalce which he just competed at the 2012 World Cup Finals.