Holland's number one Grand Prix combination Adelinde Cornelissen and Parzival have withdrawn from competing at the 2012 Dutch Dressage Championships in Hoofddorp, the first Dutch Olympic observation trial. Parzival is not fit to compete.
One week ago Eurodressage already contacted Cornelissen about Parzival's fitness issue, but the European Champion refused to comment at the time. Cornelissen's partner Sjaak van der Lei said that "we are busy making a planning."
Parzival's fitness has become the centre of attention when the horse struggled to pass the vet check at the 2012 World Cup Finals at the end of April. He ended up being accepted in the re-inspection after a two hour warm up and won the World Cup. One week ago team veterinarian Jan Greve resigned from his position after an escalation of long-term troubles with team coach and Adelinde's trainer Sjef Janssen.
Cornelissen will miss the first, mandatory Olympic observation trial at the Dutch Championships and it is not yet confirmed whether she will ride at the second trial, the CDIO Rotterdam.
"The appointed observation trials are Hoofddorp and Rotterdam, which in principle are mandatory for all Olympic team candidates," Dutch Equestrian Federation technical director Maarten van der Heijden told Eurodressage. "Our starting point is that both observation trials are ridden by the team candidates. By riding only 1 of 2 observation trials chances for team selection will reduce. The team trainer will make his considerations about the performances. It is his task to select the strongest possible team, which will be checked procedurally by the Top Sport Committee and the KNHS Board."
"Parzival is not injured," Van der Lei told Eurodressage. "Adelinde has given Parzival a break after Den Bosch and is now back in full training, but (Parzival) is not fit enough to compete at the Dutch Championships."
Photo © Astrid Appels
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