The Oldenburg bred and Swedish licensed Grand Prix stallion Rubinrot passed away after an apparent cardiac arrest on Sunday 10 June 2012. The grey stallion was owned by Belgian amateur rider Daphne Vandeplas.
Rubinrot was bred by Wolfgang Schwanke in Germany and was by Rubinstein out of Blau Rot (by Insider x Castro x Furioso II). The grey stallion made his claim to fame in Sweden, where he was licensed. Under Swedish Stefan Jansson won bronze at the 2002 World Young Horse Championships in Verden. Rubinrot made his debut at Grand Prix level in Sweden in 2009 under Jennie Hemmingsen.
In 2010 Rubinrot was owned by Stall Waldhoff, but they sold him to Stutteri Priess in Denmark, who soon afterwards sold the stallion to Belgian amateur dressage rider Daphne Vandeplas as an FEI schoolmaster. Vandeplas, who was a newcomer on the dressage scene, was never able to compete the horse higher than M-level because she discovered that Rubinrot was suffering from severe heart problems.
"I fell in love (with Rubinrot) from the first second," Vandeplas told Eurodressage. "He was extremely good, powerful, dreamy and an eye-catcher! He was everything I wanted to have! The next day (after trying him out in Denmark) we bought the horse because Per told me that Italian people also wanted to buy him and my love was too strong! Initially it was too much money for us, but we put all the power together to have my perfect world," said Vandeplas who is devastated by the loss of her stallion. "Skjaerbaek arranged the veterinarian check with Jonas Tornell, arranged the transport. Together with my trainer (Domien Michiels at the time), they cared for me."
A routine vet check at home in Belgium revealed that Rubinrot suffered from a severe heart condition. The horse was trailered to the equine clinic in Ghent for specialist care, but had to be immediately retired from sport. According to Vandeplas she found out that "everybody knew that he had a heart disease, but I didn't. No one told me."
Waldhoff reported to the Swedish equestrian magazine Ridsport that Priess was aware of the heart condition following a vet check before the sale to Denmark. Vandeplas told Eurodressage that, "there was no medical file. There was a small piece of paper in Swedish that he had a murmur, but not his true condition. I don't understand Swedish and Per and Domien translated/dealt with it. I never held that piece of paper in my hands."
Per Skjaerbaek of Priess Horses told Eurodressage that, "A veterinarian certificate was issued on the horse when my company bought it from the Swedish seller. The veterinarian certificate was issued after a clinical, radiological and ultrasonographic examination of the horse by the Swedish veterinarian Dr. Jonas Tornell. This veterinarian certificate accompanied the horse when it was sold to Ms. Vandenplas and the contents of it was thoroughly discussed prior to purchase with Ms. Vandenplas and her trainer, the Belgian rider Mr. Domien Michiels, which the latter has confirmed in writing."
In 2010 Vandeplas filed a lawsuit against Priess Stutteri as well against Domien Michiels, which is pending at the moment. Vandeplas is having a necropsy carried out on her stallion.
Related Links
Photo Report: On the Scene at the 2002 World Young Horse Championships
Rubinrot Sold to Daphne Vandeplas
Rubinrot Sold to Priess Stuteri