Norwegian Grand Prix rider Cathrine Rasmussen has sold her small tour horse Shania to Russia begin October 2012. The mare will become the junior rider's horse of the 14-year old Moscow based Anna Aristova, daughter of Russian enterpreneur Nikolai Aristov.
Shania is an 11-year old Westfalian mare by Show Star x Dream of Glory. She arrived in Denmark, where Rasmussen is based, as a youngster and the mare qualified for the 2007 and 2008 Danish young horse championships. Under Rasmussen, Shania was competed at international small tour level.
"She is more than lucky to be 14 and have a Grand Prix ready horse of this calibre to ride," Rasmussen said about selling her mare. "Each day she works with ears pricked and tail relaxed. I hope they'll treat her like a princess."
Anna's father Nikolai, who stays out of the public eye, has already invested a large amount of money into world class dressage horses, including 2009 and 2010 World Young Horse Championship bronze medallist and 2010 German Young Horse Champion Blickpunkt (by Belissimo M x Weltmeyer - video).
Nikolai also owns another one of Rasmussen's horses, Kleppenhus Seabisuit (by Sandro Hit x Davignon). Aristov gave the ride on Seabiscuit to 21-year old Russian young rider Polina Afanasieva, who competed the dark bay gelding at the 2012 European Young riders Championships in Berne, Switzerland.
Afanasieva, who recently made her show debut at Prix St Georges-level on Blickpunkt at a competition in Moskau/Bitsa, is trained by PSI Hof Kasselmann's Insa Hansen and Christian Klamphade.
Photos © Astrid Appels
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