Polish Grand Prix rider Katarzyna Milczarek has sold her top Grand Prix horse Ekwador to the London based tailor Roubi L'Roubi. The grey licensed Holsteiner stallion (by Heraldik xx x Corofino) will be trained and competed by Belgian Grand Prix rider Marc-Peter Spahn who is based in the north of The Netherlands with his yard.
Spahn confirmed to Eurodressage that the stallion will be available at stud as well as slowly prepared for their joint international competition debut.
Italian O-judge Enzo Truppa has been appointed president of the ground jury at the 2014 European Junior and Young Riders Championships, which will be held in Arezzo, Italy in July 2014. Italian judge Barbara Ardu has also been appointed as member of the jury.
Kaylee Gouda's Dutch A-team pony Don Camillo du Bois (by Dornik B x Eduard) has been sold to the 13-year old Dutch pony rider Daphne van Peperstraten, who will continue to compete the bay at FEI Pony level for The Netherlands. Van Peperstraten is trained by Marlies van Baalen.
Tough luck for Susan Pape-Draper. The wife of famous German stallion owner Ingo Pape and an accomplished FEI dressage rider has been dealing with quite some health issues this year and on 24 October 2013 she topped it off with breaking a rib. "Again on the sideline, this time with a broken rib," she wrote. "Let's see what's more in store for me this year, but actually I had enough of it!"
Patrik Kittel has bought the in utero foal by Sezuan out of the dam of his new rising Grand Prix horse Deja (by Silvano x Don Schufro). "In today's world when the really good horses are very rare and very few, you have start early when it comes to thinking of your next big thing. As Marie Haward (the breeder) and I have a super relationship with the partnership together with Deja, we have decided to build on it," said Kittel. "I am confident that with parents like Deja's mother and Sezuan you can not go too wrong as I believe the apple does not fall too far from the tree."
Dutch Under 25 Gran Prix rider Diederik van Silfhout became a father to his first child, a son. The mother of the baby is Diederik's wife Irene Hoffman, who he met little over a year ago and proposed to on 4 May 2013 on a romantic getaway in Holland. The couple got married on 2 August 2013 when Irene was almost seven months pregnant.
Yvonne Losos de Muniz has not called dressage quits despite the whole FEI - Olympic selection debacle. The rider from the Dominican Republic has been appointed official trainer for the national dressage team of Chile by the Federacion Ecuestre de Chile. "I am honored to work with riders from a country with such a long equestrian tradition, and will do my very best to achieve all our goals. Our first goal is to qualify for the Pan Ams at the 2014 Odesur Games in Santiago, Chile!" Muniz stated.
Sven Rothenberger's Westfalian licensed Dutch bred stallion Van Vivaldi (by Vivaldi x Olivi) injured himself during free jumping at the 30-day stallion performance testing in Munster-Handorf. The black stallion hit a jumping wing and lacerated his skin. The stallion was moved to the equine clinic to get stitched and is recovering well.
Norwegian young rider Maria Døhlie Rode has acquired the Danish Grand Prix horse Danielo (by Danny de Vito x Damenstolz). Rode is trained by Christine Øye. Danielo was originally acquired by European Young Riders Champion Cathrine Dufour from Danish rider Anne Sofie Berger in November 2012. Dufour meant to campaign the horse in the Under 25 classes but never did.
French former Grand Prix team rider Sebastien Duperdu has relocated himself in The Netherlands to a new yard and business. The young French rider has partnered with Dutch FEI rider Loes Corsel at her barn in Coevorden, The Netherlands. Aboard Passe Partout, Duperdu represented France at the 2011 European Championships and was short listed for the 2012 Olympics. With the help of Corsel he hopes to make his international show come back.
The renowned licensed New Forest Pony stallion Valentino has been euthanized at age 29. The pony stallion (by Vernons Vinyard out of Feldof's Maderia) was owned by the De Haan family of Stable Sulaatik and they made the hard decision on 29 October 2013. The keur preferent pony stallion sired the FEI dressage pony Quatro (ridden by Anne van de Weerd), who the reserve on the Dutch pony team at the 2007 European Pony Championships. Valentino was one of the three dominating New Forest Pony stallions in The Netherlands in the 1990s besides the late Kantje's Ronaldo and Brummershoeve Boss.