French Olympic dressage rider Jessica Michel-Botton and her husband Gilles are expecting their first child together. Jessica, who celebrated her 33rd birthday on 22 June, is expecting a baby boy and he is due for 4 November 2015. Jessica and Belgian show jumper Gilles Botton got married on 6 December 2014.
Susan Dutta has acquired a new young dressage star: the 5-year old Don Design DC. The black gelding is by Der Designer out of a Sir Donnerhall I dam. "He already shows super ability for collection!! Compact sporty size perfect for this housewife dressage enthusiast," Dutta gushed about her new horse.
Lotje Schoots' Grand Prix horse Torricelli (by Florestan) will continue as a schoolmaster for the 19-year old Pauline Leffelaar. The 15-year old Dutch warmblood gelding was trained by Schoots from novice to Grand Prix level. The duo finished in sixth place at the World Young Horse Championships when the gelding was 6. The pair went on to win individual gold at the 2009 European Young Riders Championships. The 18-year old Leffelaar has competed up to Fourth level with the 9-year old Dutch bred Bon Ami (by Tuschinski).
The German Youth Rider Championships are moving to the Equestrian Sport Centre Riesenbeck for its 2016 edition. The championships are scheduled to be held on 18 - 21 August 2016. The Riesenbeck centre is the home base of German show jumper Ludger Beerbaum and the facility is owned by the Heereman von Zuydtwyck family.
Dutch Grand Prix rider Stephanie Peters got married to her partner Marc Beek on Saturday 20 June 2015. Peters is based in Asenray, The Netherlands, right on the German border near Mönchengladbach. Most recently she has competed two horses up to Grand Prix level, Jeff (by Jetset D) and Unlimited (by Jazz), which has been sold to P.J. Rizvi in the U.S.A.
Dutch small tour rider Fieke Houwen also got married in the spring. She and her partner Ruud van Ool celebrated their wedding on 1 May 2015. Houwen last competed internationally in July 2014 aboard the small tour horse Zweed and with her then 6-year old Spielbergs Cartier.
Dutch young horse rider Kirsten Brouwer is the latest in a long string of riders that have relocated to the gorgeous Singaporean owned Dutch equestrian centre Platinum Stable in Riel, The Netherlands, as a base for their business. After Tommie Visser, Robin Beekink, Michelle van Lanen and Markus Gribbe -- who have all come and gone -- Brouwer is now the fifth rider in two years time to set up shop at Platinum Stable. "We had outgrown our current location in Zegveld. Because of the amount of training horses and the competition of the stallions we were searching for a new location," Brouwer explained. Kirsten Brouwer and Dancer became the 2014 World Young Horse Champions in Verden.
Fiona Bigwood's exciting Grand Prix horse Atterupgaards Orthilia (by Gribaldi) is expecting a foal by embryo transfer. Bigwood has bred her dark bay mare to the Dutch bred and Westfalian licensed Don Juan de Hus (by Jazz x Krack C) and a recipient mare is carrying the embryo.