Claudia Fassaert Suspects Poisoning of Donnerfee

Dressage

Belgian Dressage News

Belgian WEG Team rider and Olympian Claudia Fassaert has expressed her suspicion that her top Grand Prix horse Donnerfee might have been poisoned. The mare became ill at the 2015 Belgian Championships and blood work has now revealed an abnormally high phosphor level.

Claudia Fassaert and the 15-year old Donnerfee (by De Niro x Rosenkavalier) have been long-time team fixtures for Belgium but after a period of injury in 2015, Donnerfee only competed in Rotterdam and Arnheim before heading to the final Belgian team qualifier for the 2015 European Dressage Championships.

At the Belgian Nationals, the mare got ill and had to be withdrawn from the third round. She scored 67,460% in the Grand Prix, 67,686% in the Special but was scratched for the freestyle. Blood work from after the Nationals has shown that an unusually high level of phosphor was in Donnerfee's body. Fassaert has now started an investigation.

"I don't want to place someone in a negative context, nor influence the performances of my colleagues at the European Championships, but in the first place I want to guarantee the health of my horse," Fassaert commented. "

Donnerfee arrived fit and sound at the Nationals but after one day she started having breathing problems. Fassaert has regular blood work done on her mare and knew she was in full health going to the Championships.

"The previous medical exams are handy now to get a full image of the health condition of my horse," said Fassaert. "The last medical report fits those of Rotterdam and Arnheim. Only the blood analysis from the Belgian Championships show extremely high phosphor values. It's a complete riddle which we want to see solved. After the European Championships, I'll discuss this and that with team coach Sjef Janssen, but for now he has to be able to focus fully on the European Championships."

Fassaert and Donnerfee were appointed first reserves for the Belgian team in Aachen.