Van Baalen's Ratzinger Sold to Russia

Dressage

Russian Dressage News

Marlies van Baalen has sold her number one Grand Prix horse Ratzinger to 13-year old Russian rider Polina Ivanova. The new combination will be aiming for junior riders' level.

Ratzinger is a 13-year old Rhinelander bred gelding by Ricardos out of Ruby Noir (by Rubirando). He is bred by Kathrin Feiter-Betzing and was owned by Coby van Baalen in partnership with Johann Hinnemann since the horse was a 3-year old.

The black made his national competition debut in Germany in 2004 under Stefanie Wolf and in 2009 he was once competed by Beatrice Buchwald. In 2010 Magnus Mittelviefhaus took over the ride for a year before the horse moved to The Netherlands to continue his career at FEI level.

Marlies van Baalen and Ratzinger made their international show debut in 2012 at small tour level. They contested the small tour classes for two years. In 2014 the pair did not appear at CDI's but they returned in 2015 at Grand Prix level, competing consistently for the next two years at shows such as Perl, Le Mans, Rossendaal, Drachten, 's Hertogenbosch, Nieuw en St. Joosland, Darmstadt, Odense, Maastricht and Roosendaal Indoor. The latter event was their last show in December 2016. The pair won two silver medals at the Dutch Championships and gold at the 2016 Dutch Indoor Grand Prix Championships.

Ratzinger will now continue as a schoolmaster for the Russian Polina Ivanova, who competed at the 2016 European Children Championship in Oliva Nova, Spain, where the Russian team won team gold. Aboard Norlunds Cartoon she finished 5th individually.

"I've had a very nice career on Ratzinger. For a young girl such as the 14-year old Polina Ratzinger will be a great opportunity to learn from. This summer Polino will train at the stable here so they can become a good combination," said Marlies who is pregnant with her first child. "She will take Ratzinger home to Russia in September. Her goal is to compete him at junior level."