The Dutch dressage team for the 2017 European Championships in Gothenburg keeps changing. Two days after the announcement of Minderhoud's withdrawal and Scholtens/Apache's substitution, another change took place. Apache will not be going and Zippo is stepping in.
While Scholtens was celebrating her well earned team selection yesterday, today she had to tell team trainer Rien van der Schaft that her 11-year old Dutch warmblood stallion Apache (by UB40) sustained a minor injury.
"Yesterday he wasn't entirely regular in the training. After inspection it showed that the recovery from this injury will take a few weeks so Apache is not fit in time for this European Championship," a disappointed Scholtens explained.
The Dutch team will now be completed by Patrick van der Meer on Zippo (by Rousseau). Van der Meer already won team gold at the 2015 European Championships, but then aboard Uzzo (by Lancet). The team will travel to Gothenburg on Saturday.
Photo © Astrid Appels
Related Links
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Eurodressage Coverage of the 2017 European Dressage Championships