Between Christmas and New Year, Eurodressage will feature its popular "End of the Year Questions" series. We have asked some stand-out dressage figures of 2017 to review their year and share their personal enterprises, observations, endeavours and opinions on life and equestrian sport.
Due to popular demand, the End of the Year Questions series have returned on Eurodressage. We ran this series from 2006 till 2013. Readers and riders keep asking us to bring back this fun Q&A session, which brings some pleasure and lightness to the Christmas holiday.
This is the secind instalment of the 2017 End of the Year Questions. Read Part I and Part II here.
 Jan TönjesGermany Editor-in-chief of Germany's leading equestrian sport magazine |
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Most important event in your equestrian life in 2017? |
| I was impressed by the team behind the Omaha World Cup Finals. One single woman, Lisa Roskens, one idea and unbelievable commitment. Great! The top freestyle performances were outstanding! The Gothenburg European Championships, however, saw new faces such as Therese Nilshagen/Dante Weltino, Catherine Dufour/Cassidy and of course Soenke Rothenberger/Cosmo rising to the occasion. Gothenburg promised us goosebumps for what we can expect from Tryon. |
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Most important happening, evolution or trend in the world in 2017? |
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I am an old man, so all people under 30 please forgive me: my spotify playlists from Depeche Mode to Puccini, Beethoven to New Wave helped me on my trips on the motorway.. |
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Best and worst tv and radio show |
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Best Tv: the documentary "Paradise Papers - Zocker, Trickser, Milliardäre" on the so-called "Paradise Papers" scandal, broadcast on German ARD Sorry, four horses, a family plus my job: Hardly any time to watch TV. At least not the horrible things. |
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Best book, play, concert, movie and CD |
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Best book: "1066" by Jörg Pelzer |
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What would you like to see changed in the dressage world in 2018? |
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No more 74+ scores for those who ride their horses with contact issues and backs that never swing,passage and piaffe with high hocks and super centred canter pirouettes with hindlegs that don't jump but loose the 3-beat rhythm (I know that scientists claim there is no real 3 beat, but the character of the canter has to be maintained). AND: Bring back the collective marks! |
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What do you wish for in 2018? |
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That the world won't face a nuclear crisis, that political leaders and administrations are no longer governed by (right-wing) populists throughout the world and that the increasing number of British people seriously thinking about a second Brexit-referendum will be heard. Oh, and a German government would be nice, too. |
 Patrik KittelSweden Swedish Olympic Grand Prix rider |
| Most important event in your equestrian life in 2017? |
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European Championships in Gothenburg: unreal to take a medal in Sweden and have such an amazing audience cheer for everyone. But also winning at Olympia was crazy :) It was very emotional for me as last time I was there it was a disaster and I felt like I was never going to make it. 13 years of hard work later I won |
| Most important happening, evolution or trend in the world in 2017? |
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the Degree Of DIfficulty system in dressage is a great trend. Worst happening ever: Kim jong dong vs Dump Trump. No words needed |
| Best and worst tv and radio show |
| Best TV: Game of Thrones Worst TV: any type of talent show. the words "you are born a star" are getting very old. |
| Best book, play, concert, movie and CD |
| Best movie: "Why Him". I watched it with my parents in law and lyndal. It was so so funny Best music: Ed Sheeran. He shows that you don't have to get naked to be successful, you only need to have an amazing voice and be smart. That's very nice for a change. Best CD: we have iTunes now |
| What would you like to see changed in the dressage world in 2018? |
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I think we need to stop making fast discussions before we try and evaluate it! Let's see if it brings anything; for instance, like taking a way the collected marks with no warning. Dressage has to stop panicking about having to change, and do fast things just to change. Instead look what is really good, work from there and then change if necessary. The Saab top 10 was very successful. We changed the concept a bit, but kept the core with our sport. We have an amazing sport, we just need to unite tighter and together: discuss but without trying to complain. |
| What do you wish for in 2018? |
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Like always healthy, happy 2 legs and 4 legs, friends and family. Life is so good, let's make it positive and fun! |
 Tom HuntGreat Britain Freestyle composer |
| Most important event in your equestrian life in 2017? |
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There hasn’t been one particular event this year that I would say is the most important but I feel very privileged to have been able to meet and work with many top riders from the UK and around the world. |
| Most important happening, evolution or trend in the world in 2017? |
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| Best and worst tv and radio show |
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Best TV: Big Little Lies |
| Best book, play, concert, movie and CD |
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Best Movie: I loved ‘Blade Runner 2049’ |
| What would you like to see changed in the dressage world in 2018? |
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It would be great to hear better sound systems at venues holding freestyle performances! |
| What do you wish for in 2018? |
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It would be great to work with riders competing at WEG and the Asian Games in 2018. |
 Raphael Saleh France 5* dressage judge |
| Most important event in your equestrian life in 2017? |
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The European Championships in Gothenborg. Everything came together: |
| Most important happening, evolution or trend in the world in 2017? |
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Terrible things happened in the year 2017 and have affected all of us. Earthquake in Mexico, tsunamis, hurricanes and fires in the Caribbean islands, Portugal and USA. Changes to remember would be the election in France of a very young Président (less then 40 years old) Very exciting : the allocation of the Olympic Games to the city of Paris in 2024. |
| Best and worst tv and radio show |
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Best TV: I do not have much time for TV and listen to the radio in my car just for news and to have an idea of what is going on. |
| Best book, play, concert, movie and CD |
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I really enjoyed a show I saw in Berlin: "Blue man group"... quirky, modern, unexpected. |
| What would you like to see changed in the dressage world in 2018? |
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For our sport world in 2018, all the actors should play the same game, get together to make dressage grow strong, popular and clear. I would like the discipline to be more important than personal interests and give priority to positive grouth and evolution. The general education must be developed and understood by all judges, trainers, riders, so we can grow with the same goal. |
| What do you wish for in 2018? |
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Good health |
 Sönke Rothenberger Germany German team rider |
| Most important event in your equestrian life in 2017? |
| The Europeans in Gothenburg. The result was amazing but als the show and everything around it was just outstanding |
| Most important happening, evolution or trend in the world in 2017? |
| I believe that in general 2017 has been a year where society pays more and more attention towards green energy. When looking at the Diesel incident and also the fact that more and more people care about where their food comes from and how it is produced I believe this is a trend which is developing and which developed throughout 2017.. |
| Best and worst tv and radio show |
| Best TV: Game of Thrones Worst TV: The Middle Best radio: I don’t listen to that many radio shows |
| Best book, play, concert, movie and CD |
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Best book: "Get your Shit together" by Sarah Knight |
| What would you like to see changed in the dressage world in 2018? |
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I would like to see more self reflection from authorities when it comes to introducing new rules: for example High-Low or scratching the collectives in dressage. I strongly believe that this won’t benefit our sport. |
| What do you wish for in 2018? |
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I wish that all my friends, family and of course my horses stay healthy and sound. For the rest i of course hope to be able to continue at the level Cosmo and I finished 2017 |
Related Links
End of the Year Questions and Answers 2013
End of the Year Questions and Answers 2012
End of the Year Questions and Answers 2011
End of the Year Questions and Answers 2010
End of the Year Questions and Answers 2009
End of the Year Questions and Answers 2008
End of the Year Questions and Answers 2006