The team championship test (= Nations' Cup) started today at the 2008 European Pony Championships in Avenches, Switzerland, and team Germany has taken the provisional lead after group 1 went into the ring. Katharina Weychert and Dornik B are in the lead position, followed by team mate Florine Kienbaum. Belgium is currently in second position, followed by Holland.

The Germans are off to a great start in the preliminary test (warm up class) on Wednesday at the 2008 European Pony Championships in Avenches, Switzerland. They covered place one to four and Sonke Rothenberger won the test. The team test, which counts for medals, is spread over Thursday and Friday. Eurodressage will be on the scene on Friday to shoot and cover group 2 of the team test. We're also photographing on Sunday..

All dressage ponies have passed the measurement test and vet inspection at the 2008 European Pony Championships in Avenches, Switzerland, this morning. Only Lotte Janssen's Oosteind's Rocco had to trot up several times, but was passed eventually. Tomorrow the Championship start with a warm up class, the preliminary test. The team championship test is split up with groups going Thursday and Friday..

The Swedish Warmblood society and Equestrian Federation announced the combinations that will represent Sweden at the 2008 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses in Verden, Germany, July 31-August 3, 2008.Following the final young horse selection trial at the Scandinavium Open at the CDI Falsterbo, the Swedish selection committee was able to make a choice.

Dutch gold medal favourite Lotje Schoots was unable to produce a hattrick at the 2008 European Young Riders Championships in Azeitao, Portugal, July 20, 2008. Riding a tense Reine B, Schoots made several mistakes and dropped to a fifth place. Schoots' boyfriend, though, wielded the axe of power and grabbed the gold for his freestyle on the Dutch warmblood mare Ruby (by Gribaldi x Landwind II)..

German Sanneke Rothenberger won her third gold medal of the week at the 2008 European Junior Riders Championships in Azeitao, Portugal, July 20, 2008. Besides team gold and individual test gold, Sanneke also took possession of the Kur gold medal by winning the freestyle to music with high notes: 77,950%.

Does your heart pound faster when you see a beautiful, graceful Spanish horse in the dressage ring? Its long flowing mane, its elegant knee action and its innate talent for piaffe and passage? This is your opportunity to buy your own Andalusian Grand Prix horse. The licensed stallion Quiebro descends from the best Spanish Pura Raza Espagnole (PRE) Andalusian blood lines, is trained at Grand Prix level and has a fantastic character..

The second leg of the French Tour took place this weekend in Pompadour, France. FEI Pony rider Lars op 't Hoog won the Pony Riders Kur to Music finals with Majos Cannon, while Belgian Vicky Smits-Vanderhasselt dominated the Intermediaire I aboard Daianira van de Helle. Aat van Essen won the Grand Prix Kur.

The Celle state stud stallion Don Frederico is the sire of the top priced horse of the 2008 Verden Summer Auction 2008. With an auction sales price of 35,000 euro, Dio Domingo was the best selling horse of the auction collection. The dark bay horse with convincing, elastic movements was sold to a dressage yard in Westfalia..

At the CDI Hartpury, Brit Richard Barrett won the Grand Prix and Special aboard Alcatraz with 66.83% followed by Judy Harvey on Fitzcerraldo. Carl Hester and his student Yvonne Losos de Muniz' Bernstein Las Marismas won the national Grand Prix with 69.31%. View the complete scores and some news facts.

Not the favourite gold, but Schoots' boyfriend Diederik van Silfhout won Kur Gold at the 2008 European Young Riders Championships in Azeitao, Portugal. Aboard Ruby, Van Silfhout scored 75,850%, well ahead of silver medallist Kirsten Sieber on Charly and bronze medallist Boaventura Freire on Derby L. The junior kur gold medal is for Sanneke Rothenberger, the silver for Thea Felicitas Muller and the bronze for Michelle van Lanen.