Spanish Olympic individual bronze medalist Beatriz Ferrer-Salat has acquired the 3-year old Dutch warmblood gelding Elegance (by Negro x Monaco). The tall bay gelding is bred by Gert Jan van Olst and is out of Dutch Mare Champion Reina (by Monaco x Sultan). Elegance and his full sister Eternal Flame are both embryotransfer products born in 2009. Check out a photo of Elegance here.
Patrick Kraft and Sabine Reben are succeeding Renate Gohr-Bimmel and her husband Jurgen as managers of the Ludwigsburg riding club. Kraft and Reben will take up their position as of 1 December 2012.
Ridehesten reported that Andreas Helgstrand has bought a share in 3-year old Danish warmblood mare Tirana (by Temptation x Crelido). The dark bay was the 2 as well as the 3-year old Danish Warmblood Mare champion. Helgstrand spotted the quality and rideability of the mare at the Elite Mare Show and bought a half-share from owners Gitte Søgaard and Poul Hove. Helgstrand will take up the future training of the horse.
French FEI rider Marc Brulé has lost the ride on the 6-year old Swing de Hus (by San Remo x Wonderland) as well as the Grand Prix prospect Urion (by Triton x Rossini). "We are completely devastated," Brulé's partner Charlotte Millier told Eurodressage. "The owners suddenly changed their mind about Deauville and decided to get their horse back near their Chantilly home. It's really a pity as we had just started training since August with Jan Bemelmans. He thought that Urion would be ready for Caen 2014." Swing and Urion are owned by Olivier Peslier, a famous jockey, and his wife Claudia. The ride on Swing has been given to French Grand Prix rider Julia Chevanne.
Australian dressage judge Judith Anne Cubitt has passed away after a battle with Parkinson's disease. Judy was a highly regarded and well respected judge,mentor and coach who devoted many years of her life to Equestrian sport. In 2004 she was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for service to Equestrian sports as a dressage judge and administrator and to people with disabilities, particularly through the Riding for the Disabled Association of Australia.
Danish Grand Prix rider Daniel Bachmann is moving stables, switching from Rudolf Zeilinger's barn in Emsburen, Germany to Andreas Helgstrand's yard in Denmark. Bachmann was Zeilinger's assistant trainer but will be taking up the same job at Helgstrand's as of 1 Ocotber 2012.
Belgian FEI rider Jef Coenegrachts, who was an assistant rider and trainer at Bernadette Brune's Domaine Equestres des Grand Pins, is leaving the Vidauban based equestrian centre to go independent. Jef is relocating close-by to Villeneuve Loubet, where he wants to start his own business. Coenegrachts rode Brune's top horses Grand Passion and Diary Dream.
Steffen Peters and his wife Shannon are on a well deserved holiday in Maui, Hawaii. The couple is staying at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua Maui for some well-earned R&R. Enjoy!
The United States Equestrian Federation is accepting letters of interest to host the 2013 Young Horse Dressage Training Sessions. Up to six Training Sessions with USEF Young Horse Coach Scott Hassler will be scheduled throughout 2013. These Training Sessions will once again be held over two days and provide a unique opportunity for riders, trainers, owners and breeders to openly share and discuss the education and training of young dressage horses. Each Training Session will accept ten horse/rider combinations. The locations of the 2013 Young Horse Dressage Training Sessions will be announced by December 1, 2012. Auditing information and applications for horse/rider combinations will be available at that time on the USEF website.