Kebie van der Heijden's Grand Prix horse Werthino has been sold to the Belgian Dressage Stable Engelen-Mourmans. After Van der Heijden's excellent performance at the World Cup Qualifier in London, the 9-year old Hanoverian Werthino (Werther x World Cup I) sold to Belgium
, where he will be competed by David Engelen at Grand Prix level in the spring of 2006.
"David and his wife Nanon have been looking for a Grand Prix horse for a long time," Craig Rawlins of Stal Korenbloem in Weert (NED) said. "It really “clicked” between them from the first moment and I think that this combination could do much for dressage in Belgium. David first tried him three weeks ago and the result in the Grand Prix at Olympia gave the final push. Kebie is of course saddened for losing Werthino because she is convinced that he is one of the best horses we have ever had. She rode her first ever World cup qualifier with Memphis and he was sold immediately afterwards and now the same fate has fallen to her with Werthino, but this our work and she accepts it as a professional. She is now bringing along two new stars."
David Engelen, who has been competing the 10-year old Belgian warmblood mare Artic's Rosantica (by Camus x Saint Philippe xx) at international Intermediaire I level, is ecstatic about his newest acquisition. "He will be the perfect horse for me to get Grand Prix experience on, which I can then transfer to Rosantica. Werthino will teach me and help me further the career of Rosantica at the same time," Engelen said.
Based in Lanaken, Belgium, where he runs a professional dressage stable with his wife Nanon Mourmans, Engelen made his international show debut aboard Artic's Rosantica, a former Belgian Young Horse Champion. The chestnut mare is now Grand Prix ready. "Rosantica does a super Grand Prix at home and I will compete her in the spring. By having two Grand Prix horses, I will gain experience quicker and it is easier to get invited to big international shows, especially when one horse has scored top percentages at a World Cup Qualifier."
Engelen trains with Jan Nivelle and Dr. Uwe Schulten-Baumer. Together with Nivelle, he is conducting clinics and finding horses for clients. On a regular basis he travels to Dr. Schulten-Baumer's stable in Germany for intense weekend training sessions to perfect his skills in dressage. Wife Nanon is the driving force behind the daily organisation of the stable in Belgium.
The purchase of Werthino is a major boost for Belgian Dressage, especially considering that a Dutch A-team potential Grand Prix horse is crossing the border to claim a spot on the Belgian Grand Prix Dressage Team.
Photo courtesy: Stal Korenbloem (Werthino) - Dirk Caremans (Rosantica)
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