It's been such a busy month starting with Aachen, then Kronberg, then Bishop Burton and finally Verden that I hardly kept track of What's been happning behind the scenes. There is quite some news out and fun tidbits I want to share so here we go:
French Dressage Champion Karen Tebar's retired Grand Prix mare Falada M (by Forrest xx) has given birth to her first foal on Thursday 22 July 2010. The bay filly has been named "Heidanei" and is by Hohenstein. "After a short time of not being sure what that “small foreign horse” in her box was doing, Falada changed into a “Super-Mom” being very tender and cosy – it was so great to see that!," the very proud "aunt" Karen told Eurodressage.
When we asked her if Karen was rebreeding Falada this year, she replied: "I'm not sure. Falada is already 20. We´ll see how she´s doing at the end of the year. In any case I´ll take no risk." Initially Falada was twice bred to Tullamore but didn't catch. "The last try was in August and it had to be decided within some hours. I´ve seen Hohenstein at Burkhard Wahler's barn a few years ago and I was so impressed by his beauty and his personality, so it was once again an emotional decision for this stallion."
It's also time for some rumour control:
Rumour Control 1: Hans Peter Minderhoud's Oldenburg gelding Escapado (by Ex Libris x Ikarus x Sternjager xx) is not in England at Carl Hester's place. Yes according to Hester the 16-year old Grand Prix horse has not been out to shows in a very long time and Hester has confirmed to Eurodressage that his former British team ride at the 2005 European Championships will be coming to his place in the near future. "He is supposed to be returned at some point for retirement this year but am stiill waiting," Hester explained to us.
Rumour Control 2: yes it's true: the sponsor of the Medien Cup Young Grand Prix horse show circuit, CP Medien AG, is bankrupt. CEO Ralf Hartmann (who owns the Young Horse World Champion Desperado OLD) confirmed to the Ludwigsburger Kreiszeitung that the company will be dissolved. First rumours of a bankruptcy started to spread when the last Medien Cup Qualifier in Heroldsberg was not streamed live on the internet. The video company was there but the streaming did not take place due to money issues. It has been confirmed that the Medien Cup Finals will take place this weekend in Munster at the 2010 German Dressage Championships, but the winner will no longer get the coveted grand prize, a Porche Panamera.
Twenty-nine year old Dr. Katja Weisbrod, former German team gold medal winning pony rider, and 34-year old Tobias Galmbacher, president of the South German Stallion Owners' Society, got married last week. The civil service was 6 August in Diemerstein, the church wedding on 7 August in Amorbach. Dr Katja Weisbrod, who competed Simone Rongen's 1996 European Junior Riders' Gold medal winning horse Hazleton in the 1990s, was recently successful at the Oldenburg Regional Championships with So What a Feeling OLD. Katja will take on the name of her husband and will be Katja Galmbacher. Photo © Jan Reumann
It's holiday time for some riders: Hans Peter Minderhoud and Edward Gal spent a few days relaxing in Spain. Junior riders Noemie Goris (BEL) and Morgan Barbancon Mestre (ESP) were seen partying in St. Tropez, French pony rider Victoria Saint-Cast is on vacation in Lloret de Mar. Several British and Danish youth riders (Keri Bates, Nadia Vinther) went on a trip to Mallorca.
Danish team rider Sune Hansen and Antiguan Emily Ward are getting married this weekend. This is also the one and only reason why Hansen is not competing Blue Hors Romanov (by Rubin Royal x Grundstein II) in the 2010 Medien Cup Finals in Munster this weekend. Patrik Kittel and his Australian fiance Lyndal Oatley are rallying their friends to travel to Australia for their autumn wedding.
Marijke and Peter Perlee, owners of the 5-year old World Young Horse Champion Astrix, hosted a special party at their home in Maartensdijk, The Netherlands, on Saturday 14 August to celebrate the victory of their star horse in Verden. Congratulations!
We were recently pointed out one of the craziest horse websites on the internet: The Horse Tailor. It's a professional company which makes customes for your horses. We were absolutely rolling on the floor when we saw this Hamburger outfit. Look at the eye for detail at the hooves! For more laughter, visit the "catalog" of The Horse Tailor. The outfits are well made, so totally no disrespect for that, but "de gustibus et coloribus non disputandum est."
Dutch equestrian photographer Arnd Bronkhorst has motor crossing as hobby and admitted that he fell off his motorcycle three times this week. "My body hurts all over. What is the opposite of getting better at something? Regression?" he wondered on Facebook. Maybe Bronkhorst should come to Belgium to be tutored by the best in the world: World champions Stefan Everts and Joel Smets all live close to the Dutch border ;)
At the end of July Edward Gal had some special guests visiting his barn in Harskamp, The Netherlands. Dutch prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende, his daughter and the mayor of Ede, Mr van den Knaap, came to see Totilas and hand over a special name plaque which will be attached to Totilas' door. View some photos of this VIP visit at Resim Dressage.
Buy Robert Dover! ... or any Canadian WEG Team rider. At the Canadian Send-Off to Kentucky Party hosted at Gary van der Ploeg's in Toronto, Canada, on 12 September 2010, you will get the chance to buy a Canadian team rider or its team trainer. "The 6 riders making up the Team and reserves as well as I will be auctioned off to the highest bidder with 100% of the money going to our riders! Here’s the fun part - if you win one of them for a day, you can decide along with them whether it will be a great evening out on the town, having them ride your horse or maybe even wash your car," Dover wrote.