German Pony team medal winning rider and current junior rider Sophie Kampmann has a new junior riders' horse which she will be campaigning more extensively as of 2015. Kampmann has been competing the experienced YR horse Roman Nature in the past
and also acquired Dutch YR team horse Urchin at the 2013 Equine Elite Auction but she hasn't shown that much. Now the Hamburg based rider has set her hopes on the gorgeous chestnut 7-year old Oldenburg stallion Berlusconi (by Belissimo x Florestan) which she has already competed lightly at regional events.
German Grand Prix rider and former Under 25 champion Marion Engelen has married Dirk Op de Hipt on 23 August 2014. The couple celebrated their marriage in front of the chapel Paesmühe in Straelen, Germany, where members of the local riding club Marschall Vorwärts Aldekerk congratulated the pair. Engelen will take on her married name now and will go as Marion Op de Hipt.
Spanish Under 25 rider Adrian Lopes Diaz-Pavon is relocating to Wellington, Florida. The 22-year old, who is the boyfriend of Spanish Under 25 rider and junior rider Paula Matute, will be starting a new career as dressage rider and trainer in the U.S.A.
Falk Rosenbauer is replacing Holga Finken as new head dressage trainer at Rebecca Gutmann's Gestut Bonhomme in Werder, Germany. Rosenbauer was a long-time assistant trainer at Rehbein's Gestut Gronwohldhof and also trained Kristina Sprehe's Desperados to Grand Prix level. He was currently independent at a yard near Hamburg and is coaching several students, including eventing rider Peter Thomsen, who will now have to travel to Werder for lessons.
Swiss Discipline Chief of Dressage, Martin Walther, has resigned from his post effective immediately right after the 2014 Swiss Dressage Championships in Humlikon on 31 August 2014. The Swiss Grand Prix Championships were held at an unfortunate time, co-inciding with the 2014 World Equestrian Games so the top Swiss riders could not contest the Nationals. At the special WEG ceremony in Humlikon on 31 August team riders Marcela Krinke-Susmelj and Hans Staub did not participate. In the spring chef d'equipe Jean Michel d'Arcis and sport chef Christian Pläge already resigned from their post after clashing with Walther about selection for the 2014 CDIO Aachen. Now Walther has stepped down himself. More info on Pferdonline.
After a short stint working in the offices of Jerich International in Italy, 2012 European Junior Riders Champion and current Under 25 Grand Prix rider Dana van Lierop has returned home to Holland. The rider has dropped out of school to devote her life to horses. One of her new projects is the grey Lusitano stallion Don Soberano do MT (by Soberano x Universo). Bred and owned by Coudelaria Monte da Tramagueira, Don Soberano will be trained and competed by Van Lierop and managed by Dutch judge and trainer Karin Retera. The 6-year old is currently schooling M-level.
Former Dutch team pony Boticelli has been sold to the 14-year old Dutch pony rider Quinty Vossers. The 18-year old German bred Boticelli (by Brillant x Colorado) was imported into The Netherlands from Sweden in 2007 by the Meulendijks family. Under Anne Meulendijks he won team silver at the 2008 European Pony Championships and with sister Lotte he won team silver at the 2012 European Pony Championships. Esmee Donkers has been riding him for the past year and a half and they finished third at the 2014 KNHS FEI Pony Cup Finals and they were 6th at the 2014 Dutch Pony Championships.
German Young Rider champion Sönke Rothenberger made his Grand Prix debut aboard his sister Sanneke's Grand Prix horse Favourit (by Fidermark x Worldchamp) at a regional show in Emmeloord, The Netherlands. Sönke scored 72,85% in the Grand Prix and won the class. At the same show Marieke van der Putten made her small tour debut aboard the Austrian owned Federleicht (by Furst Piccolo) which was previously competed by Austrian young rider Timna Zach for the owner Gaston Glock. Sönke's father Sven judged that Prix St Georges which was won by Van der Putten and Federleicht with 74.74%.
Quite a few riders went on holiday right after the 2014 World Equestrian Games. Swedish Patrik Kittel and his Australian wife Lyndal Oatley travelled to Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef where they spent a luxurious stay at the family owned holiday resort Qualia. Canadian WEG team rider David Marcus and his Australian partner Nicholas Fyffe spent a holiday in Santorini, Greece.