2016 Oldenburg Dressage Symposium Bringing Expertise to Spain

Tue, 05/31/2016 - 12:02
Oldenburg Breeding News

The 2016 Oldenburg Dressage Symposium took place in Spain at the Finca Yeguada Los Amadores in Madrid on 29 April - 1 May 2016. Dressage experts such as the four-time Olympic winner Nicole Uphoff-Selke, trainer and Grand Prix rider Ute von Platen, auction rider Marcus Busch and the international Spanish judge Juan Carlos Campos enriched the exclusive event with their interesting, expert lectures and informative demonstrations.

After the great success of the 1st Dressage Symposium in Bad Homburg, Germany, the Oldenburg Pferdezuchtverband decided to hold this year’s Dressage Symposium in Madrid, Spain’s capital. Many people were happy participants at the event. The main subject of this event was “Training Tomorrow’s Dressage Horses”. First class riders and trainers made the journey to sunny Spain to hold interesting lectures and demonstrate educational training units.

Also there for the event was the four-time Olympic winner, Nicole Uphoff-Selke. She explained how a dressage horse is systematically schooled and also narrated emotional experiences from her own life as a rider and her world class horse, Rembrandt. “I was amazed that there were only really good horses with lots of potential in the clinic – you don’t see that very often. A compliment to Oldenburg breeding”, praised Nicole Uphoff-Selke and added “The riders were very talented and open-minded for changes. They tried everything out and were very sensitive in dealing with their horses – and each time the hour was over, horse and rider left the indoor satisfied because they had learned something new.”

The four-time Olympic winner also reported that  “The symposium itself was very professionally organized for all participants. The different points of view on how to school a young horse were clearly demonstrated by a Spanish judge, an expert horse woman and an auction rider. I really enjoyed having the opportunity to explain my philosophy about schooling young dressage horses in Spain now as well: every horse is different and every horse wants to be worked differently  – listen to what your horse tells you so you can make your horse your partner!”.

Trainer and Grand Prix rider Ute von Platen explained what judges want to see if they are to give the highest scores. “We just experienced an impressive event here in Spain. The purpose of my lecture was to show the road that is to be taken when schooling a young dressage horse, keeping the scale of training in mind“ explained Ute von Platen.

Auction rider Marcus Busch demonstrated from the saddle what he demands from a youngster and then talked about the first steps in schooling talented dressage horses. “The Dressage Symposium proved to be very popular. Many dressage fans showed up, from ambitious riders all the way to international dressage judges”, reported Marcus Busch, who finished up saying “The walk is very important and often forgotten. In my lecture I tried to give participants important tips on how to improve walk work.”

Right in the heart of Spain, the international Spanish judge Juan Carlos Campos described his view of the making of a dressage horse, from youngster all the way to advanced level.

In the practical part of the Symposium, which was organized by Thomas Rhinow from Vechta and Cristina Figueroa, the Oldenburg Verband’s agent for Spain, the demonstrations were crowned by Spanish Oldenburgs that were discovered in Vechta. Among other horses, the Peña family from Spain presented Silver Black OLD by Sandro Hit, who a week later took fifth place in an international Prix St. Georges as well as fourth place in an Intermediaire I under Marta Peña in Segovia, Spain.

Peña’s Sarotti OLD (by Sarkozy) with Marta Peña in the saddle and Santos (by Sancisco) under Cristobal Belomonte also shined at the Oldenburg Dressage Symposium with highly promising performances. By the way: training pays off. A week later, these young stars also placed in Segovia in international dressage tests for five and six-year old dressage horses. And in a further show, Sarotti OLD won a medium level test for young dressage horses.

The talented, young Oldenburgs Furtwängler (by Fürst Wilhelm) under Juan Perez and Roncevall (by Romanov) with Sergio Navarro also took part in the Dressage Symposium and demonstrated their potential. Furtwängler and Juan Perez were obviously able to profit from the advice they received at the event – after the Dressage Symposium they won an elementary level test for young dressage horses. 

“In the name of all participants, I would again like to thank Amador Alonso and his team for providing the location as well as the Topiberian website, which actively assisted us in preparing and running this event”, emphasized Thomas Rhinow. The initiator of the event also had something to say: “The symposium was a great success. Visitors were thrilled and we have seen top young horses. I am certain that we were able to win many new Oldenburg friends”.

Text © Oldenburg society - Photos © Top Iberian

Related Links
Only Few Places Left for First Oldenburg Dressage Symposium in Spain
Oldenburg Society to Host First Dressage Symposium in Spain on 29 April - 1 May 2016
Don't Miss Amazing Dressage Symposium in Bad Homburg on 28 April 2015