The Thai dressage duo Pak and Tom Pantapa have acquired the 10-year old Swedish warmblood A'Ha (by His Highness x Prestige VDL) as FEI schoolmaster and future Grand Prix prospect.
The Pantapa couple is currently training with Dutch coach Frank Jespers and they have allocated the ride on the black Swedish gelding to Jespers' assistant trainer Kim van der Velden. Kim and A'Ha made their Dutch show debut at Oud-Beijerland last weekend and won the Prix St Georges with 64.61% in a field of 11 competitors.
"A'Ha is our new star with which Kim made a winning debut at small tour level," said Jespers. "This talented stallion, who has everything to act at Grand Prix level, will first be ridden a few times by Kim and then it's the plan for Pak to start him at Grand Prix."
A'Ha first made his claim to fame at the sole international dressage competition he was shown at this year so far, the 2016 CDI Vestfold in Norway. Under Swedish Jeanna Hogberg, A'Ha won the small tour division with 71.026%, 70.395% and 73.075%. Hogberg had been riding the horse for three years, taking over the training from Sigrid Bergåkra. The pair won bronze at the 2013 Swedish Young Horse Championships for 7-year olds.
Pak Pantapa has been competing the 16-year old Dutch bred Tayutin (by D-Day x Caritas) at national small tour level in The Netherlands this year. Tom and Pak also own Guadeloupe Beau, the 5-year old Dutch warmblood mare that won bronze at the 2016 World Young Horse Championships in Ermelo this year.
Related Links
Hogberg and A'Ha Sweep Small Tour at 2016 CDI Vestfold
Bonheur, Dunhill, Carlton Hill, JJ Rayban, Isac Win 2012 Swedish Young Horse Championships
Victoria's Secret Wins 5-Year Old Finals at 2016 World Young Horse Championships