Joep Bartels, the co-founder of the World Cup circuit and husband of Dutch Olympian Tineke Bartels, has fractured his pelvis in a cycling accident. Bartels has been an avid cyclist for more than fifty years and as he joins his wife to dressage competitions, he always brings his bike to stay fit. Unfortunately at the end of August, Bartels fell with his bike and fractured his pelvis. He was operated on at the Elisabeth Hospital in Tilburg. Joep is currently in a wheel chair to recover and is looking forward to climbing back on his bike. "Besides horses cycling is how I can blow off steam," Bartels commented. "This is only my first real injury in the almost sixty years that I cycle. If I look at Tineke and her injuries, I'm still well off. Both sports have their risks, but I don't plan to become an old, immobile pensioner."
Dutch Grand Prix rider Daniëlle van Mierlo is 15 weeks pregnant with her first child. The 30-year old Van Mierlo and her partner Koen van der Pol announced the news with a video on Youtube that includes footage of Van Mierlo surprising her own partner with the news that she's pregnant as well as their family. The baby is due for the end of February 2020. There has been a gender reveal party for the family, but Danielle is keeping it still a secret.
Dutch FEI rider Fieke Houwen became a mother for the second time on 31 August 2019. The 32-year old Houwen gave birth to a baby girl, named Jalou, on 31 August 2019. Her first daughter, Nomi, is 2 years and 9 months old. Houwen is mainly focusing on national level dressage and last competed internationally in 2014 with small tour horse Zweed and young horse Spielbergs Cartier. She is currently riding the licensed stallion Electron.
Dutch horse dealer Judy de Winter has appointed a new head rider for her horses, Jeroen Bakker. Two months ago Dominique Filion decided to go independent after having worked for De Winter for nine months. Before Filion there were Roos van Schaick, Stephanie Kooijman and Philip van Ommen who rode for De Winter. Vincent Chen's KWPN licensed stallions Four Legends KS is the top horse stabled at Judy's and stays under her care.
The KWPN licensed stallion Jamaica (by Desperado x Wynton x Contango) has been gelded and sold. Previously owned by Witte-Scholtens, Hergen van Hall and Gern Bouma, the dark bay was trained by Emmelie Scholtens. He scored 80,5 points at the 2017 KWPN Stallion performance test. The gelding will stay in The Netherlands.
Dutch dressage rider and fashion model Melody Vroom has entered herself for Barn or Yard, . The 21-year old, who once competed internationally on her pony Balthasar at the 2012 CDI Roosendaal, hopes to boost her popularity through this TV-show, in which "true" love is sought and found ;)
Israeli dressage rider Roy First has obtained the ride on Marlies van Baalen's Grand Prix horse Zinidi DVB. Marlies competed the now 15-year old Dutch warmblood by Gribaldi x Wisconsin at international small tour in 2014, at medium tour in 2015 and at Grand Prix level in 2016. He hasn't done any international shows since then. Most recently Spanish Moises Jover Azuar was riding the horse, but now First will take over Zinidi as a GP schoolmaster.