Belgian Grand Prix Riders to Meet for Training and Test Practice Session with Ton de Ridder in Aachen

Dressage

Belgium

A set of Belgian Grand Prix rider has been invited to the participate in a training and test practice session at the venue of the CDIO Aachen with coach Ton de Ridder and judge Gotthilf Riexinger on 14 August 2020.

Jeroen Van Lent Team Manager

Belgian is currently without an official team trainer. In September 2019, the Belgian Equestrian Federation (KBRSF) ended the contract of team trainer Sjef Janssen prematurely after disappointing results at the 2019 European Championships in Rotterdam. Janssen had been Belgium's "Technical Advisor" since 2013. The best results with the team were achieved at the 2015 European Championships.

In February 2020, KBRSF appointed Jeroen van Lent the official Grand Prix "Team Manager". He had already been serving as Chef d'Equipe since the 2010 World Equestrian Games.

The Belgian NF has not launched a new search for a team trainer.

Practical Training Sessions with Coaches and Judges

Alexa Fairchild and Dabanos d'O4 at the
GP Dressage Challenge in Rotterdam

Following the example of the high performance show jumping riders, Team Manager Jeroen van Lent has decided to host a first practice session with Ton de Ridder as coach and Gotthilf Riexinger as judge in Aachen

"This is targeted at Grand Prix test riding in the dressage stadium," van Lent told Eurodressage. "Riders come with their coach and ride a test. Riexinger will mark it and Ton de Ridder watches as advisor. This is a freelance, one-time thing. Afterwards the test will be discussed with the judge and advisor to focus on points of improvement and to re-ride some parts of the test if wanted."

Van Lent continued, "the intention is to host such practice days with different advisors and judges."

No New Team Trainer

Jeroen van Lent explained to Eurodressage that no new team trainer is being sought at the moment as Belgian Grand Prix riders prefer to train with their home coaches.

"I was appointed as manager at the request of the riders. They each have their own coach and as there are very few international shows now, I found it interesting to travel to Aachen. On the one hand it will be a good test to see where we stand and new combinations can show what they got in this beautiful surrounding."

"In the future this will happen again so we can check a certain development. And that development is there now. I only invited those combinations who have scored two times 66% and we have 20 of them. 15 will ride in Aachen. It's nice to see that the base is getting broader and with a few new fun combinations."

Thirteen to Aachen Practice Session

The riders who accepted to appear in the practice session in Aachen are:

Laurence Roos - Fil Rouge
Jorinde Verwimp - Cape Town
Tom Heylen - Gucci H
David Engelen - Royal Rubinstein
Charlotte Defalque - Botticellii
Thibault Vandenberghe - Santiago Song
Alexa Fairchild - Dabanos d'O4
Domien Michiels - Intermezzo van het Meerdaalhof
Patricia Mannaerts - Doeke van Beritsun
Simon Missiaen - Charlie
Jeroen Devroe - Dante DL
Delphine Meiresonne - Diva Noir SVB
Fanny Verliefden - Indoctro van de Steenblok

Excused riders are Liselot Dupont (Buffon), Nico Nyssen (Du Coeur), Larissa Pauluis (First Step Valentin), Marc Peter Spahn (Elias), Lore Vandenborne (Ikke-Pia van de Bergerhoeve), and Laurence Vanommeslaghe (Havalon).