Eleven horses in three age divisions have been selected to go through to the second Belgian team selection trial for the 2023 World Championships for young dressage horses in Ermelo on 4 - 6 August 2023.
The first selection trial took place at SBH Dressage Stable in Vrasene on 21 June 2021 and was judged by Gert-Jan van Olst, Michele Bouvy, and Gaston Croonen.
Belgian Preference
The Belgian equestrian federation has as selection policy that Belgian bred horses (BWP, SBS registered) will be given preference in team selection, as long as they have fulfilled their MER. This means that horses bred in foreign studbooks will automatically be at a disadvantage, no matter their quality. Only when there are no other options, will the federation look at foreign bred horses.
The World Championships are the FEI/WBFSH World Breeding Championships and meant to promote and stimulate the national breeding programmes in each country.
The same policy is adopted throughout Europe where The Netherlands only chooses KWPN bred horses, Denmark only Danish warmbloods, Germany only German bred horses. The amount of horses per country eligible for the World Championships is based on the size (amount of foals/registered horses) of each studbook. Countries with a small breeding programme are only to send one horse per age group and make no distinction in breed as they have no domestic breeding programme of significane.
First Trial in Vrasene
The 5-year old division was the largest with 11 horses entered, of which three horses were KWPN bred and therefore not selected. Four Belgian bred horses were picked in the 5 and 6-year old division. In the 7-year old class two Belgian bred and one Dutch bred was picked, probably meaning that the Dutch horse will be the reserve.
The second team selection trial is at Haras du Roua in Hannuit on 5 July after which the team is announced
Selected Horses
The selected horses are in bold.
5-year olds
- Tom Franckx - Sandor Hit van 't Steenputtenhof (BWP, by Special Agent Amour x Sir Donovan x San Amour)
- Suraya Hendrikx - Sacramento van het Bloemenhof (BWP, by Secret x Quaterback x Sezuan)
- Domien Michiels - Sunnyboy van de Kempenhoeve (BWP, by Don Deluxe x Quaterback x De Niro)
- Pauline Leclercq - Magellan (SBS, by Valentin x Lord Leatherdale x Vitalis)
- Isabel Cool - Netallic (KWPN, by Franlin x Jazz x Ampere)
- Aure Spleeters - Neymar (KWPN, by Sezuan x Wynton x Zack)
- Nele Vanleuffelen - Summer Rose O (BWP, by Ibiza x Quadroneur x Desperado)
- Alexa Fairchild - Nacho (KWPN, by Secret x Tango x Sezuan)
- Rob van Puijenbroek - Sir Toto Begijnhoeve (by Toto Jr x Sir Oldenburg)
- Wim Verwimp - Sensation van de Wimpelhoeve (BWP, by For Romance x Lord Leopold x Furst Romancier)
- Katrien Verreet - Souza (BWP, by Furstenball x Bailamos Biolley x Furst Heinrich)
6-year olds
- Pieter Foets - Romina van het Kolisbos (BWP, by Glamourdale x Camus x Lord Leatherdale)
- Amber Heidbuchel - Rianta van de Kempenhoeve (BWP, by Indian Rock x Quaterback x Apache)
- Ruben Mengual - Raphael (BWP, by Totilas x Alabastro S Extra x Gribaldi)
- Lore Vandeborne - Reliv van 't Amaryllishof (BWP, by Ferdeaux x D-Day x Bordeaux)
7-year olds
- Tommie Visser - Quinten Begijnhoeve (BWP, by Heros x Ferro x Vivaldi)
- Tom Heylen - Quberon van het Beukenhof (BWP, by Johnson x Don Renoir x Jazz)
- Katrien Verreet - Liviah Diar (KWPN, by Johnson x Florestan x Jazz)
Photo © Dirk Caremans
Related Links
Belgian Horses Selected for 2022 World Young Horse Championships
First of Two 2022 Belgian WCYH Selection Trials Kick Off in Vrasene
Eleven Horses Picked for Second and Final Round 2021 Belgian WCYH Selection Trial