A last minute change on the Finnish team composition has taken place ahead of the 2023 European Dressage Championships in Riesenbeck. Henri Ruoste has dropped out. His horse Campari is not fit enough to compete.
Campari is a 15-year old Hanoverian by Concetto out of Sammy's Sister (by Silvio I x Calypso II). He is bred by Dr. Jacobs and owned by Danish Per Skjaerbaek in partnership with Ruoste and German horse dealer Jochen Arl. The chestnut goes at home by the nick name Campinski.
Ruoste and Campari
Campari made his international show debut under Skjaerbaek at the 2015 CDI Odense in the small tour. The horse then moved to Ruoste at Gut Bertingloh in Germany to be produced to Grand Prix level but the gelding struggled with health issues.
Ruoste picked him back out of the field this year and competed him for the first time at Grand Prix level, first at the CDI Aachen Dressage Days in Hagen, where they posted a 73.935%; then a month later at the CDI Kronberg where they scored 71.630% and finally in Crozet, they achieved 70.891%. The horse was three times entered for the Special but withdrawn each time for the second test.
Team trainer Rien van der Schaft selected the pair on the team for Riesenbeck but today Ruoste withdrew.
"It was for sure not an easy decision," Henri told Eurodressage, "but I felt the right one for the horse. Campari has felt a bit weak since the last show in Crozet, and as he has not been in full training for so long since his break, I did not want to take any risk to overload him. I look forward to our next shows with Campari, and this time support the Finnish team from the side of the arena!
Ville Vaurio Steps In
The Finnish team travelling reserve, brand new Finnish Grand Prix champion Ville Vaurio, will now step in to fill Ruoste's vacant spot in Riesenbeck. He joins Emma Kanerva (Greek Air), Anna Tallberg (Grevens Zorro), and Yvonne Österholm (Ironman H).
"It is a great pity that we cannot get Henri's experience and skill in the team. We will do our best with the other four riders," said team captain Rien van der Schaft. "Ville and G-Star are in very good shape."
Mikaela Soratie and her new horse, the palomino Invincible, are the new reserve pair. Soratie lives in the Netherlands, only a few hours' drive from Riesenbeck.
Photo © Stefan Lafrentz
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