What's Happening: October 2023 - Part I

Danish Grand Prix rider Anna Zibrandtsen (29) got married to her partner of five years, Thomas Hansen, in a lavish two-weekend celebration. On 9 September 2023 the couple got married on Santorini, Greece, with closest friends and family attending. On 22 September 2023 the newly weds hosted a huge party at Hotel Guldsmeden in Copenhagen, where the Danish pop band Lukas Graham, performed. The couple's friends were in attendance, including most of Denmark's top dressage riders. The event was a big dance celebration and ended with people in swimsuits in the indoor pool. 

American Philip Parkes, known as the host of the Dressage Radio Show for the past 11 years, has passed away after a stroke. "Phil was a beloved member of the dressage community, known for his passion for the sport, his encyclopedic knowledge, and his warm and welcoming personality – Phil was as genuine in life as he came across on air." Phil leaves behind his wife Meredith, his family, friends, and fans around the world.

Canadian Grand Prix rider Pia Fortmuller has sold her 12-year old KWPN bred Grand Prix horse Kartsevo Goldfinch (by Jazz x Lingh) to fellow Canadian dressage rider and trainer Brittany Eastgate-Simpson. Originally named Gibson and bred by Jan Lamers in The Netherlands, the horse sold to Russian Natalia Bronnikova as a youngster and got his new name (Kartsevo is the sponsor/owner name for Bronnikova's horses). He was competed in the young hose classes and up to Inter I by Russian Evgeny Sharangovich, before selling to Canadian young rider Annie Coward. She showed him one season in 2020 but quickly sold him to Fortmuller who competed him at medium tour and GP level from the end of 2020 through 2022.

American professional dressage rider Silva Martin has given birth to her third child, a baby boy, on 27 September 2023. Silva and her husband, eventing rider Boyd Martin, have named the child Koa Brooks Martin. He weighed 7.5 pounds at birth and is 21.5 inches tall. The German born Silva (née Stigler) is already mom to sons Nox (2015) and Leo (2018).

British dressage legend Jennie Loriston-Clarke announced that her husband Anthony passed away on 11 July 2023, aged 87. "It is with great regret that I have to report that the love of my life, for over 58 years, Anthony died on the 11th July. He was the rock of my life, I and all my family will miss him greatly. God bless him," she wrote on Facebook.  Anthony held a degree in mechanical sciences at Trinity College Cambridge and worked for Bristol Aircraft and Hovercraft Development, where he was closely involved with the materials used for both Concorde and hovercrafts. He gained a fellowship to Southampton University, where he lectured for many years in marine engineering and metals. He married Jennie Bullen in February 1965 and the couple founded Catherston stud together. Read Anthony's fascinating life story here. 

German Grand Prix rider Lena Waldmann and her partner, German show jumping rider Felix Hassmann, got married on 28 September 2023. The pair married in a civil ceremony in attendance of their closest family and friends. On Saturday 30 September the couple celebrated their union with a big party amongst family and friends in their stable.

British professional dressage rider Dylan Deutrom has left his base at Matt Hicks, at Hurstbourne Equestrian, to go independent. He has set up shop at Ellen McCarthy's Forest Oaks Equestrian, in Lymington, Hampshire. The 26-year old Deutrom moved into the senior Grand Prix division with San Marco this year.

Newly weds Lotje Schoots and Patrick Berends are expecting their first child together. Schoots is due March 2024. For the 35-year old Lotje this will be her first child, Patrick is already father to a son, Ricardo. The couple announced the news on social media.

Melli's Dornik, the 19-year old German riding pony (by Dornik B x Aratoss) has moved on to a new rider. He first competed internationally under Alexandra Sorensen in 2012. In 2014 he returned under Sofie Bruun Sorensen and then sold to the Germany and his name was changed to Mister Dornik. In 2017 he was a schoolmaster for Henriette Schmidt, then sold again to Kelly-Ann Klenk who campaigned him in 2019. In 2020 it was the turn of Maria-Teresa Pohl, who finished fifth in the 2020 German Developing Pony Rider Championship. The Pohl family have now passed on the ride to Marietta Elisa Appel, who debuted him at the end of September at a regional show in Vellmar.

Polish Grand Prix rider Aleksandra Szulc welcomed her first child with husband Bartłomiej Kwiatek. A baby boy, Jan, was born on 5 September 2023. Szulc's husband is the 2018 Driving World Champion for single horses. Szulc first represented Poland as a Young Rider at the 2007 Europeans in Nussloch aboard Asterix. She rode Rumba Hit at the 2017 European Championships in Gothenburg, and the 2022 World Championships in Herning on Breakdance. She also competed at the World Young Horse Championships in 2009 (on Rumba Hit), in 2017 (on Breakdance) and 2022 (on Romeo von Furstenball). She is the 2016 Polish Grand Prix Champion.

Former Dutch international Under 25 rider Fransje van der Meer married her partner Jordi Bennis on 15 September 2023. Van der Meer competes mainly nationally as well as sells horses. Her most famous horse was the one that took her into the CDI ring last, Aquamarijn (by United x Gribaldi) with whom she competed at the 2015 CDI Roosendaal Indoor, her first and last CDI on the horse. Aquamarijn later on sold to Yvonne Losos de Muniz.