What's Happening: June 2024 - Part I

British young professional dressage rider Dylan Deutrom got married on 1 June 2024 to British dressage rider Immogen "Immy" Chant He celebrated his union with a party at the Old Rectory Estate in Bletchingley in the presence of his family and closest friends. The 26-year old Deutrom competed San Marco at international Grand Prix level until July 2023 and is based at Ellie McCarthy's Forest Oak Equestrian. The 27-year old Chant has shown internationally in 2017 as young rider on World Dancer and once in 2019 at medium tour level Dirty Dancing. She is focusing mainly on national level competition. 

Terry Snow (79), owner of Willinga Park and several international dressage horses ridden by Australian Jayden Brown, is retiring from active duty as a business man and entrepreneur. The tycoon is described as "the man responsible for transforming Canberra Airport from a ‘humble tin shed in a paddock’ to a gleaming international gateway." He also runs the powerful Capital Property Group. As the leading property identity in Canberra, Snow is ranked 30th on this year’s Financial Review Rich List, with a wealth of $4.1 billion. His son Tom Snow, a philanthropist and long-term airport director, will be the new chair of the airport board. Stephen Byron will continue as chief executive officer.

Anita Lussenberg became the recipient of the silver KNHS Pin. After a period of nine years on the board of KNHS South Holland Region, her term of office reached its end. During the General Members' Meeting, Lussenburg retired as 'Marketing, Communications & Sponsoring Manager' and received the Silver KNHS pin from KNHS director Cees Roozemond. Internationally Lussenberg is best known as the media manager at CHIO Rotterdam. 

Danish professional Anne Marie Hosbond is on the move again. As of 1 June she has relocated from Stald Mejland to Randbol Dressage Academy. Hosbond was part of the rider's team at Helgstrand Dressage before going independent at Stald Fredenshøj with her then-partner. After her split from her boyfriend she became head rider at  Stutteri EVO for two years before going back on her own at stable Mejland. Now the 33-year old Hosbond has moved her horses to Obel & Fisker's stable in the old Blue Hors buildings.

Ridehesten reported that Global Equestrian Group's Anders Bjørnstrup has decided to resign from his position as Chief Commercial Officer of four years. He will be replaced by Casper Cassoe Kruth, who quit Danish Warmblood last year to become the Chief Operations Officer for Helgstrand's troubled Global Equestrian Group. Kruth will now do double duty. "Thank you for a very good collaboration with Andreas Helgstrand and Waterland Private Equity over the years and for an extremely fair and professional treatment during the dialogue about resigning. Also thanks to CFO Morten Bradsted Nielsen for the past four years," Bjørnstrup stated in a press release.

Former German Olympic team rider Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff is going into politics. Linsenhoff has been appointed first representative of the state government for the state of Hessia. "The promotion of sports - from the top to the broad sports - is a real focus of our Christian-social coalition (CDU). Sport makes an invaluable contribution to competitive spirit and positive performance mindset, health and community, identity and integration. We will strengthen this contribution together with our Sports Minister Diana Stolz and our Sports Representative Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff," said Hessian Prime Ministe Boris Rhein. Linsenhoff commented, "Performance sports and volunteering are my heart. With enthusiasm I take on the new task of acting as a bridge between sports and politics and thank you for the trust."

British Under 25 rider Ellen McCarthy has been sidelined for a while with a fracture of the ulna after an incident with a young horse. "Supposed to be 6 weeks of no rider, but I negotiated it down to three," McCarthy stated. 

The Polish Horse Breeding Association (PZHK) has elected two new members on the board: Sławomir Piotrowski as chair and Polish Grand Prix rider and stallion owner Mateusz Cichon as vice-chair.

Borja Carrascosa's international Grand Prix mare Laponia, a 16-year old Saxonian mare by Stallone Quainton x Ehrenwort, has begun her new career as a broodmare. The chestnut last competed internationally at the 2022 CDI Fritzens and has not been out to CDI's since then. Carrascosa shared that she recently gave birth to a black filly by Kjento.

Dixit

“It should be about the horse again,” Quintin Maertens tells World of ShowJumping in its latest Exclusive. “Some of the locations where we bring horses for competition purposes almost feel disrespectful towards them as the animals they are. Simultaneously, I think it’s a shame that we are losing some of the shows on grass. Some of the traditional shows cannot compete with the money on offer at the new extravagant venues. In general, we should care more about the horses and less about the VIP tent. I understand that we need the VIP, but we should not neglect the true selling point of our sport; the horse.”