Rikke Johansen Withdraws D'Artagnan from 2024 European Pony Championships

Dressage

Denmark

Danish team member Rikke Johansen has withdrawn D'Artagnan from the 2024 European Pony Championships. Her pony is not fit to compete.

D'Artagnan is a 16-year old Weser Ems bred gelding by FS Don't Worry out of Chansonnette (by Viktoria's Colano x Constantin). He is bred by Schartmann and Litmeyer.

Medal Winning Pony

D'Artagnan was first competing internationally by Danish Kristian Würtz Green in 2016 and 2017 before selling to Liva Addy Guldager Nielsen. She won team gold and double silver at the 2019 European Pony Championships. They won the 2019 Danish Pony Championship and were fifth individually at the 2020 Europeans.

The pony sold to German based Polish rider Veronica Pawluk and Tthey made their CDI debut at the 2021 CDI Zakrzow. At the 2021 European Pony Championships they were 8th in the Kur to Music Finals. At the 2022 European Pony Championships they won kur bronze. At the 2023 European Championships in Le Mans, they were 9th in the Kur to Music Finals.

Rikke Johansen

The pony sold back to Denmark to Rikke Schoubye Johansen, who was a member of the Danish team at the 2023 European Championships with her other pony, Lykkeholms Cyperb (by Lukas x Maior Domus). They were 7th in the Kur Finals.

Rikke and D'Artagnan competed at the CDI's in Aachen and Tolbert and team trainer Lisbet Seierskilde selected them on the team.

Withdrawal

Unfortunately Rikke announced her withdrawal from the Europeans.

"He isn’t 110% on top at the moment, and the most important thing to us is his health and well being. Therefore we have decided to withdraw him. We wish all of the other Danes good luck," said Johansen.

Rikke was also team selected with Cyperb as the second reserve pair, but Victoria Bang Zindorff and Del Classico (by D-Day AT x Classic Dancer) were named first reserve and will replace the pair.

"Delle and I are going to the Europe championship 2024," Zindorff confirmed. "I am really happy but I’m really sorry for Rikke, and my thoughts go out to Rikke."