What's Happening: December 2024

American Grand Prix rider Katherine Bateson-Chandler is sidelined for a while after breaking her arm on 13 November 2024. She wrote, "when you have jury duty and are all excited that you were excused and you wouldn’t miss a day of riding….. and you happily skip across the train tracks on your way to get in the car to go and ride….. and you trip and fall in front of a bunch of people…. And yup. Break your arm."  The arm required surgery and it was Katherine's first surgery in her life.

British Paralympian Natasha Baker has sold her main horse, Keystone Dawn Chorus, to Irish para rider Katie Reilly. Baker won Grade III individual and freestyle bronze at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris. The won individual silver and freestyle bronze from the 2022 World Championships in Herning and team gold and individual and freestyle silver in Tokyo 2021.

The Belgian Equestrian Federation (KBRSF) has renewed its contracts with Alain Rauw and Jeroen van Lent as dressage team captains. Rauw heads the youth divisions, while Van Lent captains the U25 and senior riders. The KBRSF did not announce the length of the new contract.

British junior team rider Isla Sully has switched trainers. She has moved from coach Alex Harrison to Sarah Millis a month ago. Sully represented Great Britain on Vagabond de Massa at the 2023 and 2024 European Junior riders Championships.

Florine Kienbaum has taken over the ride on one of Jens Thorsen's Gestut Pallerhof horses after the Luxembourg Danish breeder ended his long-time collaboration with Danish born Luxembourg rider Kristine Brinch Møller. Kienbaum premiered the 8-year old DSP bred Big Bang (by Bon Coeur x Quadroneur) in competition in October.

One day after returning home from a relaxing holiday in Bali, Dutch-Belgian dressage rider Rob van Puijenbroek landed in the hospital for two weeks with acute pancreatitis was caused by small gall stones. "I lost a lot of weight, but Im getting stronger again and I hope I can go home somewhere in the next few days," he said. "The gall stones will be removed in a month or two."

Friesian foundation stallion Beart 411 has passed away on 27 November. The 24-year old sport preferent stallion was owned by the Van Manen brothers. He was by Jasper 366 x Feitse 293 x Dagho 247. He was the champion of the 2006 Friesian Stallion Licensing and named Horse of the Year in 2014. He leaves behind 2238 offspring of which 7 were licensed sons: Maeije 440, Pier 448, Uwe 458, Tjalbert 460, Bikkel 470, Epke 474 and Meinte 490.

Former Dutch youth team rider Lisanne Zoutendijk got married. On 6 December 2024 she married her long-time partner, Jacco Stols, and they celebrated their union at the castle in Rhoon, The Netherlands. The 26-year old Zoutendijk began her international career on ponies with Amaretto but it was Champ of Class who put her in the spotlight. She won double silver and double bronze at the 2013 and 2014 European Pony Championships. Ringo Star was her junior horse and took her to the 2015 and 2016 Europeans, where she got individual bronze. In 2017 she moved to YR level and rode the Europeans as well as got experience at U25 level with Watteau. As of 2020 she has been riding at senior small tour level with Vapiano but has been competing significantly less at CDI's, but continues to show at national level. She is based at dressage stable Argonaut in Nispen.

Ingmar De Vos, President of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), was unanimously elected as the International Horse Sports Confederation (IHSC) President, and Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chair of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), was elected as the IHSC Vice-President at the IHSC General Assembly in Hong Kong on 6 December 2024. 

“The IHSC’s efforts have been vital to ensure the sustainable development of horse sports. I look forward to supporting Ingmar in continuing the important work done by the IHSC, in particular around equine welfare and international movement of horses, during what is an exciting, but challenging, time for both equestrian and racing globally.” The IHSC was established in 2013, when the FEI and the IFHA joined forces to create the first formal vehicle for cooperation between the world’s leading bodies for equestrian sport.