Japanese dressage rider Ryunosuke Kuroda got married on the weekend of 15 - 16 November 2025. The 33-year old Kuroda started his international career with Grand Prix horse Rostropowitsch in 2016. He then moved to Bartels Academy in The Netherlands, where he was based for six years. He showed Bellatre D.E.S. through the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, which was Kuroda's last international so far. The rider relocated to Japan.
Lider Seven, the 11-year old Brazilian bred Lusitano stallion who was announced to be Laura Graves' new future Grand Prix hopeful, has passed away. The buckskin stallion (by Especial HM x Portugal) was in training with Robert Dover at the owner Raquel Rizzuto's stable, Beauty Central, in Wellington, Florida, the former Helgstrand U.S.A. barn. The cause of death was not disclosed. Graves never showed Lider Seven.
Horses.nl reported that Gerdine Maree has debuted her husband Jacques' KWPN stallion Dutch Dream (by Dream Boy x Fürst Romancier) at small tour level. The stallion was previously shown by Edith Chardon and Emmelie Scholtens. Maree rode him to an 8th place in the 2024 Pavo Cup Finals.
Swedish dressage rider Sofia Ek, the owner of Belantis, has purchased the 6-year old Vesterbundgards Armani in Denmark. The black is a Danish warmblood by Freestyle x De Noir, previously competed in Denmark by Michala Damm-Frydenberg. He was owned by horse dealer Christian Vang-Lauridsen and recently put in training with Daniel Bachmann to be sold.
Norwegian professional young horse rider Zandra Birkeland is moving from Van Olst Horses to RS2 Dressage in The Netherlands. After three years riding the youngsters at Van Olst, she is moving a little more east to begin riding under Marieke van der Putten. Zandra competed internationally a decade ago as a pony and junior rider between 2012 and 2014 on my Fen HE MW (by Feno WE x Dino B) and with Kristin Andresen's Swix (by Sandro Hit x Depardieu). After going pro at Van Olst she has shown the youngsters nationally.