Dutch team trainer Sjef Janssen has submitted Madeleine Witte-Vrees and Patrick van der Meer to the Dutch Olympic A-team based on the riders' Grand Prix score at the 2012 Dutch Indoor Championships in Ermelo, The Netherlands.
Van der Meer and his former Young Horse World Champion Uzzo (by Lancet x Indoctro) scored 72.84 % in the Grand Prix in Ermelo and obtained his third qualification score for the A-team.
Witte-Vrees and her husband Nico Witte's Dutch warmblood gelding Vontango B (by Contango) were the winners of the Grand Prix with 73.16%, which was also her third team score.
By being submitted to the A-team, these riders will get involved with the Dutch Olympic selection process, which includes training sessions and the mandoratory entry in the observation trials at Hoofddorp and Rotterdam in order be considered for the Olympic team.
Because of high amount of brand new Grand Prix combinations in The Netherlands, Janssen agreed with the Dutch Equestrian Federation that temporarily three national qualification scores will suffice to be submitted in the Dutch Olympic A-team. Normally these scores have to be achieved internationally.
The first official Dutch selection trial takes place at the National Championships in Hoofddorp, The Netherlands on 7 - 10 June 2012. So far combinations such as Edward Gal with Blue Hors Romanov and Glock's Undercover, Hans Peter Minderhoud with Donna Silver, and Anky van Grunsven with Upido have not yet competed at a national nor international show. Imke Schellekens-Bartels has made her national debut with Toots at Grand Prix level and will start at a CDI soon.
Dutch Olympic A-team
- Adelinde Cornelissen – Parzival
- Edward Gal – Sisther de Jeu
- Anky van Grunsven – Salinero
- Patrick van der Meer - Uzzo
- Hans Peter Minderhoud - Tango
- Madeleine Witte-Vrees - Vontango
Dutch B-team
- Edward Gal - Next One
- Christa Larmoyeur – Ovation
- Sander Marijnissen – Moedwil
- Hans Peter Minderhoud– Withney van ’t Genthof
- Jenny Schreven - Krawall
Photo © Astrid Appels
Related Links
Witte-Vrees and Maas Dominate 2012 Dutch Indoor Dressage Championships
Sjef Janssen Counts on Anky and Young Horses for London
Anky van Grunsven Re-Submitted to Dutch Olympic Team