German dressage rider Louisa Lüttgen has become a first time mom. Lüttgen gave birth to a baby boy on 30 May 2020. Father of the baby is Louisa's long-time partner Sascha, with whom she has been a couple for ten years. Lüttgen was the 2007 European Pony Champion and a multiple medalist at the European Junior and Young riders Championships with Dreamy and Habitus between 2008 and 2012. Since then her international career has been on the back burner. Her last CDI start was in 2018 with Diva Noir. The Luttgens are rejoicing having brought new life into the family after Louisa's sister Anna-Katharina and brother-in-law died in a tragic plane crash while on their honeymoon. "We have received the most beautiful gift for the rest our lives," Louisa stated after the birth of her baby. "For now, forever, by our side and guided with very special love."
Australian dressage horse owner Terry Snow of Willinga Park had to say goodbye to his first purchased dressage horse, Bloomfield Royalist (by Royal Hit). The 9-year-old gelding became ill quite suddenly and Willinga Park is awaiting the results of the post-mortem to find out the cause of death. Most recently trained and campaigned by Jayden Brown, Royalist was ready to move to Prix St Georges level.
Big changes are at hand at Willinga Park despite the recent loss. Snow continues to invest in his property and is now expanding the jumper and eventing facilities at the yard. In addition, he has convinced Australian Grand Prix riders Heath and Rozzie Ryan to pack up and relocate their entire business and apparently also their horse stock to Willinga Park. The famous Australian dressage duo sold their horses to Snow and will now base themselves at Bawley Point. Eurodressage inquired with the Ryans as well as Willinga Park to get the news confirmed, but they all stay tight lipped at the moment (yet do not deny that the news is true).
German Grand Prix rider Christina Boos also spent a day in the hospital on 19 July 2020. She fell off a young mare and injured her arm. Fortunately it was not broken, but severely bruised. Boos fractured the same arm four years ago falling off Blickfang HC.
husband Rogert Taylor (photo © Sally Scott)
Third time's a charm? Not for Swedish Grand Prix rider Paulinda Friberg. For the third time she fell off a horse and had to spend three days in the hospital. On Tuesday 14 July she fell off the same horse twice in five minutes, the second fall happened when she tried to remount the horse and it hit the mounting block with its hindleg and spooked. Paulinda got on again and finished the ride. However a few hours later she got so much pain in her back that she had to be transported to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with a kidney bleed. Paulinda is not allowed to ride for one month and will have to return to the hospital in a week for a check-up. Already in 2014 and in 2018 Friberg had bad accidents with horses that kept her sidelined for a while.
a fun day out, team building, by going carting