It's the time of the year again! As we wind down the year with Christmas festivities, Eurodressage treats its readers to the "End of the Year" questions series.
The End of the Year Questions series was started in 2006 and ran through 2013. We picked it up 2017 and again in 2022.
We asked some stand-out dressage figures of 2023 to review their year and share their personal observations, endeavours and opinions on life and equestrian sport as well as their goals achieved.
This is the fourth and last instalment of the 2023 End of the Year Questions. See also Part I - Part II - Part III
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Most important event in your equestrian life in 2023? |
| The 2023 European Championships in Germany was a highlight of the year and to be lucky enough to be apart of any team, let alone a gold medal winning team is a blessing. |
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Most important happening, evolution or trend in the world in 2023? |
| AI is a very happening part of the world and I can see many positives of this for the future but I hope that this doesn’t become a part of dressage judging as I feel it would take away the human element, which I think is so important in our sport.. |
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Best and worst tv and movie |
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Best TV: The last series of The Crown |
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Best book, play, concert, and song |
| Best Book: The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena Best Concert: ABBA Voyage. Unfortunately I had just slipped and broken my foot so couldn’t join in with the dancing but it was well worth going to see and I would highly recommend. Best Song: Miley Cyrus - Flowers |
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What would you like to see changed in the dressage world in 2024? |
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After recent bad press for our sport, all riders need greater awareness of ethical training and good horse management i.e. horses need to be treated as horses |
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What do you wish for in 2024? |
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2024 will be an important year with the Olympics coming up. I hope everyone involved, new and old can experience the true spirit of an Olympic’s. Let the games commence! |
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Most important event in your equestrian life in 2023? |
| Being appointed as the FEI Director for Dressage, Para Dressage and Vaulting last July as I believe that this is a very exciting time for the three disciplines and I look forward to working with all our stakeholders to deliver the potential of our sport.
The FEI Dressage and Para Dressage European Championships which were held at Riesenbeck last September was one of the highlights of 2023 as these Championships illustrated the exceptional partnership between human and equine athletes at the very pinnacle of equestrian sport. |
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Most important happening, evolution or trend in the world in 2023? |
| The rapid advances in the development and application of Artificial Intelligence (AI). |
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Best and worst tv and movie |
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Best TV: I don’t really watch much TV as I prefer to listen to PodCasts. |
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Best book, play, concert, and song |
| Best Book: Unbreakable by Ronnie O’ Sullivan Best Concert: I was home in time to see my children’s college Christmas Carols this year which was magical. |
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What would you like to see changed in the dressage world in 2024? |
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I would like to see our sport unite behind an exciting vision and strategy for the future development of dressage. |
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What do you wish for in 2024? |
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The continued development of our sport globally and a successful Olympic Games for dressage and para dressage at the incredible palace of Versailles |
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Most important event in your equestrian life in 2023? |
| The European championships in Riesenbeck where my princess (Best Of 8) took double gold |
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Most important happening, evolution or trend in the world in 2023? |
| Higher rates battle with inflation, real estate values plummet and breakthroughs in AI may save us all or make it all worse |
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Best and worst tv and movie |
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Best TV: ArteKino Festival 2023 |
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Best book, play, concert, and song |
| Best Book: Invention and Innovation: a brief history of hype and failure by Vaclav Smil Best Concert: Monte Carlo Jazz Festival Best Song: not a preference in particular this year. I do like much Lana del Rey |
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What would you like to see changed in the dressage world in 2024? |
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it does not matter which changes we desire, changes are inevitable. What matters are perception and adaptation to the change… |
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What do you wish for in 2024? |
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For everyone to live in peace and to experience love |
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Most important event in your equestrian life in 2023 |
| Judging the Pan American Games in Chile was a very important event in my career. The Pan Am Games are crucial for the Americas. |
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Most important happening, evolution or trend in the world in 2023? |
| Artificial Intelligence started to impact our daily lives and many of us are not even aware nor ready for it. |
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Best and worst tv and movie |
| Best TV: Since I was judging almost every weekend, I do not have time to watch TV Series but I download series from Netflix and my favorite was All The Light We Cannot See. Very inspiring in times were different areas of our world are unfortunately facing war. Best Movie: The Swimmers, a story of 2 Syrian sisters who have to leave their home country in a boat of refugees, and begin a journey toward the Olympic Games. Worst TV: Leave the World Behind |
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Best book, play, concert, and song |
| Best Book: I read again 100 years of Solitude by Colombian Nobel Prize Winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez Best Concert: Last November Colombian singer Fonseca, at Kravis Center in Palm Beach£ Best Song: My Way, was and will always be the best song ever written. I always play it. |
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What would you like to see changed in the dressage world in 2024? |
| I believe that dressage stewards play a very important role in our sport. I would like to see that they get the respect that they deserve and are treating accordingly. |
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What do you wish for in 2024? |
| Taking into consideration the difficult times of war that many nations are living on, I wish we can have the Olympic games in peace and unity around sports.. |
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Most important event in your equestrian life in 2023? |
| For sure the European Championships in Riesenbeck, which was also a qualifier for Paris. |
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Most important happening, evolution or trend in the world in 2023? |
| All these horrible wars going on |
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Best and worst tv and movie |
| Best TV: Yellowstone and Maid Best Movie: A star is born Worst TV: If I start looking something I don’t like I just turn it off |
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Best book, play, concert, and play/music |
| Best Book: The Seven Sisters books by Lucinda Riley Best Concert: This year I didn’t make it to a concert except going to musicals/ theatre with my son: Jungle Book Best Play: Flowers by Miley Cyrus and so many more |
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What would you like to see changed in the dressage world in 2024? |
| For dressage that we start to get a bit more positive, work together, and enjoy our sport and the horses ! |
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What do you wish for in 2024? |
| For 2024 I wish for health for me my family and friends and of course that I will be riding in Paris |
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Most important event in your equestrian life in 2023? |
| The European Championship in Riesenbeck was fantastic. It was such a thrill to ride the freestyle in such a great atmosphere. |
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Most important happening, evolution or trend in the world in 2023? |
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Best and worst tv and movie |
| Best TV: I really don’t have time to watch TV at the moment! Best Movie: Avatar, The Way of Water - I only watched because I had a long flight! |
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Best book, play, concert, and song |
| Best Book: I haven’t had time to read because we have been working on our own new book which will be coming soon! Best Concert: Robbie Williams Best Song: Angels by Robbie Williams |
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What would you like to see changed in the dressage world in 2024? |
| I really hope we can find more acceptance for equestrian sport. |
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What do you wish for in 2024? |
| Peace and health. |
Carl Hester
Ronan Murphy
Michele George
Cesar Torrente
Isabel Freese
Isabel Werth