The Equestrian Blog

Best of British at Royal Windsor

The 2009 Royal Windsor Horse Show, 13-17 May, is to showcase the best of British top and up-and-coming equestrian talent with two new dressage competitions, sponsored by the British Equestrian Federation (BEF) World Class Programme.

Two special competitions; The Prix St George for up and coming horses and the Grand Prix Kür, both sponsored by The World Class Programme, will take place on the opening day of the show. Entry is by invitation of the World Class Programme only.

Eight competitors enrolled on the WCP will be chosen to compete in each class in front of the country’s top judges and selectors. They will be chosen from all three WCP levels, performance, development and equine pathway, allowing potential British stars of the future to mix with current top riders.

WCP director Will Connell said:

This is a fantastic opportunity. The riders will have the chance to compete at one of the most prestigious outdoor shows in the country, the show’s organising committee can show what a great Europeans we have to look forward to and the public will be able to see some fantastic dressage.

For more info and to buy tickets, please visit the Royal Windsor Show Website.

Swiss Dressage Team Pull Out of The Olympic Games

The Swiss dressage team will not take part in the 2008 Beijing Olympics claiming the humidity, travel and Stress will have adverse affects.

The move follows the withdrawal of the team's top rider, Silvia Ikle, who doesn't want to expose her horse to the travel related stress and the humid conditions in Hong Kong during the summer.

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/tvbVvQ95LZY" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

Ikle's decision has consequences for the entire national dressage team, as Switzerland has said it only qualified for the event due to the performance of Ikle and her horse, Salieri.

The Swiss dressage selection committee has therefore decided not to send any individuals or teams to take part in the dressage competition in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong, which has a well-established racing circuit, was picked to host the equestrian events at the games due to concern over an outbreak of equine diseases and substandard quarantine procedures in mainland China.

There now appears to be growing concern over the summer heat and humidy and the effects on the riders very expensive horses. We may just see more and more withdrawals before the Olympic games begin.

Compete In Dressage Competitions – Online ?

Well now... if they don't own a horsebox or trailer is this every dressage riders dream. Or maybe your horse just doesn't like to travel to shows.

Don't worry, because you can now compete online by videoing your dressage test at home and sending it to Interdressage.

This is an online competition host that judges your dressage test using a video you submit. It costs you £10 to enter a class and promises up to 20% of the total entries to be shared between winning entries, up to 12th place.

COMPETE MONTHLY VIA VIDEO FOR FABULOUS ROSETTES AND PRIZE MONEY

You can watch the video entries online and make your own mind up about the standard of marking.

It really does sound like quite a good idea but as we all know, everything is relative and it does seem as if your marks will depend more on the quality of your video than the quality of your riding and turnout.

Oh nearly forgot.... here's the link Interdressage

Olympia Grand Prix Dressage Results

WORLD number one Anky van Grunsven (NED) and IPS Salinero won the grand prix dressage at Olympia, London, on 17th December with 78.042%.  

Britain's Laura Bechtolsheimer was the best of the British, with second on Mistral Hojris. She scored a personal best of 75.33%. The highest score any British rider has achieved in international grand prix.

Third place went to Holland's Aat van Essen and Premier. The former carriage-driving champion turned to dressage six years ago and Premier is his first international grand prix horse.

Top placings and points :

1. IPS Salinero (Anky van Grunsven) NED 1873 points

2. Mistral Hojris (Laura Bechtolsheimer) GBR 1808 points

3. Premier (Aat van Essen) NED 1733 points

4. Max (Kyra Kyrklund) FIN 1704 points

5. Luxform's Nimbly (Alex van Silfhout) NED 1684 points

6. Afrikka (Anders Dahl) DEN 1667 points

7. Mr President (Stephanie Croxford) GBR 1661 points

8. Dolendo (Carl Hester) GBR 1640 points

9. Paganini (Jeroen Devroe) BEL 1631 points

10. Zancor (Anna-Katharina Lüttgen) GER 1611 points

14. Dream of Heidelberg II (Emile Faurie) GBR 1563 points

Quote Of The Day – Charles de Kunffy

The horse knows how to be a horse if we will leave him alone... but riders don't know how to ride. What we should be doing is creating riders and that will take care of the horse immediately.

Charles de Kunffy

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Charles de Kunffy's equestrian credentials and reputation are as difficult to abbreviate as they are to duplicate.

Charles de Kunffy is a much-appreciated clinician, a sought after dressage judge, an author of several books, many articles, and introductions to the writings of others. 

He was born and raised in Hungary as a member of the nobility whose parents were eminent horse breeders with derby winning racehorses.  He started riding as a child, always under expert supervision and instruction and his riding masters were educated during the golden age of equitation 1900-1945. 

Cross-country riding, jumping and dressage were melded into one comprehensive riding theory and methodology. 

Mr. de Kunffy was schooled in the strictest adherence to classical training traditions based on scholarship and a profound respect for the horse.