First Olympic horses well arrived in Hong Kong

After a half-day journey from Amsterdam, the first batch of 14 horses arrived remarkably well this morning July 26 at their six-star stable accommodation in Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Venue (Sha Tin).

During the course of the day another 18 competing horses arrive and have arrived from Europe and the United States. Over the next few days a total of 229 horses from across the globe will arrive at Hong Kong.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Equestrian Company, Mr Lam Woon-kwong, showed his delight with the arrangements of the transfer of the horses after their arrival when he told the assembled media that all involved in preparation for the competition had gone into Olympic mode as of today.
“I am so pleased with the reports of our veterinarian staff when I visited the stables that all 14 horses had travelled well,” he said. “Our experience from last year’s trials has been useful as we are prepared for all conditions periods of heat or wet weather conditions.”

Mr Lam was accompanied by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing, the Head of Veterinary Clinical Services of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Dr Christopher Riggs, and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department quarantine officer, Dr Thomas Sit, for a tour of the stables when the horses arrived from the airport.

“The accompanying grooms have told us that they behaved well during the 11-hour flight from Amsterdam,” Dr Riggs said. “I am sure that all horses will enjoy a good roll in the shavings, have a small feed or light exercise before settling in,” he added.

Dr Sit reported he was also pleased with this batch of arrivals as all documents on the horses’ behaviour during quarantine were in order.

Only twelve days left now before the Olympic Games will make a start…

The horsebox has to be securely transported from the aircraft to the ground to unload and reload the horses into a truck  to reach their stables in Sha Tin

The horses are unloaded and transferred to another vehicle for transportation to the Olympic Equestrian Venue in Sha Tin. In front the Olympic title defender for dressage Salinero and groom Willeke.

The FEI has launched an Olympic website. Find news now and during the Games at http://www.fei.org/olympics/Pages/default.aspx

More news

Frank Freund is Bavarian Champion 2008
 
Last week already in the Intermediaire II, the 1st test of the Bavarian Championship 2008, stablerider of Ulla Salzgeber Frank Freund and the 11-year old Dutch-bred gelding Piet (by Jazz) could impress by a fault-free performance with highlights in the Piaffe- and Passagetour and very expressive half-passes. The 2nd place with 67,073% was a good start in this Bavarian Championship. But Frank wanted to improve on this result in the next tests. And he was successful! With two fault-free and very souvereign performances in the Grand Prix (69,125%, 2nd place) and in the Grand Prix Freestyle (72,900%, 1st place) he became Bavarian Champion 2008. Frank: “I have been riding the Freestyle to this music for the first time and everything was good. I am very proud of Piet and want to say thank you especially to Jane und Aram Gregory that they placed Piet at my disposal!”

The Gregory couple already left for Hong Kong as Jane Gregory is in the British dressage team.

Lingh foal helps the Virginia Tech University

A Lingh-foal has made history for the Virginia Tech University in the Lexington Breed Show on July 11 2008. Winning both of his classes by large margins, the Lingh-foal Landmark VT also claimed the Reserve Champion Colt and Reserve Champion Young Horse titles!

There is a wonderful story behind Landmark VT.
Landmark VT (Lingh from Odette II by Jorn x Faram x Flamingo) was bred at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA under the guidance of Equine Science Assistant Professor, Dr. Rebecca Splan. The present owner of well known Grand Prix-horse Lingh, Karin Offield, donated frozen Lingh semen to the Virginia Tech Breeding Program in 2007. Their program offers Equine Science students hands-on experience in all aspects of breeding and raising sport horses. It is very promising and rewarding for Virginia Tech and their students who prepared and presented this mare Odette and her foal Landmark VT to reach for those heights in their first show!

With an incredible 85.6% in the Colts of 2008 Class, Landmark VT earned the highest score given for any presentation in Lexington that day out of over 70 horses. Judge Lilo Fore awarded Landmark VT scores of 8.8 for conformation, walk, and general impression. Scores/Comments: Conformation 8.8 (elegant neck and head, well angled shoulder, nice loose elbow, good hip), Walk 8.8 (covers ground/swinging inback/straight footfall), Trot 8.0 (shows elasticity, shows swing in back, carries himself nicely uphill) and General impression 8.8 (elegant nice expression, lovely type).

Landmark’s dam “Odette II” also had an impressive showing in Lexington, winning her Broodmare Class under judge Kristi Wysocki and earning Champion Mare and Reserve Champion Mature Horse titles. After naming Odette II the Champion Mare, Kristi Wysocki noted: “It says a lot when the foal is even nicer than the nice mother. I’m very impressed.”

Karin Offield couldn’t be happier to hear the news while staying in The Netherlands in Europe. She is learning and training in Europe and offering her outstanding stallion Lingh to mares in Europe for immediate late-season breeding. “This has made my day”, she said happily. “Now I am eagerly waiting to see nice Lingh-foals around in The Netherlands!”

(Source: Hassler Dressage, edited by Claartje van Andel dressagedirect)

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