Edited by dressagedirect

CHIO Rotterdam proclaimed  L’Année Hippique Best Dressage Event Outdoor

This week the winners of the L’Année Hippique awards for Dressage and Driving events were announced and it became apparent that the international dressage riders voted overwhelmingly for CHIO Rotterdam, giving the Dutch show twice as many points as the former winner CDIO Aachen, which finished runner up. The riders took all aspects into consideration such as prize money, footing, stabling overall organization and atmosphere.

“It’s a fantastic reward for our work over the past few years and a great boost to our strategy,” said a grateful and happy Tineke Bartels, the Dressage Sports Director in Rotterdam. “Particularly in view of the 2011 European Dressage Championships, it is good to hear that the top Dressage Riders enjoy Rotterdam!”

The members of International Dressage Riders Club were requested to elect the 2008-2009 season’s top five indoor and outdoor events. The winners were notified this week and will receive the awards at the Jumping Indoor Maastricht Horse show from November 25 – 29.
The 62nd edition of CHIO Rotterdam will be held from June 16th to 20th 2010.

Find more at www.chio.nl 

Results l’Annee Hippique Award Dressage Outdoor:
1. Rotterdam NED                296 points
2. Aachen GER                    148 points
3. Hickstead GBR                 132 points
4. Hagen GER                      128 points
5. WDM Munich GER             120 points

Dressage Sports Director Tineke Bartels and chair Frans Lavooy happy with Rotterdam being the best Picture Claartje van Andel dressagedirect

Jazz again leads the dressage sires’ WBFSH rankings

The Dutch KWPN stallion Jazz has maintained his status as the world’s most successful dressage horse sire in the WBFSH (World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses) rankings. Jazz tops the current list drawn up by the international breeding organization WBFSH with 12,972 points. The chestnut stallion (sire Cocktail out of Charmante by Ulster), bred by Huub and Tiny van Helvoirt, earned many more points than his closest rival. His rider Kirsten Beckers from the Broere Stud is proud to ride and train Jazz daily. “He is like a professor and plays around with all exercises. Next year, Jazz will be 19 and I plan to go into the arena for show purposes only. His stamina and enthusiasm to show is remarkable. Although the amazing scores that are currently given are no longer his cup of tea.”

Kirsten Beckers proud on best stallion Jazz Picture Claartje van Andel dressagedirect

In addition to Jazz’s continued success, his son Parzival (out of Fidora sire Ulft, breeder: J.M. Beijer-de Kleijn from Puiflijk) leads the WBFSH rankings for dressage horses and he is one of the horses that received the final 10 for several movements at the recent European Championship in Windsor. “Yes, the son definitely is like the father!”, Kirsten Beckers comments.

WBFSH Stallion Rankings dressage
1  Jazz 12972
2  Donnerhall  8086
3  Florestan I  7876
4  Rohdiamant  7757
5  Weltmeyer  7260
6  Rubinstein I  6503
7  Welt Hit II  5694
8  Ferro 5578
9  Master  5518
10  Gribaldi  5207
11  Solos Carex  4311
12  Contango  3960
13  Wanderer  3861
14  Jet-Set D   3576
15  Come Back II  3478
16  Ehrentusch  3193
17  Wolkenstein II  2952
18  Castro  2696
19  Goodwill  2623
20  Michellino  2617
21  Lauries Crusador xx  2508
22  Feiner Stern  2497
23  May Sherif  2292
24  Sao Paulo  2249
25  Briar  2201

KWPN tops jumper and dressage list

For the sixth consecutive year, the KWPN maintained its number one position as the world’s best show jumper studbook. In addition to this exceptional achievement, KWPN dressage horses climbed to the number one spot for the first time in over a decade unseating the Hanoverian studbook that held the leading dressage position for many years. Equally impressive is that Dutch-bred horses lead the individual rankings as well.
Among the dressage horses, Parzival (Jazz x Fidora sire Ulft, breeder: J.M. Beijer-de Kleijn of Puiflijk) ranks number one following Adelinde Cornelissen and the impressive chestnut gelding impressive international results.

Parzival and Adelinde Cornelissen lead the rankings of best dressage pair while Adeline herself also is number 1 of the dressage rider ranking Picture Claartje van Andel dressagedirect

Just as impressive is the rise of KWPN-recognized stallion Moorland Totilas, who climbed from last year’s 91st place ranking to third place. Other Dutch success stories are the American Steffen Peters’ Ravel (Contango x Hautain sire Democraat, breeder: H. de Man of Spijk); the KWPN stallion Painted Black with Anky van Grunsven; the elite mare Nadine (TCN Partout x Charites sire Roemer, breeder: G.C. Vervoorn of Brakel) with Hans-Peter Minderhoud; and Pop Art (Amsterdam x Jodyprinses sire Cabochon, breeder: E. Korenberg of Wezep) of Canadian Ashley Holzer - respectively ranked fifth, eighth, tenth, and sixteenth.
The only other occasion when KWPN dressage horses beat Hanover was in the 1992-1993 season with Ideaal (s.Doruto), Aktion (s.Pion), Biraldo (s.Rinaldo), Arnoldo Thor (s.Purioso), Attention 017 (s.Turbo), and Chevalier (s.Doruto).

The Dangers of the Internet

Patrik Kittel answers critics

By Kim Kreling for dressagedirect
Picture Holger Schupp

Danish journalists Luise Thomsen and Julie Taylor claim that their video showing Patrik Kittel and Scandic at the World Cup championship in Odense was put on You Tube to demonstrate abuse in dressage. 
The video caused quite a stir and angry comments were put on internet. The chairman of the British Horse Society, Patrick Print, wrote a letter to the FEI, thereby initiating an investigation of the Kittel case. The man himself is stunned.
Kittel, who has been running his own dressage training stables in Nottuln near Münster is stunned and has made the following testimony for dressagedirect PLUS:

“I’m not put off by this lady, more surprised. She was accredited as a journalist at the competition. Yet, not once in the three Championship days of did she address me on the matter. I attended the press conference and she could have talked to me there, but she did not. In general, I believe one is entitled to have different opinions, but I do think that one should not criticize without prior discussion. Many people seem to accept internet as the unquestioned truth. That’s not fair. And I most certainly have not contravened any FEI rule in the way she holds against me. There were judges and stewards present, audience, other journalists and dressage professionals present. No one said anything to me! Criticizing is often easier than discussing and many hide behind the anonymity of the internet. I’m profoundly shocked by what one can write and distribute on the internet right now…”

Patrik Kittel shocked by gullible and impertinent internet users Photo: Holger Schupp. www.holgerschupp.de

“Scandic is a special horse. Every horse has its own special posture and for each horse one must find the right way. With all my horses, I vary control and contact considerably. Yes, sometimes I shorten them in the neck and then release the horse to loosen them up. If one rides horses upwards in static poise, they will no longer relief their back. But never ever do I train the horses two hours in a row in a low, deep and narrow frame, as is suggested in this video. Scandic also loves to play with his tongue. In Odense, his tongue had fallen over the bit and once I noticed it, I stopped and adjusted it. The tongue had been hanging out for exactly 22 seconds. Neither at the time nor on the video did I see the tongue being blue.

Up till now, I have trained as many as 30 horses to Grand Prix level and also and precisely with Scandic I am very successful. Why then would I hurt my horse? How much would I gain? Every day I reflect how I can train my horses in the best way, so they can be with me and enjoy themselves. If my horse would be trained under pressure and brute force they would surely never be able to achieve such results. Anyone, who understands anything about horses, knows this. Especially Scandic has a strong personality. If I should I suppress him, he just wouldn’t co-operate anymore. He’d say: Kiss my A…

Meanwhile, the FEI has contacted me and I have sent a written explanation what happened in Odense. I welcome the FEI investigation and I am quite confident that the FEI will do a thorough job. But I do not believe that anything negative will come out of it for me.

I have also received lots of encouragement and support these past days. My sponsors and owners all are behind me – including Jan Greve, the owner of Scandic and Dutch team veterinarian. It even attracted more people. This way, I hope to get something positive out of this affair. I am a positive person. But what I truly find horrific are the mails I receive, in which people not only threaten to hurt me, but also my family and – strangely enough – even my horses. This is where I find internet dangerous...”

The editor adds: Patrik Kittel and Jan Brink have shared their expertise in Flyinge, Sweden, this week where they were welcomed by the annual WBF Gala and met international colleagues who trained in Flyinge under Kyra Kyrklund such as British Emma Hindle, Dutch Imke Schellekens-Bartels, Swedish Minna Telde and many others.
dressagedirect will publish a detailed report on this event shortly, especially for our new Swedish readers!

Kerensa Muller and Shawna Harding win Trilogy Saddle “Best Seat” Award

“What an exciting experience to win this award,” Kerensa Muller said in Wellington after having won the Trilogy Saddle Award at the Jim Brandon Center at the USDF Region 3 Championships. “I ride one of my horses in training in a Trilogy saddle.  The Trilogy is very supportive of my leg and gives my leg a nice grip on the saddle and the horse”, Muller added.
Muller, a renowned dressage trainer based in Wellington, Florida, was born and raised in Holland where she trained under the tutelage of Sjef Janssen for three years. Muller said she believes her strong seat developed during her early days on the back of a pony. “For seven years I rode my pony bareback and it helped develop my seat and balance,” she said.

Riding her Grand Prix partner Come On III, Shawna Harding captured the Trilogy Dressage Saddle “Best Seat” Award at the Great American/USDF Region 1 Dressage Championships and VADA Fall Competition in Lexington. Harding beat out riders from more than ten states who were competing in the four-day championship dressage competition, which included musical freestyle and grand prix classes.
Harding’s unanimous choice for the Trilogy “Best Seat” award is not a surprise as Harding and Come On III have established themselves as a top-level Grand Prix team. Come On III won the Grand Prix B and the Intermediaire II class at the Region 1 show.
“It was wonderful to award Shawna with the Trilogy ‘Best Seat’ Award as she is a beautiful rider. When choosing our recipient for the award, we look for a rider that fits three criteria: effective secure seat; well-fitting saddle that enhances performance for horse and rider; and overall performance on the horse,” president of Trilogy Saddles Debbie Witty said, adding that the award is an opportunity to recognize riders and the importance of well-fitting equipment.

Trilogy Dressage Saddles are built in England by some of the most experienced craftsmen in the world. They feature a British tree made of laminated Beechwood, and a specially tanned hide from England that offers the rider an elastic broken-in feel. For more information on Trilogy Saddles or their sponsored riders, visit their website at www.trilogysaddles.com.

Trilogy Dressage Saddle ambassadors Scott (left) and Susanne Hassler (right) present Shawna Harding with the Trilogy Dressage Saddle “Best Seat” award at the Great American/USDF Region 1 Dressage Championships and VADA Fall Competition. Harding won the “Best Seat” award riding her dressage partner Come On III. Photo courtesy of Trilogy Dressage Saddles

Clinic Kyra in Wellington

Finnish ace Kyra Kyrklund will present a Dressage Master Symposium in Wellington on January 29 and 30 in the Jim Brandon Equestrian Centre. Find all details at www.WellingtonClassicDressage.com  

Enjoy watching Sydney videos

At the recent Horseland Australian Dressage Championships a series of videos include some competitions, interviews with riders and sponsors and the top four freestyles of the Bates Grand Prix Freestyle on Saturday evening.

Find these videos on the web site www.dressagensw.com.au