Our Canadian squad leaves on Wednesday afternoon for the CDI in Lingen, Germany.  I am thrilled to have 7 Canadian horses starting there with all but one (Ashley Holzer is riding the Cordia’s lovely gelding, Sonnenstern, in the small tour) in the Grands Prix.  Friday will be the Grand Prix for the Freestyle and we will have Ashley with Pop Art,  Shannon with Ayscha, and Belinda with Anton doing this tour.  The other two riders from our squad will compete in the Grand Prix on Saturday afternoon to go to the Special which is Sunday morning while the Freestyle will take place Saturday evening.  Cheryl Meisner will be joining us to compete in Lingen but I am not sure which tour she will be riding at this time.  I am very grateful to the organizers as well as the sponsors of the Lingen show for allowing our entire group to compete at this lovely show where, in 2004, I had the great luck of winning the Grand Prix and tying for 1st place  riding Jane Clark’s fabulous horse,  Kennedy.  Now it is my great hope to see the Canadian flag raised and hear their anthem played repeatedly. I would love that!

Cheers!

RD

It has been very interesting to me to see how different issues are treated  by the media in Europe versus North America.  This goes for the news about world events as well as editorial coverage of Equestrian Sport. 

First, with regard to the news around the world, when one is in Europe one watches and hears reports which factually describe current affairs and events without editorial messages which lean either to the left or the right.  On the other hand, at least in America, it seems that one cannot watch any news channel which is not commonly thought of as being either “liberal” or “conservative”.  Fox, with its ultra-right-wing, Republican rhetoric is nowhere to be seen here in Europe, though CNN is present everywhere, giving non-biased reporting I find very fair and complete.  At home in the U.S., CNN is considered, like just about every other major network, to be left-wing  and liberal.

And what about Equestrian news magazines here in Europe?  I think a lot of it is excellent and provides great reporting on competitions and our current affairs.  This is the same as back in North America where encouraging, positive reporting seems more commonplace than negative editorialized articles written by people who have never ridden down a center-line at all or around a jumper course, no less competed internationally.  I must admit that I have, more than once, felt relieved that I chose to retire from competition when I did, because many of my friends who I have known for years and have absolute faith in their love and excellent treatment of their equine partners, have been attacked in the press in a way which repulses me.  One prominent editor of a European magazine recently wrote an editorial about “the Stewarding Problems” and while some of his remarks may have confused me due to his poor use of the English language, much of what he wrote was about as close to slander as it gets, and that seems both unnecessary and hurtful.  As I read the article, my thought was, “What does this person really want?”  He warns that Dressage sport is at the abyss, but provides no solution for bringing it back to good health.  And if the sport is so unhealthy then why are the scores of  the top combinations reaching world records. In 1984, the individual bronze medal was one with a 66%.  Think of where that score would place its rider today.  And yet back then, I do not remember the press reporting that we were at the abyss with our sport close to destruction.  What I do remember is how few horses could actually complete all the movements in the Grand Prix.

Now don’t get me wrong. I don’t completely disagree with those who write that their are problems with Dressage sport. I have written my feelings recently about the new Sterwarding rules and I feel they absolutely must be amended as soon as possible to clarify their intent and allow stewards to do the jobs they are trained to do, as well as to create regulations which are appropriate for all FEI disciplines across the board. For if we are talking here about the welfare of the horse as we are told we are, then it stands to reason that any rules applying to Dressage horses must also apply to Jumping and Event horses.

 But I also believe that one must raise into question the motivation behind attacking in the press, riders and trainers who have devoted their lives to their horses and the sport.  I truly believe that only a tiny fraction of international riders and trainers around the world abuse their horses in the warm-up areas or at home.  And tell me this: What do you think horses which are used to teach hundreds of thousands of beginner riders on feel in their mouths and on their backs?  I am constantly stunned that Dressage sport, to me by far the least stressful, both physically and emotionally, on the horse is the one most under fire.  And what makes it even worse, the greatest criticism of our sport is not coming from without, but unfortunately from within.  Let’s all of us who love horses and Dressage sport do our best to change this trend. OK?

Cheers!

RD

I was very happy when I arrived at Jewel Court this morning to see two more lovely faces sticking out over their stall doors than usual.  Ashley Holzer’s fantastic Pop Art as well as her amazing small tour horse, Sonnenstern,  looked both healthy and relaxed as they were taking in the Belgian scenery.  Ashley will arrive tomorrow to begin, along with the others, to prepare for Lingen which we will leave for on Wednesday afternoon.

We had a great day of training and I love the fact that each of the riders and horses are showing improvement since our return from Wiesbaden.  I have to tell you, I remember so many times coming to Europe having won National Championships and many other classes with my horses at home, only to find that my standard was not up to that of my new competitors on this side of the pond.  I actually learned so much from watching the arena at the shows and seeing how I needed to present my horse in order to bring higher points.  This is exactly what our Canadian riders are doing now and I can already see a huge difference. 

I told each of them, for each felt they were not up to par, that what they deem failure is actually exactly what we all need to learn how to truly succeed and triumph in the end.  And I am fully confident that each of our combinations has the ability to produce excellence in the biggest arenas.  So we will go to Lingen with a full compliment of Canadian riders and horses - 7 in total!  I can’t wait to see the progress.

Cheers!

RD

1 Which Scandinavian country awards the Nobel Peace prize?

2 What’s the northernmost Scandinavian country?

3 Which Scandinavian country’s longest and deepest fjord is the Sognafjorden?

4 What Scandinavian country’s flag flies over Spitsbergen?

5 What is Norways Jostedalsbreen Northern Europe’s largest example of?

6 Which European country produces more Hydroelectricity per capita than any other in the world?

I hope all you smart people enjoy this Twister.
Love Robert’s Mom

It was back to work today at our gorgeous base, Jewel Court Stud, owned by the Cordia family and managed by Ms. Wiebke Bank and a great staff.  I can’t tell you what a pleasure it has been to be at this lovely farm and how unbelievably welcome and well taken care of we have been during our stay here.  I have been to some amazing places over my many years of coming to Europe, but nowhere has been more wonderful than here in Belgium.  But, since they say pictures are worth a thousand words (and since I’m sort of tired from driving back from Prague and then training the Canadian riders and horses all afternoon before heading to the gym myself), I will leave you to look at a few of the photo’s I took on my phone the other day. 

So how’s that for a beautiful place, eh?

Cheers!

RD

Well, even after our very long walking tour yesterday, Robert and I went for some authentic local food for dinner at a “Noodle Place” and then found a really fun Karaoke Bar named aptly, “Friends”.  We had so much fun from the minute we arrived, listening to some quite good ones as well as some other singers who could make stray dogs howl, but all were having a blast.  What makes the Prague night-life scene so fun is the fact that you can here no less than 5 languages being spoken within  a few meters from where you are standing. 

Today, Robert, who is absolutely amazing with directions, took us all over town again on foot looking for Furniture Stores and we ended up finding a sectional for our Miami condo that is gorgeous.  Naturally, it is imported from Italy and ridiculously expensive.  Isn’t it always the way?

Tonight we will be having a late dinner and going back out on the town for our last evening before we have to drive back tomorrow to the Frankfurt Airport, from which Robert flies back to Miami on Friday morning.  I will be back to work Friday as well in Brasschaat and looking forward to working with my group again + Ashley and Poppy as well as her Prix St. George horse.  Our next show is June 2nd - 4th in Lingen.  I can’t wait!

Cheers!

RD

Robert and I arrived into Prague in the middle of a bad rain storm last night after driving 4 1/2 hours from Wiesbaden.  Our hotel is lovely but the man at the front desk told us the weather would stay rainy for all 3 days of our vacation here.  However, just has been the case since I arrived in Europe, it seems beautiful weather has been following me wherever I go because today was absolutely glorious with hardly a cloud in the sky.  We hired a guide and did a 5 hour walking tour through Old, New, and Lesser Towns, the 3 parts of the city which at one time each had their own separate local governments and officials. 

Prague is just gorgeous and I would highly recommend a trip here to anyone wanting to see what was once the true hub of Europe.  It is very cosmopolitan, giving one a feeling of a true mix between ancient and modern.  Today was all about the sights while tomorrow will be spent on a river tour as well as a tour of the night life of which Prague, we hear, boasts an extremely healthy one.  It should be a lot of fun and I will report on everything tomorrow.

Cheers!

RD

Robert and I have arrived after a 4 1/2 hour drive in Prague for our very first visit here. During the journey, I had a long time to think about our first Canadian outing in Wiesbaden and I must say again how proud I was of our riders and horses. What is very clear is that there is no show in North America for Dressage with an environment such as Wiesbaden’s and this will absolutely be an extremely maturing experience for our athletes, both 2 and 4 legged! Even our grandest and biggest competitions, including what will be the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, does not produce the electricity that this show did. In all honesty, I seriously doubt I could have survived it with Kennedy, if for no other reason than the music and constant cheering from the neighbouring jumping arena which would have has us both surely in the next village, or me left somewhere hanging from a nearby tree limb. Even the winner from yesterday entered the oval around the main arena and immediately stood straight up on his hind legs. This, followed by more than just a few problems in the ride cost him dearly, only allowing for his 71%. Naturally, once again after seeing Belinda and Anton do an enormously harmonious test with just the slightest pause into her last Piaffe and otherwise flawless ride, I could only wonder as I compared her test to all those who came after her. Luckily, today I was able to stand and watch the last 8 or so rides. I must say that Isabel rode and excellent Special and earned every point of her winning 74.5%. I cannot comment on rides which occurred before Belinda went as I was always at the warm-up, but from those who rode after her, I would say that while most showed some very nice things, in total I found none to be better than Belinda’s, relative to their scores.

All in all I am very happy we attended Wiesbaden as a building block for Canada’s future. Our next show is in 2 weeks in Lingen, another wonderful venue where I had the great fortune to ride and win on Kennedy in 2004. With Ashley Holzer joining our squad as well as Cheryl Meisner having entered privately, Canada will have 6 combinations in the Grand Prix. And both Evi Strasser and Christilot Boylen are entered in other European shows as well, while still more Canadians are showing and trying out for Kentucky at home in North America.

I say, “Keep on going, Team Canada! Work hard and keep our eye on the prize.”

Cheers!

RD

I guess one of the perks with having my own website is that it allows me to share my opinions with my friends and readers around the world.  That being said, holding the position as Coach/ Technical Advisor for any country must make one take pause to reflect upon one’s words before putting them into print, not so much because of fearing for my own reputation, but rather that I would never want anything I said or did to reflect upon the wonderful athletes, both 2 and 4 legged, that I represent.  So, with all of that in mind I will give my thoughts and opinions for your consideration on what I did see and experience today in Wiesbaden.

First, let me say that Mr. Kettner, the show’s organizer, and his group puts on an absolutely gorgeous show and he does so with the look of ease from his relaxed smile and laugh that makes it seem as if it is not work at all for them, though one knows it is a major undertaking.  It certainly has also helped that the weather here has been fantastic since the day after we arrived.  You can’t find a more charming city full of friendly people and  wonderful architecture.

And now to today’s Grand Prix.  Belinda Trussell and Anton drew the first ride of the day, something no rider is fond of.  My words to her were, “You have continually been fabulous, show after show.  All you need to do is lay down the exact same ride as you’ve been doing and I guarantee you will be scored just like you have been in North America”.  Well, half of what I said ended up coming true.  Belinda and Anton rode an absolutely beautiful test!  I was so proud as she went through her ride with wonderful expression and amazing piaffe-passage and transitions, not to mention lovely changes and gorgeous pirouttes.  Needless to say, I was disappointed when Belinda’s score came back  a 67.66%.  I was so sure it would be at least a 70%, but then had to clear my mind and run back to the warm-up after telling Belinda how amazingly proud I was, so that I could prepare Bonny Bonnello and Pikardi, our next to go. 

Bonny did a very nice job as well - not quite as clean as Belinda’s but with many highlights and ending with a 66.38%.  Bonny is also a fantastic rider and I have great faith in her ability to make great progress.  The same goes for Shannon Dueck riding Ayscha, only nine years old and just starting her Grand Prix career.  This pair showed some fantastic movements and huge potential, scoring right behind Bonny with a 66.21%.  I have to say also that Wendy Christoff and Pfallstaff, our combination doing its very first ever European competition, made me equally proud.  In the warm-up, with literally hundreds of people right up against the arena, Pfallstaff became quite nervous.  Naturally, this was quite disconcerting to Wendy, but she listened to me and her trainer, Leslie Reid, and despite her feeling anxious by his behavior, did as she should and trusted that he would go down the centre-line and not let her down.  Pfallstaff did not disappoint and truly made no real errors, ending with a 64.08%.                                                                        

Many 100's of people at the warm-up arena.

Two things I would like to mention.  I have been part of the Dressage sport for 40 years now ( not easy for a 39 year old) and held many, many posts - rider, trainer, coach, volunteer, member of the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Athletes Advisory Committee, member of the FEI Dressage Task Force, to name a few - and I love both horses and the sport and am actually defensive for both against anyone who would try to cast aspersions toward them.  But part of that is also feeling, at my age, that I have the right to say “foul” if I believe something is not right.  As I kept working and preparing my riders throughout the day, Trainer after Trainer kept coming up to me and remarking how wonderful Anton had been and how poorly scored she was, given the quality of her ride by comparison to many others.  Now, I could not really comment on the others as I had only seen my own riders until the very end when I got to see the last 4 or 5 go after Wendy’s ride.  That’s when I began to feel more disappointed.  Listen, I am a competitor who likes to win. I’ve been lucky to have a lot of success, including on these beautiful show-grounds.  So when I see scores for rides which in my heart of hearts do not stand up to one or more of my riders’, I begin with disappointment which slowly bubbles over into anger and then I take in a deep breath and calm back down, knowing that all my group has to do is keep showing they are great and they will finally be rewarded. I guess I need to work on my patience, eh?

Of course, my patience was tested in other ways beside my riders’ scores today.  When Wendy’s horse was nervous in the warm-up, he became sweaty and a bit tight. Here is a lovely lady who carries no whip, wears dull spurs, and totally loves her horse which, in its very first major show, became just nervous enough to, in the heat of the afternoon, become sweaty.  I, of course, was working to get his edge off so the pair would begin to relax and breath normally. I knew Pfallstaff would go to the main ring and do his best to please his mother.  But suddenly up comes first one ring steward and then another.  And here’s the thing.  Both said they were ery sorry and apologized profusely for having to interrupt my training to see if there was any way that I could get the horse to dry off and not show the tension in his neck, since now the rules say that more than 10 minutes in a fixed frame is not allowed.  I was shocked. here is this horse which is absolutely in no pain and is not being pulled downward into any frame. He was nervous and, dispite her quietness and efforts to calm him down by walking, I knew Pfallstaff was just going to have to keep moving to finally take in a deep breath, breath out, and relax. In the end, I had Wendy go out of the arena with her groom to have his wraps pulled off and be toweled off.  I would have done just that in any case as he was soon to be called to the main ring.  But these new rules are now putting the Ring Stewards into an impossible situation where they actually are being driven to act not by what they know to be true from years of training and experience, but rather by their concern of being attacked by members of the press or even the spectators.  Look, I am sorry but we who have lived in the trenches for decades of Olympics and countless numbers of Grand Prix competitions and who love our horses and our sport should have greater influence over the rules governing their welfare then the press or the audience. We need to stop running scared and take back the reins of our sport and defend ourselves and our horses with honour, integrity, and fearlessness!

On to the Grand Prix Special tomorrow with Shannon, Bonny and Belinda riding.  I know they will do Canada proud again and am looking forward to it!

Cheers!

RD

This morning the Canadian riders had their final warm-ups before their Grand Prix which starts tomorrow and goes to the Special scheduled for Monday morning.  They were all terrific again today, each giving their horse exactly what they need to feel confident for tomorrow. Belinda went through most of the Grand Prix from beginning to end as she has done at each show. This works well for Anton and he was both relaxed and brilliant in his work, showing 10″s for both pirouettes!  Wendy rode Pfalstaff next and she only worked to put him through and get good feelings, leaving him with his energy intact for tomorrow. He is a very sure horse and she knows she can trust him to not want to make mistakes.  Bonny was equally great today and showed true international expression, once again working though most of the test as well as warming up in the lower arena and then bringing Pikardi up to the main arena as if it were the first day of the show. He looked great!  Finally, Ayscha and Shannon also looked brilliant as this amazing mare showed both power and elasticity in her work.  Though arguably the greenest horse in our group, Shannon’s experience guides her through the work and as long she stays through, you cannot get more gorgeous than Ayscha going around the arena.

Tonight is the big party in the castle which is always fun for everyone and we are looking forward to it, but even more to getting on with the show!

Cheers!

RD