Sonntag, 28. Februar 2010

Lipizzaner with blue eyes

In fact we had a mare with two blue eyes once, we are looking for old lipizzaner with blue eyes. We already found out some studs with this sign. Does anybody have such a horse in mind too? Favory Sarda, Pluto Presciana and Favory Montenegra had at least one blue eye (we don't see both eyes on the pictures). Any else known by accident ?

edit: found this picture some time ago. i had to search it. a lipizzaner stallion painted by hamilton with blue eyes

 

Freitag, 26. Februar 2010

Montag, 22. Februar 2010

Ancient Oberbereiter




Some pictures of ancient "Oberbereiter" (Chief riders) of the 'Spanische Hofreitschule' - Spanish Ridingschool, in Vienna.

Time area: 1900-1940

Sonntag, 21. Februar 2010

Gottlieb Polak

An interesting new article about Gottlieb Polak on Wikipedia - I thought the SRS historians here might be interested!

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gottlieb_Polak

Dienstag, 16. Februar 2010

Lipizzan Longevity

We are discussing Lipizzan longevity -- how long they live and can work -- in our Lipizzaner group that we would like to post here for a more definitive answer:

On average, how long do the Lipizzans at the SRS stay working?
Do most of them work into their 20s?
On what grounds are they retired?

Thanks,
Eileen

Sonntag, 14. Februar 2010

Gribaldi Elite preferent KWPN stallion DIED 14-02-2010 sire of Moorlands Totilas

Only a few days after his official retirement and proclamation as preferent sire by the KWPN society at the 2010 KWPN Stallion Licensing on 5 February 2010, the 16-year old licensed Trakehner stallion Gribaldi passed away.

The black stallion suffered from a tear in his aorta and spent two days in the clinic fighting for his life. Unfortunately the highly decorated breeding stallion passed away on 14 February 2010.

"We just can"t believe it that this had to happen to him," said a saddened Edward Gal, who rode Gribaldi at FEI level. "You will always be in our heart. Rest in peace, sweet Gribaldi."


Gribaldi was bred by Marika Werner in Germany and was out of elite mare Gondola II. He sold as a foal to Otto Langels, who presented him at the Trakehner Stallion Licensing in 1995. The colt then sold at auction for 300,000 DM (150,000 euro) to Dutch stallion owners Joop van Uytert and Rinus de Jong. In 1996 Gribaldi was approved by the KWPN society. 

Gribaldi was proclaimed Elite Stallion by the Trakehner society in 2003 and keur stallion by the KWPN society in 2004. In 2008 he was Trakehner Stallion of the Year. Of 707 KWPN registered Gribaldi mares, at least 332 received the star predicate. He sired Grand Prix horses and Dutch A-team horses Totilas, Sisther de Jeu and Painted Black. He produced 16 licensed offsping!

His last ride  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5hst1bh8qk

Dienstag, 9. Februar 2010

Spanische Reitschule in trouble?

Did anybody see this? There seems to be trouble in Austria.


http://www.dressage.com/SRS/Default.htm

and

http://tvthek.orf.at/programs/1310-Report/episodes/1220693-Report/1224443-Spanische-Hofreitschule--Herrenreiter-gegen-Direktorin

FEI Round Table Press Release

This was posted on another site:

FEI PRESS RELEASE
Lausanne (SUI), 9 February 2010


FEI ROUND TABLE CONFERENCE RESOLVES ROLLKUR CONTROVERSY

Following constructive debate at the FEI round-table conference at the IOC Headquarters in Lausanne today (9 February), the consensus of the group was that any head and neck position achieved through aggressive force is not acceptable. The group redefined hyperflexion/Rollkur as flexion of the horse’s neck achieved through aggressive force, which is therefore unacceptable. The technique known as Low, Deep and Round (LDR), which achieves flexion without undue force, is acceptable.

The group unanimously agreed that any form of aggressive riding must be sanctioned. The FEI will establish a working group, headed by Dressage Committee Chair Frank Kemperman, to expand the current guidelines for stewards to facilitate the implementation of this policy. The group agreed that no changes are required to the current FEI Rules.

The FEI Management is currently studying a range of additional measures, including the use of closed circuit television for warm-up arenas at selected shows.

The group also emphasised that the main responsibility for the welfare of the horse rests with the rider.

The FEI President HRH Princess Haya accepted a petition of 41,000 signatories against Rollkur presented by Dr Gerd Heuschman.

The participants in the FEI round-table conference were:

HRH Princess Haya, FEI President
Alex McLin, FEI Secretary General
Margit Otto-Crépin, International Dressage Riders Club Representative
Linda Keenan, International Dressage Trainers Club Representative
Sjef Janssen, Dressage Representative
Frank Kemperman, Chairman, FEI Dressage Committee (by conference call)
François Mathy, International Jumping Riders Club Representative
David Broome, Jumping Representative
Jonathan Chapman, Eventing Representative
Roly Owers, World Horse Welfare Representative
Tony Tyler, World Horse Welfare Representative
Ulf Helgstrand, President, Danish Equestrian Federation
John McEwen, Chairman, FEI Veterinary Committee
Dr Sue Dyson, Veterinary Representative
Dr Gerd Heuschman, Veterinary Representative
Prof. René van Weeren, Veterinary Representative
Jacques van Daele, FEI Honorary Steward General Dressage
Graeme Cooke, FEI Veterinary Director
Trond Asmyr, FEI Director Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage
John Roche, FEI Director Jumping and Stewarding
Catrin Norinder, FEI Director Eventing
Carsten Couchouron, FEI Executive Director Commercial
Richard Johnson, FEI Communications Director

Montag, 8. Februar 2010

Reader?

Dearest Friends,
I am 3/4 done with the book you all have done so much to shape -- I cannot thank you enough for the invaluable advice, details, clarification, and tolerance of all of my questions! I am wondering if I could find a reader for the first 50 pages of the book, to check for any glaring errors related to Piber, Lipizzaners, the SRS, etc. I know it's quite a favor to ask, but (as you might suspect) I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to getting things right (though I take liberties with certain things ... like horses talking in complete sentences!). I am about to launch into the Anschluss, the arrival of Podhajsky, and my hero-horse hitting a bit of a wall in his training, and I'd like to know soon if there are any major changes I need to make in the first part of the book. I would love to have an expert eye on the material -- it's in English, I'm afraid!

All roads seem to be leading me to Vienna ... I'm on the jury of this year's Goethe Prize (for outstanding translation from German) and all of the novels seem to be set in the city...

Many, many thanks in advance for your consideration....
Annie Wedekind

Samstag, 6. Februar 2010

Charon takes first place with his Lipizzaners

Yes! last night in Bordeaux Chardon got his first first place with his Lipizzaners. He got a 9 seconds faster ride with a first place before wildcard rider Daniel Wurgler!! 9 seconds is very much in de driving sport!! Chardon was very pleased with the ride and said it was easy going, the horses responded correctly and gave him a great feeling. Chardon feels like he's back!

What a great news it is, isn't it? In such a sort time! I think it's a very good promotion for the Lipizzaners horses!

Klaus Balkenhol Letter to The FEI for the February 9th Meeting

(Translated)
Originally Sent Feb. 3 2010
Federation Equestre International
Avenue Rumine 37
CH – 1005 Lausanne Rosendahl
SWITZERLAND

February 3, 2010

Dear Sirs and Madames:

We submit herewith some comments concerning your upcoming roundtable discussion, scheduled for February 9th, at which you will be establishing a final plan for the handling of the topic of Rollkur/Hyperflexion.

Those of us who have signed this letter wish to point out sharply that new or amended rules with regard to the accepted classical precepts of riding, which are contained in the guidelines written down in your Handbook, are absolutely superfluous and therefore unnecessary. These precepts, which the FEI has up until now felt obliged to uphold, are already fully developed, tried and tested! They are already recognized world-wide as authoritative, and as fair to the horse. Based on centuries of experience, they offer a stable and secure foundation even for today’s riding.

No changes may be made that constitute a burden to the well-being of the horse, either physically or mentally. If you accept riding in hyperflexion as a permissible training method, you legitimize aggressive riding. We protest that in the strongest possible terms!

As horse people, we expect the FEI to maintain unaltered their regulations, which have until now been valid, resting as they do upon the classical precepts of riding – for the good of the horses and the continued good repute of international equestrian sport.

The undersigned support this statement:

Klaus Balkenhol (Olympic medalist)

(Joined by, in alphabetical order)
- Laura Bechtolsheimer (British Record Holder, 3. Europameisterschaften 2009)
- Wilfried Bechtolsheimer (Trainer)
- Ingrid Klimke (Olympic medalist)
- Ruth Klimke (Vice President of the German Riders Union)
- Beezie Madden (Olympic medalist)
- John Madden (Trainer)
- Debbie McDonald (Olympic Bronze medalist)
- Susanne Miesner (Trainer)
- George Morris (Chef d’equipe USEF show jumping team, Olympic silver medalist)
- Martin Plewa (former German national Three-Day Event trainer, Director of the Riding and Driving School of Westfalia)
- Michael Putz (Trainer and judge)
- Klaus-Martin Rath (Trainer, member of the Dressage Committee of the German Olympic
Committee)
- Matthias Alexander Rath (German Meister 2009)
- Hinrich Romeike (Olympic medalist)
- Hubertus Schmidt (Olympic medalist)
- Günter Seidel (Olympic bronze medalist)
- Christine Stückelberger (Olympiic medalist)
- Paul Stecken (Trainer)
- Hans Günter Winkler (Olympic medalist)
- Harry Boldt, Dressur. Doppel-Olympiasieger, früherer Bundestrainer Dressur, GBR
- Beatrice Büchler-Keller, Swiss, FEI O-Richter
- Nadine Capellmann, Dressur, Olympiasiegrin
- Carsten Huck, Springen, Olympia Bronze-Gewinner
- Michael Klimke, Deuscther Meister, Dressur
- Ann Kathrinne Linsenhoff, Olympiasiegerin, WElt- und Europameisterin, Mitglied im FN-Präsidium
- Michael Robert, Olympia-Gewinner Bronze, Trainer

Montag, 1. Februar 2010

Petition against the Rollkur.

There is a new email petition against Hyperflexion.

Please go to www.wu-wei-verlag.com

For those who don't speak German, please click on weiter.
The top left hand box is the anti Rollkur petition. Please click on this.
Vorname is your first name. Zuname is your surname. 
Pruefun und abschliessen  will send the petition on.

You will receive a confirmation email, just click on the link in that and your vote will be official.

Please sign the petition and pass this link to wu wei onto your equine loving friends.  The F.E.I. should be made aware of how so many of us are disgusted at this abuse of the equine.

Karen 
 - aka Basowizza.