DressageDaily: Euro Update: Wie Weltmeyer Retired, Mr G de Lully to Anders Dahl

Wednesday February 15, 2006

Euro Update: Wie Weltmeyer Retired, Mr G de Lully to Anders Dahl

Emma Hindle on Wie Weltmeyer British Olympic team rider Emma Hindle has retired her long time Grand Prix partner Wie Weltmeyer from competition in a very emotional farewell ceremony at the Stallion Show of Privately Owned Sires in Verden on February 4, 2006. The Hanoverian licensed stallion Wie Weltmeyer (by Weltmeyer x Dynamo) has been Hindle’s first international Grand Prix horse which took her to two European Dressage Championships (2003, 2005), one World Cup Final (2004) and, of course, the Olympic Games in Athens (2004). Wie Weltmeyer was one of Britain’s most solid team dressage horses ever.

Wie Weltmeyer’s retirement in Verden became a very emotional farewell ceremony for rider Emma Hindle. “I cried from the moment I went in,” Emma confessed. “He trotted round like never before and was just amazing. They had the spotlight on us all the time while we did the Grand Prix. Then I walked him and threw my arms round his neck and cried even more. The ceremony was so beautiful. His breeder was there, Thomas [Hoffmann] came in the ring, ‘Wally’ got carrots and I got flowers, and the played the video of our ride at the European Championships in Hickstead.”

Fiona Bigwood's British dressage team horse Mr G de Lully will be competed by Danish Grand Prix rider Anders Dahl this 2006 show season. Bigwood and her partner Dahl are expecting a baby and for safe keeping it Bigwood is not riding during her pregnancy.

Fiona Bigwood on Habana "We are delighted about the pregnancy, but not riding for nine months is so hard," Bigwood told Eurodressage. "I can't believe how slowly time goes by without the riding." Bigwood met her partner Anders Dahl while working with Danish trainer Hasse Hoffmann. Anders has previously been competing Bigwood's Affrika, but he has now taken on the ride over all of her horses.

Bigwood's top horse Mr G de Lully (by Gauguin de Lully), with whom Fiona made an impressive international break through at the 2005 European Dressage Championships, will be competed by Dahl this 2006 show season. Dahl's goal is to qualify for the Danish team and compete at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen.

Breeding stallions Kennedy and Laptop have moved to Sweden where they will stand at stud this 2006 breeding season. The KWPN licensed stallion Kennedy will be up for stud at Brood Farm Lindevik, The Hanoverian sire Laptop has been leased by Flyinge. Kennedy is the oldest licensed son by Ferro and has been one of the first winners of the Pavo Cup. He is the sire of the 2004 KWPN licensing champion Uptown (Kennedy x Ubis) and of the 2000 reserve licensing champion Playboy (Kennedy x Kaiserstern xx).

Birgitta Bentzer, breeding manager of Flyinge State stud, negotiated on the Celle state stud owned Laptop for Flyinge's breeding program. The 14-year old Hanoverian Laptop is by Loredo out of Candy (by Calypso II). He won his Stalion Performance Test in Adelheidsdorf in 1995. Laptop's son, Le Primeur, won the 2000 Stallion Performance Test with the outstanding overall score of 147.84.

More Euro News at www.eurodressage.com