Future champions and returning stars: time to get excited for the World Breeding Championships

The 2022 Dressage World Breeding Championships for Young Horses kicks off tomorrow (8 September) in Ermelo, the Netherlands, and for anyone hoping to catch a glimpse of the future of top level dressage, this is an event worth paying attention to. Here’s why we can’t wait for the Dressage World Breeding Championships…

1, History would suggest there could be a future world champion among the contenders

In 2018, Lottie Fry rode Glamourdale to win the prestigious seven-year-old title at these championships, becoming the first British rider ever to take this title. Four years later, the pair were crowned world champions at the World Dressage Championships in Herning. They were joined on the podium by double bronze medallists Dinja van Liere and Hermes – the horse who was third in the six-year-olds at the same World Breeding Championships in 2018. If that’s not proof that this is a championship to take note of, we’re not sure what is.

2, Britain’s Lottie Fry will be aiming for back-to-back titles

It’s not just senior world titles Lottie Fry has under her belt. She rode Van Olst Horses’ Kjento to win the six-year-old championship in 2021, and this formidable pair will be back for more this year. It was announced while Lottie was in action in Herning that Kjento has been selected to bid for a back-to-back title by competing in the seven-year-old section this year. Precious few combinations have achieved double titles at these championships, with Britain’s Michael Eilberg and Woodlander Farouche among them. Can Lottie and Kjento join this elite club?

3, There are four exciting horses representing Britain

In a twist unique to the World Breeding Championships, combinations represent the country of the studbook in which a horse was registered at birth, rather than the nationality of the rider. For this reason, Lottie and Kjento, being KWPN, will represent the Netherlands. But there are four super horses set to fly the British flag in Ermelo, albeit one will be partnered by a Dutch rider. The following horses have been selected for Britain:

Six-year-olds

Bart Veeze (NED)  with the British Hanoverian stallion Denton RMD
Owner: Jan van den Heuvel
Breeder: Rosie Moreton-Deakin (GBR)
Breeding: by Glock’s Dream Boy NOP, out of D’Jadore, by Blue Hors Don Schufro

Beth Bainbridge (GBR) with the Oldenburg stallion Blue Hors Zackorado 
Owner: Blue Hors APS
Breeder: Paul Rode (GER)
Breeding: by Blue Hors Zack, out of Roxanna, by Florencio I

Seven-year-olds

Sadie Smith (GBR) with the British Hanoverian mare Swanmore Dantina
Owner: Sadie Smith
Breeder: Ben St John-James (GBR)
Breeding: by Dante Weltino OLD, out of Charatana, by Charatan W

Greg Sims (GBR) with the Oldenburg gelding Waverley Fellini
Owner: Greg Sims and Stena Hoerner
Breeder: Sara Longworth (GBR)
Breeding: by Fürstenball, out of Lady Sunshine, by Sandro Hit

4, There are plenty of top grand prix riders in action

While the start lists at these championships feature a lot of riders who specialise in young horses, there are also a fair few very familiar names to be spotted as top grand prix riders show off the horses they hope will be stars of the future. In 2022, look out for Dinja van Liere (Mauro Turfhorst, 5yo), Frederic Wandres (Fashion Prinz OLD, 5yo), Adelinde Cornelisson (Luquido, 6yo), Sabine Schut-Kery (Gorgeous Latino, 6yo), Emmelie Scholtens (Las Vegas, 6yo) and Daniel Bachmann Andersen (Zac Efron MT OLD, 7yo), among others.

5, We’ll see a British Olympic team horse in action

The schedule also includes a CDI3* grand prix, with two exciting British combinations entered: Anna Ross and Habouche, winners of three middle tour classes at the Crozet DI3* recently, and Lottie Fry, who brings forward her 2021 team horse Everdale. Lottie has competed the 13-year-old stallion relatively sparingly in 2022, having focused on her World Championships ride Glamourdale, so we will all be excited to see this medal-winning combination from the Tokyo Olympics and 2021 European Championships back in action.

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