By Claartje van Andel
Photography: FEI/Christoph Taniere
In 2020, for the first time in KWPN history, not one but two horses were selected for the prestigious KWPN ‘Horse of the Year’ title – dressage representative Glamourdale, and for showjumping, Dana Blue.
Glamourdale (Lord Leatherdale - Thuja stb pref x Negro, breeder Joop Rodenburg from Ouderkerk aan den IJssel), is owned by Gert Jan van Olst and won the dressage title having excelled this year under the saddle of Charlotte ‘Lotty’ Fry, Glamourdale received 2,000 votes – the most of all six nominated stallions.
Dana Blue (Mr. Blue - Tulana prest x Hemmingway, breeder Jan Bocken from Weert) competes under the saddle of the Netherlands’ own Maikel van der Vleuten and received by far the most votes for a showjumper.
Members and non-members of KWPN are able to vote for the best showjumper or dressage horse for 2021 during the month of December. The choices in showjumping are:
• Alamo/stud name Dorian (Ukato x Equador x Boreas, breeder D. Nanning Dalfsen). The 13-year-old Alamo was the winner of the 2019 World Cup Final with Steve Guerdat (SUI). Since April of this year she has been in the hands of Spain’s Sergio Alvarez Moya, winning the three-star Grand Prix in Gorla Minore, and the five-star GCT Grand Prix in Berlin. Daan Nanning has bred several good showjumpers out of this same dam, Mariona.
• Explosion W (Chacco Blue x Baloubet du Rouet, breeder W. Wijnen. Berlicum). Who can deny the amazing success story of Ben Maher and the 12-year-old Explosion W, resulting in individual Olympic gold in Tokyo 2020? The pair have celebrated an extremely successful season, including the five-star Windsor Grand Prix, the Rolex GCT Grand Prix in Valkenswaard, as we as GCT tour wins in Samorin and Madrid.
• Leone Jei/stud name Hay El Desta Ali (Baltic VDL x Corland x Peter Pan, breeder G.M. van Mersbergen, Udenhout). This nine-year-old gelding is being successfully shown by another Swiss, Martin Fuchs. The pair won individual silver at the European championships in Riesenbeck, double clear in the five-star FEI Nations Cup in St. Gallen, and in the top three at the Masters of Chantilly and the Longines Grand Prix in La Baule.
Dressage choices
• Gio (Apache x Tango x Fair Play, breeder H.J. de Jong and Ad Valk). From only 12 international Grand Prix tests that the 10-year-old gelding has entered, to date, he has won five, with Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin in the saddle. Among his best results are individual Freestyle bronze and team bronze in Tokyo 2020.
• Hermès (Easy Game x Flemmingh, breeder G. Gijsbers, Loosbroek). A high-profile and well-known story as, due to an administration error, the nine-year-old stallion was not allowed to compete in the Tokyo Olympic Games with his rider Dinja van Liere. However, Hermès did win the five-star Grand Prix in Aachen, as well as finishing second in the Freestyle. A horse to keep in your headlights.
• Kjento (Negro x Jazz, breeder A.J. van Os Sprang-Capelle).
Only six years old, this beautiful black stallion, shown by Charlotte Fry, won gold in his generation at the FEI-WBFSH World Breeding Championship for Young Horses, receiving the ultimate 10.00 no fewer than four times.
Go to the KWPN website to vote, but think first, because only one vote per person will be possible.[/s2If]
