Tuesday, Septeber 13, 2005

USEF/Markel Young Horse Dressage Championships Final Presents the Horses For the Future

The Five-Year-Old Class - An Exciting Future for American DressageDonegal Forced to Withdraw After Minor Injury

The morning began with a moment of silence for the victims of September 11, and the recent devastation by hurricane Katrina. Over the past week as a result of a huge effort synchronized by the USEF over $40,000 has been raised and sent to aid in the rescue and recovery of the many horses and animals suffering in the Gulf Region.

Sadly for Hokan Thorn and Joanne Balling’s Donegal, the large Hanoverian gelding who had done so well in the Preliminary Test on Friday, scratched due to a slight pull in the stifle after they suspected he was cast in his stall the night before. While disappointed not to be part of the final, the veterans of the World Young Horse Championships held in Verden, did what was best for their horse, and were still pleased at their second place and the positive response the judges had for the Davignport offspring on Friday.

Hokan's assistant, Cathy Giambalvo told DressageDaily “the one thing that we discovered after we scratched that Danny has quite a fan club and so many wonderful people at the horse show came up to us to tell us how sorry they were.” Monday morning a vet attended to Donegal, and everything was fine and back to normal, leaving all to wonder, "What if that had been the case, the day before."