Thursday, March 16, 2006

Jan Brink's First Clinic in America Hosted by Arredando Dressage
By Shaneen Kohler

Four-time Swedish dressage champion, the #2 dressage rider in the world, who rides the #1 horse, winner of the Aachen Championships in 2005, and Bronze medallist at the 2005 European Dressage Championships, just held his first clinic in America, which attracted at least 160 auditors.

Think it isn’t possible to have such an impressive resume at the age of 46? Think again. Sweden’s Jan Brink is the name and his star horse is the Swedish stallion Bjorsells Briar. Bjorsells Briar, 15, is by Magini out of Charis by Krocket and is bred and owned by Hans-Yngve Göransson. Brink trains Briar at his Tullstorp Dressage Stable in Sweden.

Hosted by the Arredondo Dressage Society, Brink made the flight from Hassleholm, Sweden to Gainesville, Fla. to hold a symposium at the University of Florida’s Horse Teaching Unit, March 10-12.

“This is the first time I have been in the United States for a symposium or clinic,” said Brink, who juggles a busy schedule that consists of competing in world-class competitions, running a barn with 36 horses in it, going to the Olympics and securing enough wins to be named the #2 dressage rider in the world. “I am going to do this more later on, when I am not competing so much at Olympic level and at world championships and am just running my business. But now, you have to choose, and there is no time...”