DressageDaily: Up to Date and Jan Brons are Up to the FEI Young Horse Challenge

Tuesday, April 4, 2006

DressageDaily Young Horse Talent Scout

Up to Date and Jan Brons are Up to the FEI Young Horse Challenge

In a large field of 13 quality 5-year-olds at Dressage at Equestrian Estates, it was Pieter Ruig’s KWPN Dutch Warmblood by Flemming H, who topped the class putting in a solid test, displaying the talent, type, and quality required to represent the Untied States at the FEI Young Horse Championships in Verdun.

Speaking for the judge’s panel, Natalie Lamping itemized the score, commenting on his three good gaits, presence and type with a total of 82.60%, marking the handsome bay gelding as clearly a horse for the future. The talented pair of horse and rider is no strangers to the competition arena. As a 4-year-old, Up to Date won the Palm Beach Dressage Derby First Level Test 1, with a 72%, and his Materiale class at Dressage at Devon. With plenty of experience in the Wellington arenas as well, the young horse is pretty unflappable when it comes to the challenges of a young horse mind in a distracting atmosphere.

Owner Ruig was clearly pleased as he watched the entire class, to see if any other entries would come close to their score. When it became clear the pair came out the winner, he proudly called his wife, at their Paard Hill Farm, on Shelter Island in New York to give her the good news. “I am committed to this pair.” said Ruig. “If we qualify for the World Championships in Verdun, and Jan agrees, we’re going!”

Brons was equally as proud of the 6-year old Tornado, the KWPN by Negro X owned by Elizabeth Schaffner. Placing second in the class, the pair demonstrated three good gaits, and clearly defined changes, putting them in a good position for the East Coast Selection Trials coming up at Raleigh.

Brons, who finished second over all in the 6-year-old division at the 2005 USEF/Markel National Young Dressage Horse Championships with Joli Burrell’s Fino, plans on staying in Florida at Burrell’s facility this summer to train, before hitting the road for the summer and fall show season.