E-Mail This Page

December 23, 2007

Coby van Baalen and Angela Krooswijk can conclude the year without a stigma. On 20 December 2007 the KNHS Disciplinary Committee gave judgment in the case which was instituted by the KNHS-prosecutor regarding the lunging of the pony Power and Paint during the European Championship Dressage Pony’s, held in Freudenberg, Germany from 18 until 22 July 2007. The Disciplinary Committee completely cleared Coby van Baalen and Angela of all counts the prosecutor had indicted them of. The prosecutor Mrs. Aukje Kroondijk LLM has not appealed against the judgment, by which the case is closed. The sentence is irrevocable.

Coby van Baalen and Angela Krooswijk were accused of lunging Power and Paint with a coupled reign that had been tightened too short. The Disciplinary Committee however has decided that Coby and Angela should be fully acquitted of all counts of indictment.
The Disciplinary Committee, consisting of chairman J.J. Veldhuis LLM, mrs. A.J.J.W. Coppelmans LLM and the Dutch former team chef for eventing Teun J. Platenkamp, has operated very stringently. The Disciplinary Committee concludes that the welfare of the pony has not suffered in any respect and that Coby and Angela are not to be blamed.

Coby van Baalen and Angela Krooswijk were legally attended by respectively Bram de Feijter LLM and mrs. Gea Stibbe LLM. They are exceptionally pleased that no blame whatsoever can be cast onto their clients. Gea Stibbe, on behalf of them both: “We are happy with the extraordinarily profound procedure of the Disciplinary Committee, that has truly judged this case on its contents.”

A first reaction from Coby van Baalen and Angela Krooswijk: “We are dedicated with our hearts to our horses and the horse sport. It hurts that some felt the need to doubt that. But in the end, what we have been left with due to this case, is predominantly the fantastic feeling that so many from the equestrian world have united with us and have stood behind us. For that we wish to thank all those very wholeheartedly!”

The Disciplinary Committee itself determined that all its elaborate judgments, including the investigation with the many hearings of experts and witnesses should be published in full on the website of the Dutch Equestrian Federation KNHS www.knhs.nl. This has already been effected. Evidently, the Disciplinary Committee has not cut themselves short of publicising in full length all facets of the case. As far as known, it has not ever before in the history of the Disciplinary Committee occurred that sentences have been published so profoundly.

(This press release has been sent to you on behalf of Dressuurstal Van Baalen, www.dressuurstalvanbaalen.nl;  info@dressuurstalvanbaalen.nl, Brakel/Prinsenbeek December 22 2007)