Riders & horses: Emmelie Scholtens – Westpoint, Imke Schellekens-Bartels - Voice, Hans Peter Minderhout, Vivaldi, Edward Gal- United
Riders & horses: Theo Hanzon – Spargo, Laurens van Lieren – Ollright, Lotje Schoots – Reine, Diederik van Silfhout – Rhodium, Emma Hindle – Lancet, Wynton, Gerdine Maree - Ziësto
- Core strengthening by Hilary Clayton
- Olympic Judging, how to solve problems? by Hans van Zetten
- New developments in mental training by Rico Schuijers
- How to become an Olympic Judge, by Mariette Withages and Dieter Schüle
assisted by Laura Bechtolsheimer and Emma Hindle
Grand Prix horse Franziskus ( Westfalian gelding, Fidermark I x Potsdam)
The Cadre Noir de Saumur is represented at the Global Dressage Forum by the teaching staff of the French National Riding School. The Cadre Noir of Saumur teaches the classical art of the haute école as it emerged in the 16th century in Italy before influencing the principles of European horsemanship. But the school at Saumur, which keeps alive the rules that have defined equestrian art since Antiquity (with the highly valued treatise of Xenophon), is also in a pure military tradition. Today it still passes on the precepts inherited from the greatest names of cavalry, such as General L'Hotte, Saumur's most famous riding instructor, author of the famous precept on which modern horsemanship is based: "Calm, forward, straight and light".
German Olympic team rider Hubertus Schmidt is one of the most prolific dressage trainers in the world, having trained over thirty horses to Grand Prix level. In Germany he is running a training stable and a breeding farm.
Highlights of his career: Golden team medal, individual 5th place Olympic Games 2004, Golden team medal World Equestrian Games 2006, Golden team medal and Silver medal individual European Championship 2005, German champion in 2005 and 2007.
His clinic in 2006 at the Global Dressage Form was highly appreciated by the audience.
During the Global Dressage Forum, the President of the FEI Dressage Committee Mariette Withages (BEL) will lead the explanation of the Olympic Games in Hong Kong. Several tests of top ten riders will be used. From each rider a few exercises will be selected. Together with colleague judges Withages will lead the discussion. The goal of this evaluation is to make the judges' score more transparent. The times that judges and riders did not discuss how exercises should be performed, are over. The trend to explain the judges' views in public, which was one of the goals of the Global Dressage Forum since the start in 2001, has contributed positively to this transparency.
The success story of 'Dutch dressage' is well known in the international dressage community. The popularity of dressage is still increasing year by year. There are tenth of thousands of dressage riders in Holland, the top riders have won international medals on all levels and the top events like Den Bosch, Amsterdam and Rotterdam are expanding year by year. The FEI World Cup Dressage was started by organisers from the Netherlands. Multiple champion Anky van Grunsven is the star of international dressage. The famous Rabo Talent program is innovative and unique in the world. Is this a coincidence? Or is deliberate planning, marketing and innovation behind this success? What is the secret behind Dutch dressage? And what is the Dutch answer on the criticism about the use of 'hyperflexion' in the training of some Dutch riders? The Equestrian federation will present answers to these questions in a practical presentation by Dutch riders, trainers, judges and breeders.
NEW this year are the working groups. Participants can make their own choice.
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RICO SCHUIJERS
New developments in mental training
The topic of this presentation will be the difference between training and competition. Dr. Rico Schuijers will talk about coping with stress, motivation, concentration and self-confidence. Some practical, ready-to-use skills will be provided to become aware of thoughts and feelings during training and competitions. The influence of the mental state of the equestrian athlete on the state of the horse will be discussed. Dr. Schuijers will introduce his new DVD with mental skills for equestrians.
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HILARY M. CLAYTON
Activate your horse’s core
The core muscles include muscles of the horse’s neck, back and abdomen that are used to round and bend the neck and back and to stabilize the pelvis during turning movements. This talk will describe a series of exercises performed from the ground to activate and strengthen the horse’s core muscles. The exercises are useful in young horses as a preparation for ridden exercise, in older horses for improving collection and balance, and in injured horses that are undergoing rehabilitation. This talk will show how the core strengthening exercises are performed and will describe the benefits of each exercise.
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ANDREW THOMAS
Stabilty for dressage riders
"The term core stability has become a bit of a “buzz” word used by physiotherapists and fitness specialists to describe a type of exercise that helps to increase the strength and control around the spine and pelvis. Unfortunately because the term is used so frequently it has become difficult to isolate which exercises would be useful for a rider to do and exactly how it will help.
Riding in its simplest form is about control. The ability to deliver appropriate aids at a specified time without interfering with the horses movement. Sounds simple however because most riders have imbalances and weakness performing certain movements on the horse produces unwanted movements of a rider because they lack stability and control. Examples of this are seen when riders collapse on one rein but not the other or rotate their pelvis shift the body weight fix with one arm but not the other."
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Hans van Zetten
Olympic Judging: how to solve problems?
After a short introduction Hans van Zetten will ask the participants their evaluation of judging problems in dressage. After a common analysis he gives the participants information about solutions in other artistic sports.
Hans van Zetten (60) is a former coach of the Dutch National Gymnastics Ladies Team and teacher of judge courses in the Royal Netherlands Gymnastics Federation. In 1986 he did start to work as a freelance television commentator for Dutch Television (NOS) in gymnastics, since 1996 in figure skating too. Up till now he worked as commentator in three Olympic Winter Games and six Olympic Summer Games. He is involved in six artistic Olympic sport disciplines. Hans van Zetten is an national expert in Code of Points.
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For judges only
by FEI Dressage Committee chairman
Mariette Withages - Belgium and Dieter Schüle - Germany
During the breaks everyone has the possibility to talk and discuss program items at the Question Corner with speakers and other visitors.
After every clinic and lecture there will be an evaluation by a panel of experts. A mixture of judges, trainers, riders, scientists and journalists will be present in the panel. With representatives from different parties the evaluation will represent different opinions and aspects.
