Dia and Tatiana to launch in Qatar in 2021
On Wednesday, 24. Feb., Dia received her head number for the CDI5* 2021 in Doha. It was the world-famous 007. The next few days will show what this means for a horse. Hopefully a "license to score".
The big arena is really big. This is where the jumping competitions take place.
Doha is an impressive event. The prize money is huge, so are the costs. The participants will be relieved enormously by the organizer. The venue is gigantic. Three first-class arenas. A jumping arena, which is covered on the sides by the elegantly curved steel roof, but leaves the riding area itself open at the top. Next to it is an airy arena under the roof vault with open sides and on the opposite side a closed arena for the dressage competitions. Everything is large in size. Riding grounds, utility buildings, stable tents and personnel support. Architecturally, the complex unfolds its own charm. The large elegantly curved roof is reminiscent of a wave or rather a slight swell on the nearby sea. The outdoor facilities are tastefully laid out with generously structured stone walls in the colours of the desert and lots of greenery. Next to it small trees with spherical crowns over meticulously maintained grassy areas. Even stone deserts were attractively inserted into the ensemble.
The ears pointed forward. It's our turn at the Vetscheck.
Diavolessa finds it all very exciting. The flight, the arrival, the new climate and the endless sports facilities must be looked at carefully. The eyes search everything, the pointed ears touch like a radar the surroundings in front and back. The competition hall was particularly fond of her. Incredible dimensions and a blue-violet lighting design impress the mare immensely. After all, even a training there could have a somewhat reassuring effect.
"Where the best come together". The motto of the competition shows the high demands of the organizer and the list of participants of the dressage competition then also meets the high expectations. From Germany three riders of the national team, Helen Langehanenberg, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Dorothee Schneider, from Sweden Patrick Kittel, who won the Freestyle competition last year, then the so successful Finn Henri Ruoste, Nicolas Wagner from Luxembourg, Maria Caetano, Morgan Barbacon and .... The names promise a great show on the two days of competition on Friday and Saturday. We want to experience as much as possible from the Grand Prix, the Special and the Freestyle and are very much looking forward to it.
A nice surprise, the head number
The journey to this high-profile tournament was inherently complex, but was made even more complicated by the Corona measures. Diavolessa flew from Liege to Doha. She already knew the airfield and the cargo area for horses. From here she had already flown to Tryon. Delivery and loading into the aircraft boxes were no problem. Only the care became more difficult. No known accompaniment could be undertaken in the plane. So the owner flew from Brussels to Doha to receive Dia. Tatiana oversaw the flight and flew behind with another plane.
Tensing for the Grand Prix.
The participation in Doha came about through a rather crazy idea. In recent years, Doha has been an issue, but never seriously reconsidered. Now we had been watching the tournament calendar for months, the tournaments were cancelled again and again, new dates were considered, which were then cancelled again. The last few months have been a single succession of tournament cancellations. And this in a season that was supposed to be used to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics. As in the last three years, we decided to have our first participation in a tournament in the new year in Lier, Belgium. When Lier was also cancelled and the possibility came from Moscow as to whether we wanted to start in Doha, it was no longer possible to say no. And behold, the Doha message was accepted by the organizer. So off to Doha.
