Klaus Balkenhol Guest Speaker at UK Convention.
Published on 4 June 2010The Albion National Convention will be held on the 27-28 November at Hartpury College, Gloucestershire, UK and we are delighted to announce that Klaus Balkenhol will be the guest speaker at this year’s convention.
Balkenhol, one of Germany’s most eminent riders and a consummate horseman, has been instrumental in the recent training and success of Laura Bechtolesheimer. Laura, who was part of GB’s silver medal-winning team, as well as taking home an individual bronze medal at last year’s Europeans, cites him as playing a huge role in her soaring success with Mistral Hojris.
Combining his competitive dressage career with his role within the Düsseldorf Mounted Police, the senior police officer was a regular member of the German dressage team throughout the 1990s. Partnered by Goldstern, he contributed to many of their championship successes. His career highlights include team gold and individual bronze at the Barcelona Olympics, team gold at the 1993 and 1995 European Championships, team gold and individual freestyle gold at the 1994 World Equestrian Games and team gold at the Atlanta Olympic Games.
Klaus Balkenhol, who is an advocate of the classical art of riding, has always aimed at the refinement and consolidation of a horse’s natural gifts. With calmness, patience and consistency, he taught his horses to meet the requirements of advanced dressage tests. Apart from Goldstern, 10 other horses, among them Sylvester, Rhodomo, Acapulco, Escorial, Gracioso and Aponti have matured into successful grand prix horses.
The convention will look at a range of combinations at different levels of training, from young horses to grand prix, with Balkenhol demonstrating his philosophy of enhancing the natural talents of a horse for the classical dressage training.
(Source: BD)
