Jan Ebeling & Rassolini Post 1st Victory in Winning Del Mar World Cup Freestyle
10 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Jan Ebeling & Rassolini Post 1st Victory in Winning Del Mar World Cup Freestyle
DEL MAR, California, April 25, 2015–Jan Ebeling and FRH Rassolini posted their first victory when the pair won the Del Mar National World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle Saturday night and plans to head to Europe to train and compete over the summer.
Jan of Moorpark, California and the 12-year-old Hanoverian stallion were awarded 71.500 per cent for the win over Kimberly McGrath of Redlands, California on Winslow second on 69.550 per cent and Michelle Reilly of Encinitas, California on Umeeko third on 68.625 per cent.
The Freestyle was the first North American League qualifier for the World Cup Final in Gothenburg in 2016.
Rassolini is a successor to Rafalca, the mare that Jan rode on the United States team at the Olympics in London in 2012 in the heat of the American presidential election campaign in which the Republican candidate was Mitt Romney whose wife Ann was an owner along with Beth Meyer and Amy Ebeling, known as the “Three Amigos.” Coverage of Jan and Rafalca put dressage on television from prime time newscasts to late night comedy shows as well as extensive reports in mainstream newspapers and magazines around the world.
Rafalca, now 18 years old, is living in semi-retirement at the Ebelings Southern California equestrian center.
Rassolini (Rubioso N x Silvano) was the 2010 champion of Germany’s most prestigious small tour championship, Nürnberger Burg Pokal, and had been started at Grand Prix when bought by a syndicate of 10 Americans put together by the Three Amigos.
“He’s a very smart horse, very giving,” the German-born Jan told dressage-news.com. “He’s fairly easy to train.”
Jan plans to take Rassolini back to Germany to work with Hans-Heinrich Meyer zu Strohen, the German Junior and Young Rider coach, whose wife Kathrin competed the stallion until bought as a potential team championship mount for the United States.
Rssolini made his international Grand Prix debut with Jan just over a year ago and since then has logged seven top five finishes in 12 starts, all in California.
In developing Rassolini, Jan said, “most important thing was not to fall into thinking that Rafalca is retired and we have to come up quickly with a replacement. We are taking our time and we will have a super star.”
Breitan, a Breitling Hanoverian bought as a youngster by the Three Amigos and now 10 years old, will go with Jan to Germany.
Described as a “late bloomer,” Jan has competed Breitan up to Intermediate 2 in national classes and believes he is an exciting prospect.
“I’m very lucky to have two horses that are top notch international caliber,” he said.
“Knowing that we have two horses coming up helps to take off a lot of pressure… thinking, ‘Oh, my gosh where is the next Grand Prix horse’.”
At 56 years old, Jan said, “If I look at all aspects of my life, I could not be happier–a Grand Prix horse that is going to be fantastic and horses coming up to international levels. So I’m set up with horses.”
Their son, Ben, is a devoted and successful jumper rider.
“It’s couldn’t be better. We do what we love and the whole family is into it.
“I’m living the American dream which is an amazing dream. I consider myself very, very lucky. I worked very hard to get here but I have been lucky.”
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