South Korea’s Dong Seon Kim Rides Newly Acquired Bohemian in the First Competition, a National Grand Prix at Wellington
1 year ago StraightArrow Comments Off on South Korea’s Dong Seon Kim Rides Newly Acquired Bohemian in the First Competition, a National Grand Prix at Wellington
WELLINGTON, Florida, Feb. 25, 2023–South Korea’s Don Seon Kim rode his newly acquired Bohemian in the first competition for the partnership, a national Grand Prix at the Global Dressage Festival Saturday.
The ride on the 13-year-old Westfalen gelding was without a score, known as H.C., and before a single judge, FEI 4* Cesar Torrente of Colombia.
Bohemian, with the addition of the prefix Galleria’s for the new owner’s German stables, was ridden by Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour on Denmark’s teams at the Tokyo Olympics and the 2021 European Championships.
The horse was bought from the previous owners about a month ago and flown to Florida to compete in Wellington. Kim lived and competed in the U.S. for many years and is a graduate of the Ivy League university of Dartmouth in New Hampshire.
Trainers who watched Saturday’s ride gave it a thumbs up for the initial performance that came two days after being scratched from the CDIO3* Nations Cup where the pair were entered as an individual. Christoph Koschel of Germany who has been training the duo, suggested changing to the national section of the show grounds.
The climate in Wellington has been more like South Florida’s hot and humid summers–above 80F/26.6C at the time of Saturday’s competition.
Kim appeared focused and careful. Extended trot was not very expressive, but as the rider appeared to become more confident as the ride went on with piaffe-passage that one judge watching as a spectator said could be expected to receive marks of eight.
The pair is entered in next week’s World Cup qualifier at Global.
