RachelFerd
Well-Known Member
Balagur, the russian dressage horse, is lying 5th after the grand prix special with a score of 71.4%
After watching his test, I thought I would look up some information on him - he is an Orlov Trotter, which is of course a breed that was originally intended for harness (trotting) racing.
This horse history (from eurodresage.com)
"Horsesport has its very own Orlov Trotter who goes by the name of Balagur and competes in Dressage at the highest level under the saddle of Alexandra Korelova. Balagur begun its long and eventful carrier as a circus horse where, it would seem, his welfare was not the priority of his owners. He was then bought by the mounted police where he remained until the age of ten. He was noticed at a parade by one of Russias greatest Dressage riders, the late Elena Petushkova, whose knowledgeable eye detected his great potential for piaffe and passage. Thus followed the FEI World Equestrian Games in Jerez de la Frontera in 2002 and Aachen in 2006, the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, and the European Champioships in Hickstead in 2003 and Hagen in 2005. This year at the FEI World Cup Dressage qualifier in Neumünster, Alexandra and Balagur scored a perfect 10 for their piaffe."
http://www.eurodressage.com/news/focus/foc_balagur.html
Impressive, when you think that he is up there against the Salinero's and Satchmo's of this world!
After watching his test, I thought I would look up some information on him - he is an Orlov Trotter, which is of course a breed that was originally intended for harness (trotting) racing.
This horse history (from eurodresage.com)
"Horsesport has its very own Orlov Trotter who goes by the name of Balagur and competes in Dressage at the highest level under the saddle of Alexandra Korelova. Balagur begun its long and eventful carrier as a circus horse where, it would seem, his welfare was not the priority of his owners. He was then bought by the mounted police where he remained until the age of ten. He was noticed at a parade by one of Russias greatest Dressage riders, the late Elena Petushkova, whose knowledgeable eye detected his great potential for piaffe and passage. Thus followed the FEI World Equestrian Games in Jerez de la Frontera in 2002 and Aachen in 2006, the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, and the European Champioships in Hickstead in 2003 and Hagen in 2005. This year at the FEI World Cup Dressage qualifier in Neumünster, Alexandra and Balagur scored a perfect 10 for their piaffe."
http://www.eurodressage.com/news/focus/foc_balagur.html
Impressive, when you think that he is up there against the Salinero's and Satchmo's of this world!
