At the beginning of 2022, Edward Gal announced that he would not appear at competitions all year. The 12-time Dutch champion and former European and world champion took a break from competing, which meant, among other things, passing up the World Championships in Herning. At Jumping Amsterdam, the Netherlands’ most successful dressage rider returned to public action for the first time.  Yesterday he rode the by Geert Jan Raateland ridden VMF Gladiator (by Totilas) in a clinic supervised by Nicole Werner.

Nice and fun crowd

”In September I agreed with the organization that I would ride along at the Top of Dressage. I felt that my year of no competitions is over now. So then we will start again and this is a very good event for that. I always really enjoy riding at Jumping Amsterdam. It’s a nice and fun crowd. So the choice to start here again after my break was easy.”

‘Glad I brought Gladiator’

Edward did have to get used to Gladiator’s energy when he rode into the arena. ”I haven’t ridden him for so long and then it’s quite a bit of testing what he’s going to do. At home it all goes very well, but how he reacts in a clinic with an audience I didn’t know yet. Now I know how he reacts and I liked it. Of course I felt the tension and things could be better, but I was glad I brought him along.

GLOCK’s Toto Jr. and GLOCK’s Total US

It was a conscious decision for Edward not to ride GLOCK’s Toto Jr. (by Totilas) and GLOCK’s Total US (by Totilas) in the clinic. ”Of course, these horses haven’t gone at all yet and Gladiator has already competed. I didn’t want to immediately ride my top horses into the ring in a big, full arena. They have to do small competitions again first before I start them again in big competitions like this one. I don’t have any concrete plans for GLOCK’s Toto Jr. and GLOCK’s Total US yet, but I will definitely start them at competitions this year.”

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