Laura Tomlinson purchases exciting new dressage talent

Laura Tomlinson has bought a new horse (not pictured) to add to her stable of existing talent.

Capri Sonne Jr, a black eight-year-old stallion by Rhodium, arrived at the dressage star’s Gloucestershire base last week (15 April).

The stallion has competed successfully in the Netherlands under Dinja Van Liere, including picking up a bronze medal at the world young horse championships in 2012 and winning both the prix st georges and the inter I freestyle at Roosendaal in December 2014 with plus-75% scores.

He is out of the San Remo x Glendale mare Wendola; Glendale is also the damsire of Totilas. Capri Sonne Jr is AES, KWPN and Oldenburg licensed.

“While we were away competing in the States we received a phonecall saying there was a horse for sale we had to see,” Laura told H&H.

“After watching the videos, I agreed to go and see him when we got back. The owner [Jan Cees van der Endt] agreed to wait, which was good of him as the horse had recently won the small tour class at the Dutch indoor championships, so there was a lot of interest in him.”

Capri Sonne Jr was standing at stud at the van Olst stallion station. Laura tried him once nearby and then again at the station itself a few days later.

“I was very impressed with him, but I haven’t ridden a stallion for a long time, so I tried to find fault with him and find reasons he wouldn’t be right,” she added.

“He hasn’t done anything beyond small tour, but he had the right attitude and engine and felt quick to learn.

“It all happened pretty quickly, and he arrived last Wednesday. It’s weird having a stallion — at the moment I’m only riding mares — but he’s really sensible and not stalliony.

“Even though he has covered this year, I took him for a hack yesterday past the mares and foals and he only shouted once.

“He’s always been ridden by a young girl and, although the training is a little different to ours, he’s never had a bad experience, which is quite rare for a horse of this calibre. He enjoys his work and likes being pampered.”

Laura reports that he has settled quickly in his new home and his stable name of “Capri” is fast evolving into “Cassanova” or “Cass” as he is the “man among the women”.

Laura is hoping to have Cass out competing soon, possibly at Addington Premier League.

“I hope I’ll be out and about on him quite quickly at small tour and PSG and crack on with the more advanced movements at home,” she said.

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