It was probably the greatest set-back Delphine Meiresonne (and Tom Franckx and Julie de Deken) had to encompass when she heard that she was not qualified for the European Junior/Young Riders Championships although she had collected sufficient qualifying scores at the Belgian competitions. Apparantly a new FEI rule (dating April 2002) required that each contestant for the E.C. has to participate in one CDI show as qualification. None of the Belgian Junior/Young Riders were informed of this new rule by their national equestrian federations. Meiresonne, who leased Coby van Baalen's Habibi to secure a spot in the team saw her dream, money and effort being flushed down the drain! (Click Here for Additional article)

Fortunately, Meiresonne could take considerable revenge on the Belgian YR team or any instance which can be considered responsible for this kafkaesque blunder, by scoring 70% aboard Habibi at the CDI-P J YR Bilzen and placing fourth overall and first of all Belgian Young Riders.

Banishing good riders from the teams due to some or other circumstance has been a long standing tradition in Belgium. Bringing forth that, in the end, when poor results are produced at the E.C., the Belgians can whine and complain again about the poor and dreadful state of Dressage in the country. There will never come an end to it. Rules are constantly changed to diminish the slightest change of any Belgian rider to break through on the international dressage scene. It's pathetic.

........(View Bilzen Pony / Junior / Young Riders Scores)