Beat Mandli representing Switzerland at the 2013 Furusiyya Nations Cup Finals with Bücheler’s stallion Croesus
Switzerland’s Beat Mandli, ranked 85th in the world, has left Europe for West Palm Beach, Florida. The well-regarded Swiss rider ventured across the Atlantic to join his new student, Katie Dinan, for the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival. Read more on this story here. Beat Mandli will join a whole host of top-ranked European riders in Florida this season, such as Kevin Staut, David Will, Scott Brash, Ben Maher, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, Nick Skelton and Nina Fagerstrom. But unfortunately, Beat will be competing in Florida without his top horses Louis 162, 2013 Swiss Champion Croesus and Cool and Easy, owned by Paul Bücheler.
Long-time owner Paul Bücheler decided he did not want his horses competing in Florida for the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival. Paul refused to allow any of his horses to cross the Atlantic for the three month period, as was originally planned. The horses will remain in Biessenhofen, Germany and Paul Bücheler will look for a new rider for the horses. “Beat must now try his luck in the United States, I wish him success,” said Bücheler to La Cavalier Romand.
There is the possibility that Beat will get to ride Katie Dinan’s stunning grey stallion Antares F, which is owned by Dinan’s Grand Road Partners LLC. Antares F was the Olympic mount for McLain Ward at the 2012 London Olympics, but as the Swiss rider admits, it will not be easy to qualify for the Longines World Cup Finals in Lyon, France, with a new horse half way through the World Cup season.
Speaking with Alban Poudret of La Cavalier Romand, Mandli shared the news of parting ways with long-time owner Paul Bücheler ahead of Florida. “Everything was planned so that the horses would be flying, but Paul Bücheler changed his mind. Our collaboration ends again. Hopefully I will mount several horses of Katie Dinan, but we will decide in the next few days. But the final of Lyon is very compromised. The first Grand Prix qualifier is already next weekend so it’s a bit short notice with a new horse.”
Source: Alban Poudret/La Cavalier Romand