March 2-4, 2012, Hiroshi Hoketsu of Japan and 15 year old mare, Whisper 115 was scored 69.064 in the Grand Prix for Special and 72.533 in the Olympic Grand Prix Special at Vidauban, France, by nine judges from so many countries.

With these scores, Hoketsu and Whisper qualified for both the April 2012 Dressage World Cup Finals, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, and London 2012 Summer Olympics.

Hoketsu, competed in the 1964 Olympics in ShowJumping, went to the Los Angeles ’84 Olympics as an Alternate, but did not compete, and to Seoul ’88 Olympics, where he was prevented from competing by quarantine restriction.

If directed by the Japanese Olympic Committee to London, he will ride for his nation as an Individual, but also for the entire  Asia-Oceania FEI Region, of which he is representationally singular.

With Whisper, Hoketsu contested the 2007 Kapsavar World Cup

Aachen CHIO World Cup 2009

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And the World Equestrian Games Kentucky 2010

So what’s the fuss? Why are a multitude of sports and general interest media…print, internet, radio and television ALL attending to this Dressage minutiae? Well, Hiroshi Hoketsu was born March 28, 1941. And so, will soon observe momentarily, if at all, his 71st birthday, while preparing for ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

Ride on, Hiro!