With Gestion Bonfire being 17 years old and having run such a large amount of competitions, the question often rises whether Anky van Grunsven will opt for her first horse Bonfire for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney
or take another with her to the Australian continent. In the BCM co-ordinated equestrian magazine Hoefslag, Sjef Janssen talks to reporter Yana van Tienen about Anky's options.
"We kept Gestion Idool at home for a long time because this spring has wasn't ready for the big tour. Idool has little show experience and still misses a few points in each test. Idool is definitely not bad at Grand Prix but we try to join the international top and with Idool it's going to take longer. It's very normal that a horse needs two or three years to be able to run a nice Grand Prix. Why should we be able to do it in two months (note bene: Idool was first brought out in Grand Prix during the 1998 show season). If we take everything into perspective, it will be Gestion TCN Partout who will play the lead role next year. Even though Bonfire is 17 years old, he has not lost that spur he had two years ago," Sjef claims. It wise to put all our energy in the younger Partout so that he'll be in top shape for the Olympic Games or would make an excellent reserve horse. That is also the main reason why Partout won't be up for stud during the 2000 breed season."