The career of 18-year-old Barbria has finally come to an end. During the CDI-Amsterdam, The Netherlands, the bay mare made her final public appearance with her last rider Imke Schellekens-Bartels in the saddle.
All her life, Barbria has been a part of the family Bartels-De Vries. Although Barbria never gave the appearance to have been worn out by her ever-lasting competition career, the mare was given an honorary retirement before it would have been too later. It is probably due to her iron will and super strong blood that the mare was able to stay sound this long.
Owner Isabel Sponselee was Barbria's first show rider and has always been her only owner. Under Sponslee, Barbria started her competition career on a regional level but the mare quickly
made an impression on Tineke Bartels/De Vries and the bay changed barns. Bartels made her debut with Barbria at Prix St Georges level and continued to move upwards to Grand Prix level.
Barbria was the first horse awarded the Olympic-status. Her international dressage potential was recognized by the Olympic-committee and they sponsored the mare so that she would not be sold abroad. Barbria competed at various international competitions with Tineke, with the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta as apex of this combination. They won team silver and were able to ride the individual final due to Nicole Uphoff's withdrawal from the competition.
Daughter Imke Bartels took over Barbria's reins from her mother and used the mare as schoolmaster for three years. Barbria will spent the rest of her retirement at her owner's place and serve as broodmare. Barbria is currently in foal with Jazz through embryotransplantation.
Images copyrighted: Arnd Bronkhorst