The Dutch warmblood stallion TC Ravel has been sold to Steffen Peters' sponsor Akiko Yamazaki as Peters's ride for the 2008 Olympic Games in Bejing. TC Ravel is by Contango x Democraat.
Ravel is bred by Mr. H de Man and was owned by Tim Coomans. Eugene Reesink of reesinkhorses.com mediated in the sale of the stallion. Grand Prix rider Edward Gal competed TC Ravel at small tour level and was preparing the AES licensed stallion for Grand Prix.
American team rider Steffen Peters tried out Ravel a few times the week before the 2006 World Equestrian Games. "The strong point about this horse is that so far I have found no weak points on him," Peters said. "Ravel has three good basic gaits and an extended canter that is 'out of this world'. He's very sensitive, needs few aids and piaffes and passages with much balance. My number one Floriano is 16 now and Ravel will be his successor."
Dutch owner Tim Coomans has mixed feelings about the sale of this horse. "I always believed in Ravel, even when he was young and hardly anyone believed in his potential," Coomans said. "Of course it gives me much satisfaction now that his talent is blooming and will get all the opportunities in the world under such a good rider. I would have preferred that a Dutch sponsor had bought half of him, but I have to run a business as well.
"Jacques Maree was one of the people who didn't see much in Ravel," Coomans joked about his partner and friend. "One day, Claire, Jacques' 13-year old daughter, came to me for a riding lesson and I put her on Ravel. She made him piaffe and passage without whip or spurs. Fantastic!"
Horse dealer Eugène Reesink was one of the few people who always saw something special in Ravel. Reesink noticed Ravel's talents and potential when he was a young horse and tried to become part owner of him on several occasions. "He never let me buy a half, " Reesink said," but Tim did say that if he ever was to sell Ravel, he would tell me first." Four years later Tim kept a promise and at 2006 Outdoor Gelderland he told Eugene that he was thinking about selling the horse. "He told me to find a client," Reesink answered. "Steffens Peters was the first client and also the last."
Peters got the opportunity to try out Ravel as often as possible and he did that twelve times. However, it wasn't until Peters rode Ravel under Klaus Balkenhol's watchful eyes at his stable in Rosendahl, Germany, that the final decision for purchase was made.
Coomans kept Ravel at his home three weeks before his departure to the United States. "If something were to happen to him the day before he left, I would have been the only one to blame," Coomans stated. Ravel left for the U.S.A on September 20, 2006, and will go to Peters' stable in Rancho Santa Fe, California.
Photo courtesy: Tim Coomans
Source: KWPN
Related Links
TC Ravel to Edward Gal
Steffen Peters and Floriano at the 2005 CDIO Aachen
Vic Sold to Tim Coomans
