Each year the Dutch sports magazine Sportweek publishes a top 100 list of the best earning Dutch athletes. While Anky van Grunsven used to be the leading equestrian athlete on the list for years, in 2009 she got beaten by show jumper and horse dealer Albert Zoer.
Zoer covers the 17th spot on the top 100 with an estimated income of 3 million euro, all earned with dealing horses and prize money. The 2009 list was made even before he sold his multi-million euro Olympic mount Okidoki to an Argentinian billionaire.
The second highest ranked equestrian athlete is Leon Thijssen, who covers 22nd place. His earnings were valued at 2,5 million euro. Part of this money is based on the sale of his top horse Uceline to Grecian money-heiress Athina Onassis. This mare was owned by Thyssen and Willem Greve. The latter covers the 39th spot with 1,45 million euro.
Anky van Grunsven's earnings have been dropping slowly over the past two years. For 2009 she's on the 37th place with "only" 1,55 million euro. In 2008 Anky covered the 32nd spot with 1,6 million, in 2007 she was 12th with 3,6 million euro and in 2006 she was 22nd with 2,350,000 euro.
The listmakers of the Top 100 base themselves on sponsor contracts, business and financial plans and what the athletes announce. The list is an "estimation" and probably doesn't even come close to the true earnings of these athletes.
The absolute number one on the 2009 list is long-time leader Andruw Jones, a 32-year old Antillian baseball player who earned 10,100,000 euro last year (in 2008 he had 17 million). Jones is followed by a long list of international soccer players of which Nigel de Jong made the most money last year. The midfield player of Manchester City received a pay-check of 8,1 million euro. He preceeds colleagues Ruud van Nistelrooy, Arjen Robben and goal keeper Edwin van der Sar.
Photos © Astrid Appels
More info at www.sportweek.nl - Dutch news at Dehoefslag.nl
Related Link
Anky Van Grunsven, Twelfth Richest Dutch Athlete of 2007