Imke Schellekens' Sunrise Retired to Become a Broodmare

Dressage

Dutch Dressage News

Imke Schellekens-Bartels' Grand Prix horse Sunrise (by Singular Joter x Werther) has been retired from sport. The 18-year old Hanoverian mare, which is owned by the Smarius family, will no longer appear in public and will be retired to become a broodmare.

After injuring herself in the winter of 2010, the bay mare needed a long time to recover. She missed out on the 2011 European Championships and 2012 Olympic Games. Imke and Sunrise returned to the public eye at a demo at Horse Event in Deurne, The Netherlands, in September 2012. Last week the mare was ridden in public by Tineke at a training seminar at Bartels Academy. That was her last appearance in front of a crowd.

The fact that the career of Imke's top horse is now definitely over is still blow. "Realizing that it's done, is quite hard," Imke said in an interview with the Dutch BIT Magazine. "But it doesn't change my friendship with Sunrise."

Sunrise will now enjoy her retirement at Bartels' Academy and will be bred in the spring. "She is Imke's and can stay in her barn," said owner Smarius. "Sunrise has a 13-year old daughter. The plan is to get them in foal together so they can be in the field with their foals. We don't want embryotransfer. She has to get in foal the normal way."

Sunrise at the 2010 World Equestrian Games Schellekens is still riding Sunrise five times a week, of which two times are hacks outdoor. "Sunrise is an outdoor horse. She think it's great to go outside. I regularly take her on the canter track. It's pure joy. If you are so embedded into the sport, you tend to forget that. It is equally nice to go outside with your horse."

Schellekens and Sunrise were a fixture on the Dutch team at the 2006 and 2010 World Equestrian Games, 2007 and 2009 European Championships and 2008 Olympic Games. They won silver and gold team medals at these events.