Coby van Baalen's 21-year old Dutch warmblood stallion Kigali has been retired from sport and will be standing at stud in France. The bay stallion was Van Baalen's successor of her 2000 Olympic mount Ferro and later served as schoolmaster for numerous riders.
Bred by Mr. Huis in 't Veld and sired by Wolfgang, Kigali descends from the very famous show jumper mare line of Finesse (by Voltaire x Gag xx) He was approved for the KWPN society in 2005.
Kigali's competition career started in show jumping. He become young horse world show jumping champion as a 5-year old under Nathalie van der Meij. In 2004 the stallion moved to Coby van Baalen's barn as a 12-year old to be retuned into a dressage horse.
Wilmer Lanning initially started competing the stallion in dressage at Z2 level after which Coby took him over and showed him at small tour level, winning the 2005 CDI Zwolle, for instance. In 2006 he made the transition to Grand Prix.
Marlies van Baalen then became his rider and the duo competed at a few World Cup qualifier and became members of the Dutch A-team. The pair competed at the 2007 World Cup Finals in Las Vegas. In 2010 Marrigje van Baalen started riding the then 18-year old stallion as an Under 25 schoolmaster.
Kigali has now been retired and will join show jumping sires Lando and Tinka's Boy at the French stud Béligneux La Haras. Kigali has one AES-licensed offspring, Papillon.
"I had so much fun with this horse," Coby van Baalen commented. "First training it and then training him with Marlies and Marrigje. Kigali is a very sensitive horse with incredible potential."
Photos © Astrid Appels
Related Links
Kigali and Radar to be Competed by Wilmer Lanning
Kigali Partly Sold to Coby van Baalen
Laurens van Lieren Withdraws, Marlies van Baalen to Las Vegas
Photo Report: Saturday Dressage Day at 2006 Zwolle International Stallion Show
Coby van Baalen Back in the Show Ring