Belgian junior rider Leyla Larsson has been forced to drop out of the team that will represent Belgium at the 2013 European Junior Riders Championships in Compiegne, France, in two weeks time. Her horse Sir Olivier has been injured.
Larsson is an experienced Belgian team rider, having previously competed her pony Berlioz on the team at the 2011 and 2012 European Pony Championships. Aboard the liver chestnut Dutch warmblood Sir Olivier (by Wolfgang x Belfalas) she obtained junior team selection by successfully competing at Saumur, Moorsele and Addington.
The 17-year old Sir Olivier, however, has injured himself this week and had to withdrawn from the team. "We have struggled a bit to keep him fit this year with a recurring stifle injury which took a turn for the worse in the last few days," Larsson's mother Ateshe Firouz told Eurodressage. "It has been a tough decision but we have decided to retire him to pasture."
Larsson will be replaced by reserve rider Noa Moermans on Beach Boy van de Zuuthoeve (by Sir Lui).
Photo © Astrid Appels
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