Eight-time Belgian Grand Prix champion Jeroen Devroe has made his come back to the Grand Prix ring with a new horse, the 10-year old Belgian warmblood gelding Eres DL.
The 44-year old Nieuwrode based Devroe received the ride on the bay Eres DL (by Sir Lui x Balzflug) a year and a half ago and the pair made its national Grand Prix debut at the CDN Massenhoven on 1 March 2014 and won the Grand Prix with 66.550%.
Eres DL is a tall 1.85 m standing Belgian warmblood gelding owned by Daniel Lousberg.
"This horse had a very good basic training but I think he needs a man to handle him," Devroe told Vygo.be. "Maybe that's why the owner chose me. It's a horse with an incredibly powerful character, but I believe that in the long term this will work to our advantange. I think he can move spectacularly. If he gets more consistent in the contact, everything will be fine."
Devroe has only been competing very lightly the past two years as a niggling hoof injury sidelined his top horse Apollo van het Vijverhof (by Welt Hit II) on more than one occasion. Devroe missed out on the 2012 World Cup Finals, 2012 Olympic Games and 2013 European Championships because of it.
With Eres DL, Devroe hopes to have a second iron in the fire for international Grand Prix competition.
"I need to get a better feeling first," Devroe explained. "Eres needs to focus more on the rider. He shouldn't be so stubborn and the only thing I can do is wait. I believe you can not make any long term plans with horses. I can say that I would like to go to the Olympic Games but you have to take it one day at a time. Show per show."
Although Devroe wishes to contest for a team place at the 2014 World Equestrian Games it will have to be a wait and see game.
"If I were to say that I want to go to WEG, Eres will have to be so good that he can compete internationally and he will have to perform well internationally," Devroe stated. "Then it depends on the coach (Sjef Janssen) if I can go. It can very well be that my horse will be good enough, but that there are four better riders. You don't know. I don't rule it out but I think it's still too much ahead of us. If there is chance, I'll go for it."
Source: vygo.be
Photos © Sharon Vandeput - Astrid Appels
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