Verliefden Makes Whopping CDI Grand Prix Debut on New Ride, Indoctro van de Steenblok

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2017 CDI Saumur

Belgian Fanny Verliefden has made a whopping CDI debut on her new Grand Prix ride, the 9-year old Belgian warmblood Indoctro van de Steenblok, winning the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special at the 2017 CDI Saumur on 28 - 30 April 2017. With 36 riders contesting the big tour, Verliefden made an impressive move to dominate her competitors.

Indoctro van de Steenblok is a 2008 BWP registered stallion by Rubin Royal out of Cinderella (by Gribaldi x Lord Gotthard).

This new Belgian duo aced the Grand Prix with a strong 72.980% score, which is a promising start for the future. Verliefden edged out American Jennifer Hoffmann on Rubinio, who is also by Rubin Royal, who finished seond with 71.000%. In the Grand Prix Special, Verliefden and her Totilas-lookalike Indoctro scored a winning 73.686% and stayed far ahead of the second placed pair, Spanish Jordi Domingo on Statesman (by Sandro Hit) with 69.118%.

"I was very happy with him in Saumur. I never expected to win at my first CDI with him, especially because we never rode the Special before," Verliefden told Eurodressage. "He felt good beside the fact we know that there is still so much more room for improvement. I was not able to show all of his qualities in the ring as I normally can during training. We both still need to know each other better in competition."

Indoctro van de Steenblok is bred by Frans 't Seyen from Herenthout, Belgium, who is located is a stone's throw away from Verliefden's base in Wiekevorst, Belgium. 't Seyen mainly breeds show jumpers, but Indoctro was one of a few dressage exceptions in his breeding program.

Verliefden discovered and bought the black stallion as a 2.5 year old at the breeder's.

"We went to his breeder to see and try another horse, but I saw Indoctro in the stable and I immediately fell in love," Fanny told Eurodressage about how she discovered her horse. "At that time he didn't want to sell him, so I was very disappointed and I told the owner, 'please if you change your mind just call me!' Two months later he called us to say that he was going to sell him because he will stay too small for his son. So I bought him."

Fanny and Indoctro The Dutch Solvey Rob started the stallion under saddle and rode him for half a year, before he went back to Fanny in September 2011, who then trained him up the levels under the supervision of her coach and life partner, Wim Verwimp.

Fanny made the choice not to show the horse too much and directly aim for Grand Prix. So far the horse has only done approximately 10 shows in his career.

Fanny Verliefden is no newcomer on the international scene. After having developed through junior and young riders level, she rode her first Grand Prix tests on her youth riders horse Rubel (by Rubinstein). However, Verliefden really broke through and made a stellar rise on the international Grand Prix show circuit in 2015 with the fantastic mare Annarico (by Lord Loxley). In her attempt to qualify as an individual for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Verliefden scored mega scores for Belgium and opened up that Olympic slot for Belgium. Unfortunately her mare broke down in the process and has not yet recovered.

"The rehabilitation doesn't go as well as hoped by the vets," Verliefden admitted; "It's difficult to keep her quiet always. I love her so much! I miss it so much, the work with her, the competitions, just the feeling she could give to me."

Verliefden has tried numerous types of rehabilitation, including the aquatrainer, but has now come to a point to give her mare "the green medicine" this year.

Fanny Verliefden and Annarico at the 2016 CDI-W 's Hertogenbosch "At this moment she goes in the field every day. In the morning from 8 to 12 and in the afternoon again a bit, because my princess does not always like to have her lunch in the field," Fanny explained. "To be honest, the vets still don't understand why the revalidation is taking this long. It's for this reason that we decided to put her in the field. No way to keep on walking, that's not a" life for a horse." She looks very happy now and she doing well in the field ! I still hope to get her back, but I have no idea what I can really hope for or not. If she doesn't come back, I will cry a lot, again, but I will make from her the most beautiful and talented broodmare. She always keeps the first place in my heart."

If turnout in the field will not do the magic trick, Annarico might begin a career as broodmare in 2018.

"I still want to give her a bit of time to see how she do in the field," Fanny stated, "but next year if it's not good enough than yes (she'll be a broodmare)." Verliefden added that a match made in heaven would be to pair her mare to her current stallion Indoctro. "What a dream: my princess and my black beauty. Must be good," she said.