Claudia Fassaert Survives Breast Cancer, Aims for Come Back with Imke-Zelma

Dressage

Belgium

Claudia Fassaert, Belgium's individual dressage rider at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, has successfully battled breast cancer and is now optimistic about her future. With an exciting new horse in the barn, Claudia wants to rebuild her career as a high performance dressage rider.

The 49-year old Fassaert last competed internationally a year and a half ago at the CDI Deauville in July 2018.

In November 2018 Claudia was diagnosed with breast cancer. In December the doctors carried out a mastectomy after which Claudia had to struggle through sixteen rounds of chemotherapy followed by sixteen rounds of radiation.

One year later, Claudia's body is slowly recovering from this sledgehammer but her spirit stays high, optimistic about the future.

"I am still recovering, but I'm back working out four times a week and I have already ridden a few times," Claudia told Eurodressage. "Since last Monday I have a new horse to develop and build."

The Dutch born Claudia Fassaert is a long-time Grand Prix rider in Belgium, booking her first big successes on Caramba. In the 2000s she competed Ostra and Quinten LM at international Grand Prix level, but her career making horse was the Dirk Hooghe's Oldenburg mare Donnerfee (by De Niro x Rosenkavalier), with whom she made her CDI debut in 2010 and represented Belgium at the 2010 and 2014 World Equestrian Games, 2011 and 2013 European Championships and 2012 Olympic Games.

Donnerfee was retired from competition sport at the end of 2015. She is now a broodmare and this year produced a filly TotoFee. Claudia moved one with Alensias, Esteban M and Amadeus de Massa until cancer took her completely out of the running for 1.5 years.

"Slowly everything seems to be moving in a good way," Claudia added carefully.

She relocated to Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Belgium, and has a new hope in the barn, Patrick Raymakers' 6-year old Dutch warmblood mare Imke-Zelma (by Uphill x Rhodium), which was previously shown by Bas Verthriest. Bred by Van Norel in The Netherlands, the mare has only been very lightly trained and competed.

"They have been very careful with her, which I really appreciate. She is a beautiful mare with a super nice character. I'm totally back in the mindset to be back in business now. I'm super enthusiastic about her," Claudia exclaimed.