The 1999 World Young Dressage Horse Champion, Roval Investment, is in training with Belgian young rider Delphine Meiresonne. Meiresonne will be competing Roval Investment in the Belgian Young Riders' selection trials
to qualify for the 2004 European Young Riders Championships.
21-year old Delphine Meiresonne is supervised by Coby van Baalen and is currently working for Johan Hinnemann in Voerde, Germany. "Delphine did not have a top Young Riders' horse at the moment and Marlies [van Baalen] had the luxury of having too many horses right now," trainer Coby van Baalen explained. "In agreement with Roval's owner Julie van Eeuwen, we have decided to give the ride to Delphine." Roval Investment is a chestnut KWPN gelding by Investment x Uniek who was previously shown by Marlies at Intermediaire I level.
Though only 10-years old, Roval Investment has already built up a phenomenal list of achievements. In 1999, he became the World Young Dressage Horse Champion and the Reserve Pavo Cup Champion under Birgit van der Eyken. In 2000 he was nominated for the Rabobank Horse of the Year competition. Roval Investment then moved to the training stable of Johan Hinnemann in Voerde, Germany, to be prepared for FEI level. Under Marlies van Baalen, he made his small tour debut in 2003, always scoring top marks.
The horse will now continue his career under Delphine Meiresonne. Owner Julie van Eeuwen is thrilled with the new turn in her horse's life. "He's a special horse and has booked great successes under Marlies," van Eeuwen said. "Marlies is now very busy with her preparations for Athens, so we had to look for a new rider. Delphine trains and works with Johan Hinnemann and is acquainted with the same training system as Roval. She has proven to be a very fine rider and hopefully the two of them will click."
Delphine Meiresonne became the 1998 European Pony Dressage Champion aboard Noble Casper, was five times Belgian Champion and won team bronze at the 2003 European Young Riders Championships in Saumur, France.
Delphine and Roval Investment will make their show debut as a combination next week Sunday at the national show in Duffel, Belgium.
Images copyrighted: Dirk Caremans - no reproduction allowed.
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