Gestion Goliath T Passed Away

Dressage

Dutch Dressage News

Former Dutch dressage team horse Gestion Goliath T passed away on Friday 15 July 2011. Arjen Teeuwissen's dark bay Dutch warmblood gelding by Zebulon x Nieuwpoort was born in 1988 and became 23 year olds.

Goliath T was discovered by Arjen as a 2-year old and trained to Grand Prix level. He became an anchor on the Dutch team in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 1999 he became a member of the Dutch team and won team silver and individual bronze at the 1999 European Championships in Arnheim and became Dutch Grand Prix Champions. In 2000 he made it to the Olympic Games in Sydney, where Goliath T won team silver again, and they earned bronze at the national Championships.

In 2001 Arjen and Goliath had the highlight of their career by winning team silver and individual silver at the 2001 European Championships in Verden.

In 2002 Goliath T struggled with an ulcer and performed below his level. Teeuwissen withdrew the horse from WEG team selection. They were back on the Dutch team for the 2003 European Championships, but Holland didn't make it any further than a fourth team place and individually the pair ranked 17th.

Teeuwissen retired Goliath in 2005 after an injury short-circuited his career. He spent his retirement in the field at Arjen's stable in Vlimmeren, Belgium.

"For 21 years we took good care of our friend so we will miss him greatly," Arjen Teeuwissen stated. "It was like it was meant to be that both of us were home," Arjen's life partner Frank Garritsen added. "We were able to say goodbye to him. It was as if his batteries had run empty. He spent the entire day in the field but once he came into the stall, his lights went out."