After finishing eleventh in the Kur to Music Finals at the 2011 European Dressage Championships in Rotterdam, long-time Dutch team horse Nadine was officially retired from competition in a short but sweet ceremony after the freestyle.
The 16-year old Dutch warmblood mare by Partout x Roemer has been a multi-medal winning team horse for The Netherlands since 2007. She won team gold at the 2007 European Championships in Turin and team silver at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong. She was team reserve for the 2009 European Championships and won team gold at the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. With another team bronze at the 2011 Europeans, Nadine completed a very successful career and was always a horse the Dutch team could rely on.
Hans Peter Minderhoud told Eurodressage that he considered his rides at the 2008 Olympic Games and 2009 World Cup Finals in Las Vegas Nadine's career highlights feeling at her best ever.
The chestnut mare is bred by G.C. Vervoorn from Brakel, The Netherlands, and descends from one of the most successful dressage dam lines in The Netherlands. Nadine's dam Charites has had 18 foals so far including the licensed stallion Kroonjuweel (by Belisar).
Minderhoud made it no secret that the 2011 Europeans would be Nadine's last championship competition. An in promptu retirement ceremony was staged and Minderhoud walked his mare in hand into the show ring for a celebration.
"We have carefully talked about the moment for retiring Nadine from top competition with all those involved. Nadine is a lady with character and you have to give her a big goodbye. She deserves this, as well as her owners, the Kies family," said Minderhoud. "Today it was time to announce that it has been enough. I knew she would do her final test in front of a sympathetic and enthusiastic audience in a sold-out stadium. She wanted to do her best and entered the arena with her ears pricked forward. I rode a nice test and I hope everyone enjoyed Nadine as much as I did."
In 2012 a career as broodmare is lying ahead of Nadine. When asked which stallion she will be bred to, Hans Peter told Eurodressage jokingly, "who knows, Totilas?!"
Photos © Astrid Appels
Related Links
Eurodressage Photo Database: Nadine
Minderhoud and Nadine On Form at Dutch Selection Trial in Zevenaar
Minderhoud Temporarily in the Lead in the Grand Prix at 2010 WEG