Danielle Houtvast, member of the silver medal winning Dutch team at the 2016 European Under 25 Championships, has announced her resignation as an assistant trainer at Leida Collins-Strijk's sales yard in Riethoven, The Netherlands.
The experienced Dutch youth team rider took up a job as an assistant trainer at Leida Collins-Strijk's yard in 2009.
At the time she competed her own Rambo until May 2013 and won team gold at the 2012 European Young Riders Championships in Berne, Switzerland, As of 2014 Danielle got the opportunity to compete Grand Prix horses Palermo H and Utah at CDI's in Europe and Florida. These were the only two horses she's competed internationally for Strijk.
Aboard Leida Strijk's 15-year old Dutch warmblood Utah (by Jazz x Landwind II), Houtvast won team silver and finished as fourth Dutch rider in 17th place individually (68.581%) at the 2016 European Under 25 Championships in Hagen, Germany, last summer. In the autumn, Utah has been sold to Canadian young rider Mathilde Blais Tetreault.
The 24-year old Houtvast has decided to start her own independent business as a rider and trainer.
"After having been under the wings of Team Collins-Strijk for seven years - having gained experience - the tremendous amount of knowledge I gained will form a solid base for a new step in my career," Houtvast stated officially.
To Eurodressage, Houtvast disclosed that "in October Tim and Leida decided to stop their stable in Holland as of December, because they are spending the majority of the year in Florida and Spain anyway. So we decided for me to take the step to independance. I will get the opportunity to stay at their facility in Riethoven."
Houtvast realizes that she might face challenges setting up shop on her own and beginning a business from scratch.
"I'm aware that I will probably have to take a step backwards in my show career and I don't have a rising talent at the moment," Danielle told Eurodressage. "But I have to take this step once and I hope to build something for myself. Tim and Leida will continue to work with me by giving me horses in training."
Photos © Astrid Appels
Related Links
Eurodressage Photo Database: Danielle Houtvast
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