Former Dutch junior rider team member Mercedes Verweij has acquired Joyce Lenaerts' internationally competed small tour horse Show Boy as her future Young Riders mount.
The 18-year old Verweij was a member of the Dutch team that won silver at the 2015 European Junior Riders Championships in Vidauban on the chestnut Dutch warmblood mare Zarah. Since 2016, however, Zarah has been sidelined due to an injury. Verweij's second junior horse Wiolita recently sold to Russian Maya Shemakova.
Trained by Yessin Rahmouni, Verweij went in search of a new young riders horse and her coach suggested Show Boy. The 13-year old Westfalian bred gelding by Show Star out of Donna Girl (by Dimension x First Gotthard) was previously owned and competed by Joyce Lenaerts. At the 2017 Excellent Dressage Sales in Hooge Mierde, Show Boy supposedly sold for 95,000 euro, but it was Lenaerts who had bought back her own horse.
Lenaerts has now sold her 1.80 m standing Show Boy to the petite Verweij, who is used to riding big horses. There was no time to waste as after only being three days together, the new duo made its show debut on Sunday 30 April 2017 and scored almost 75% at fourth level.
"At the end of May I want to do the observation trials for young riders," Verweij told De Hoefslag. "I'm not sure if it will work, because it's always a bit of search with a new horse at shows."
For Zarah a new future as broodmare lies ahead.
"There wouldn't have been a new horse had she not injured herself," said Verweij. "She'll be bred to Expression this year. Last year we tried to flush an embryo but it didn't work. I hope to breed a nice foal out of her. She's a real dam."
Source: De Hoefslag - Photos © Astrid Appels
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