Don Tango B, the 2011 KWPN Stallion Performance Test winner and WCYH participant, has moved on from junior rider Maud de Bruijn to pony rider Evi van Rooij.
The 12-year old Don Tango B is by Contango out of Oronia (by Jazz). He is bred and owned by Jan and Albert van Boven and is a full brother to the deceased Grand Prix horses Vontango and Tango.
Scholtens, Van Silfhout, Van den Hof, De Bruijn
The bay was licensed at the 2011 KWPN Licensing and became the high scorer of the 2011 KWPN spring stallion performance test with 83.5 points.
He was first trained and competed by Emmelie Scholtens. The pair stranded in 16th place in the 2012 Pavo Cup Semi Finals
Because the stallion proved to be a handful, Diederik van Silfhout took over in 2013. The duo finished 7th in the 2013 Pavo Cup Finals and were fourth in the consolation finals at the 2013 World Young Horse Championships in Verden.
Don Tango disappeared from the public eye but resurfaced in the summer of 2017 under Gert Van den Hof. In 2018 the ride on the bay, who had been gelded, was given to Dutch junior Maud de Bruijn. The new pair competing in three internationals:the 2018 CDI-J Aachen and Hagen and the 2019 CDI Excloo.
Junior Ride for Van Rooij
For De Bruijn the move of the horse was heart breaking as she considered him her once-in-a-lifetime horse. She was slowly schooling some Grand Prix movements with him and had planned her small tour debut the weekend he left her stable, with the intention to be sold. "I am very grateful for the whole adventure I got to experience with Don Tango and that is the way I want to look at it," a saddened Maud told Eurodressage.
Don Tango moved to Van Rooij's stable. Evi is in her last year on ponies with King Stayerhof's Jango and preparing for her transition to junior level.
"He's a mega cool horse and it's a great opportunity for me to ride such a horse," Van Rooij told De Hoefslag. "I have a good connection with him in such a short period of time. Also in the training we are becoming more a combination. I have him more through, so it's going well."
The new pair made its show debut in Uden and scored 70,7% a Z2-level test.
Photos © Digishots - Astrid Appels
Related Links
Don Tango in Training with Diederik van Silfhout
Don Tango Gelded, to Junior Rider Maud de Bruijn
Don Tango High Scorer of 2011 KWPN Spring Stallion Performance Testing