Fanny Verliefden's Career Starting Horse Rubel Passed Away

Dressage

Belgium

Rubel, the horse that started the international dressage career of Belgian Grand Prix rider Fanny Verliefden, has passed away on 7 December 2020. He was 25 years old.

Rubel was a 1995 born Oldenburg by Rubinstein out of Guanita (by Tin Rocco x Vagabund x Apollo xx).

He was bred by Barbara Meinardus and was a full brother to Martina Hannöver’s Rubellit.

Start in Germany

The black stallion started his sport career in Germany under his breeder and owner, first competing in 2000 as a 5-year old in the riding horse tests.

In 2001 Tanja Lammers took on the ride and brought him to M level. She and Barbara alternated to compete Rubel. in 2012 Martina Stolze climbed aboard a few times, switching with Barbara.

Rubel's last competition year in Germany was in 2003, after which he sold to Fanny Verliefden as her young riders' horse.

From Young Riders to Grand Prix

Fanny and Rubel made their international show debut in 2004 CDI Helden in the Netherlands, followed by the CDI Hagen. They gained mileage at YR level the next two years.

The highlights of their Young Rider time was getting selected on the Belgian team for the 2005 European Young Riders Championships in Barzago, where they were 8th in the consolation finals. At the 2006 European Young Riders Championships in Stadl Paura they finished 26th in the individual test.

In 2009 the pair made the transition to international Grand Prix level, a feat only a select number of Young Riders achieve with the same horse. They had their debut at the CDI Saumur and competed in Rotterdam, Aachen and Mechelen that year.

In 2010, Fanny and Rubel went full throttle with starts in Addington, Saumur, Rotterdam, Pompadour, Hickstead, Saumur again, and at the World Cup qualifiers in Odense, London and Mechelen, as well as the indoor Stuttgart. In the summer of 2010 they were selected as one of two combinations, alongside Julie de Deken, to compete in the inaugural Under 25 division at the CDIO Aachen.

In 2011 they were second reserves for the Belgian team for the 2011 European Championships in Rotterdam. They competed at the Belgian Grand Prix Championships in 2010 (4th), 2011, and 2012 (bronze medal).

Verliefden and Rubel campaigned consistently at CDI's in Europe until the September 2012. The CDI Leudelange became their last, Rubel being 17 years old.

Retirement

Rubel at his last CDI in Leudelange in 2012

Rubel spent his retirement with Fanny Verliefden and moved along with her, when she relocated fro the Brussels area to Wiekevorst to base herself with her then-partner Wim Verwimp. In 2020 Verliefden set up her own, independent stable to which she moved her horses.

Verliefden is shattered by the sad passing of her Rubel.

"Seventeen years spent together and despite all this time, today it seems like only yesterday we’ve meet," she wrote on the day Rubel passed. "It’s feels way too short for me Thank You so much for everything you gave me! It’s so difficult to say goodbye."