Carlijn and Evelien Huberts Lose Othello and Romeo within Three Days

Dressage

The Netherlands

Dutch youth riders Carlijn and Evelien Huberts lost two of their international dressage horses, one after the other in three days time on 13 and 15 February 2022.

They said goodbye to junior ride Othello and young riders' horse Romeo.

Othello

The Huberts family also said farewell to the 26-year old home-bred KWPN gelding Othello (by D-Day out of Egini (by Ulster).

The bay gelding was trained to Grand Prix level by Carlijn and Evelien's father Tonnie and became the CDI debutant horse for Carlijn. She first rode down the centerline in an international arena in Drachten in January 2014. Carlijn rode at junior level then.

Othello passed away on 15 February 2022.

"Othello was my first big horse for me as a little girl," Carlijn took to Facebook. "I rode my first international junior competition with Othello and he was my first big tour horse. The past six years he enjoyed his retirement in the field."

Romeo

Romeo passed on 13 February 2022. He was a 24-year old Dutch warmblood gelding by Jazz out of Erijke (by Ulft). Romeo was bred by P.van Stiphout and owned by Lia and Fried van Stiphout.

The bay Romeo was a real family horse who spent almost 8 years with the Huberts family. He arrived in 2014 and had his international show debut under Carlijn in 2016. They were Dutch junior and young riders' squad listed but the pair did just one CDI. They were sixth in the 2016 Dutch Young Riders Championships.

Four years later in 2020, at age 22, he reappeared in the international arena at the CDI Lier under younger sister Evelien Huberts. She further competed him at young riders' level in Sint-Truiden and Grote Brogel, last presenting him in May 2021 at age 23 in Belgium. The one-eyed gelding was retired from sport after that.

"I had a really nice time with him and then Evelien also enjoyed him very much," said Carlijn. "Romeo was the sweetest horse in the barn and a real buddy. We wished him a nice retirement, but it wasn't meant to be."

Evelien added, "I'm very grateful to him for an incredibly nice time that we experienced together the past 4.5 years. We achieved so many goals and my big dream of competing internationally."