Anne van Olst's Zidhane Passed Away

Dressage

Denmark

Zidhane, Anne van Olst's penultimate international Grand Prix horse, has passed away. He was 20 years old.

Zidhane was a 2004 born Dutch warmblood gelding by Don Ruth out of Sugonda (by Negro x Carthago). He was bred by T. Allers in Neer, The Netherlands.

Anne Van Olst

The big grey gelding had an international career in Grand Prix sport under Danish Olympian Anne van Olst. He took over the torch as her leading ride from 2012 Olympic hopeful Taikoen.

Anne and Zhidane made their international debut in May 2013 in Saumur in the Inter II and short Grand Prix, placing third. Three weeks later they competed in Roosendaal.

They kicked of the year 2014 strongly in Drachten, 's Hertogenbosch, Hagen and Roosendaal and were 15th at the 2014 Danish Dressage Championships in Broholm. They were nominated on the team for the Nations Cup in Rotterdam, but had to pull out because he had a raised temperature. A few weeks later he competed in Fritzens.

Their first international win came in 2015 in Pompadour in the Kur to Music. They rode in Deauville, Perl, Lier, and Roosedaal that year.

In 2016 they were long-listed for Danish Olympic team selection for Rio, but although entered they did not attend the first Danish team selection trial at the National Championships so were not considered. The CDI Roosendaal in June 2016 was the last CDI the 12-year old Zidhane did.

Retirement

Zidhane was retired from international competition sport after Roosendaal.

Anne rode in one more CDI herself, in April 2017 in Joosland, aboard Vorst before fully committing to training Charlotte Fry.

The grey gelding, who was nicknamed "Salty", spent the rest of his life with Van Olst. He was put to sleep on 27 December 2024.

"He was in the field with his buddies and suddenly got severe colic. We couldn't save him. It went so fast. It's so horrible," said a saddened Anne.

When asked why he was nicknamed Salty, Anne replied, I had two 3-year olds when I got him, a black one and a grey one. We named them "pepper" and "salty"."