British based dressage rider Nicolle Begovic has declared for her husband's native Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The 39-year old Begovic is based with her horses at Van Olst in The Netherlands.
Great Britain
The American born Nicolle (née Howard) married Bosnian's football star Asmir Begovic in 2011. Asmir played for Chelsea and is currently on a one-year contract with Everton as a goalkeeper. He also started for Canada in the 2007 FIFA World Cup and played for Bosnia in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Nicolle has been riding for Great Britain and made her British show debut in 2011 aboard the Hanoverian gelding Renaissance (by Royal Angelo). Between 2012 and 2013 she showed Federico (by Florestan) and EDS Elegast van Sombeke (by Aga Khan x Mr Blue).
Her career starting horse was Waldessarini (by Wolkentanz II x Donnerhall), which she premiered in march 2014 at small tour level. Her international show debut was in May 2015 at the CDI Roosendaal, followed by starts in Hartpury, Hickstead and Saumur that same year. Waldessarini moved on to Amy Stovold in 2016 and Sarah Rao in 2018.
The amateur dressage rider took a break from showing as she was raising her two young daughters, but made a brief return to the arena in 2018 with Gillian Davison's former Grand Prix horse Alfranco. In the U.K. she has been coached by Richard Davison and Nicky Pasco.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
with the Bosnian flag at Van Olst Horses
Nicolle and "Jerry" have been a pair since 2020. She debuted him in April 2021at elementary level in the UK. She then took the horse to Holland where he was produced to small tour level under the supervision of Anne van Olst and Charlotte Fry.
Nicolle has been showing Jerry at Advanced Medium level in the U.K. last autumn and winter of 2024 and is now ready for the CDI debut under the Bosnian flag in 2025.
"My plan is to relocate with the family to be based at the Van Olsts at the end of the summer," Nicolle told Eurodressage.
Begovic is just one of two Bosnian dressage riders declared with the FEI for 2025 alongside Ema Emina Nefic.
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