Dutch Small Tour Horse Pays Bas NL Passed Away

Dressage

The Netherlands

Christa Larmoyeur's and Michelle de Jonge's internationally competed small tour horse Pays Bas NL has passed away on 6 March 2025.

Pays Bas NL was a 28-year old Dutch warmblood by Cabochon out of Furore (by Zeoliet x Amor). He was bred by Gert-Willem van Norel. He was originally named Pacific.

Christa Larmoyeur

Christa Larmoyeur (then Laarakkers) acquired half ownership of Pays Bas NL in 1999-2000 when the horse was 2.5 years old.

The pair was successful from the start. They won the 2000 VSN Trophy Finals. They finished third in the 2001 Pavo Cup Finals and were second in the 2002 Pavo Cup Finals. They placed 6th in the 5-year old final at the 2002 World Young Horse Championships in Verden. A year later they were 9th in the 6-year old finals of the 2003 World Young Horse Championships.

At the 2003 World Young Horse Championships

They won silver at the 2004 Dutch Dressage Championships at ZZ-Zwaar level.

Their international small tour debut followed and between 2006 and 2008 they consistently and successfully competed at small tour level. They rode for instance at CDI's in Oldenburg and Mechelen in 2006. They finished 10th at the 2007 Dutch Indoor Championships. In 2008 they won the CDI-W Mierzecin and in Luxembourg and rode in Brno and Odense amongst other shows.

Then a break from international showing followed, but Larmoyeur produced him to national Grand Prix level.

Michelle de Jonge

In 2011 the horse sold to De Jonge family for daughter Michelle to ride.

She made her international show debut on the black at junior level at the CDI Stadl Paura in April 2012 and showed him in Roosendaal, Moorsele and Beek that year. They were 6th at the 2012 Dutch Junior Riders Championships.

They gained more mileage in 2013 with CDI starts in Drachten and Roosendaal. By June 2013 the pair moved up to Young Riders level at the CDI Pompadour.

Their final CDI and Pays Bas' last international competition was in 2014 at Nieuw en St. Joosland. They continued nationally in the senior division, placing 16th in the first round of the 2015 Dutch Indoor Dressage Championships.

Shannon Holmes

In 2017 he switched ownership and came in British hands, owned by Dutch based Brit Shannon Holmes, but was not shown internationally anymore.

He took Shannon to small tour level and was retired from sport in Holmes' care.

Larmoyeur announced the passing of Pays Bas on Facebook today.

"He was a black beauty, a real dream," Christa stated. "He sold as a schoolmaster when he was 15 and that fit him well. He helped two riders develop themselves in the sport. Both went to small tour and they truly enjoyed him. For the three of us he was a once in a lifetime horse."