Swedish Olympic Team Horse Brother de Jeu Passed Away

Dressage

Sweden

Brother de Jeu, a Swedish 2021 Tokyo Olympic team horse, has passed away this week. He was 19 years old.

Brother de Jeu was a 2006 born KWPN gelding by Voice out of O.Esther (by Jazz x Ulft x Amor). He was bred by Emmy de Jeu.

Made in Holland

Brother de Jeu was one of Emmy de Jeu's most successful breeding products out of her top broodmare O.Esther, who also produced Asther de Jeu (by Contango), and W.Esther de Jeu and Zafriq de Jeu (both by Rousseau).

In the summer of 2014 he moved into training with Dominique Filion, who competed him first at Z-level and then at small tour level.

Antonia Ramel

Owned by Eugene Reesink, Brother de Jeu was offered for sale in the 2015 Excellent Dressage Sales and had a hammer price of 170,000 euro, but the horse in fact did not sell. Reesink returned the horse to Dominique Filion who trained him to Grand Prix level. Then Reesink brought him to Patrik Kittel to be sold and the Swede presented him to his student, Antonia Ramel, who bought the horse.

In November 2016 the pair made its national Inter II debut at the CDN Ankum to score 67.763% In 2017, the 11-year-old Brother de Jeu made their international show debut at Grand Prix level at the CDI Nieuw en St. Joosland. They scored 66.940% in their first CDI Grand Prix test. That year they gained experienced in Compiegne and Falsterbo.

In 2018 they campaigned in Herning, Joosland, Compiegne, Falsterbo, Verden, Flyinge, Lyon and Salzburg with increasing scores.

In 2019 they caught the attention of the selectors after starting in Amsterdam, Den Bosch, Hagen, Compiegne, Geesteren and Aachen. They were nominated on the Swedish team for the 2019 European Championships in Rotterdam, where they won team bronze and placed 19th in the Special with 73.435%.

In the 2020 corona year they showed in Hagen and Aarhus.

Tokyo Team Horse

In the important Olympic year of 2021 Ramel and Brother de Jeu were aiming for an Olympic team spot. After showing in Salzburg, Hagen, Compiegne and Le Mans, they were nominated as travelling team reserves for the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The pair ended up competing in the Games after Swedish team anchor and Ramel's long-time trainer, Patrik Kittel, withdrew. Kittel was selected for Tokyo with the Swiss bred mare Well Done de la Roche and they flew to Japan with all other dressage horses on 14-15 July. During the ring familiarisation on 21 July 2021 the horse became unlevel. On 22 July Patrik announced his withdrawal from the Olympic team.

Ramel and Brother de Jeu stepped in and posted 68.540% in the Grand Prix (35th) and 67.447% in the Grand Prix Special (24th). Sweden finished sixth in the team ranking.

Retirement

Tokyo turned out to be Borther de Jeu's last international show. Ramel never officially announced the retirement of her horse, but simply stopped competing him at age 15.

On 23 April 2025 Ramel announced the passing of "Bro".

"Thank you Bro for all nice memories and times together," she took to Instagram. "You were a very special horse with your sensitivity but also a big character with the biggest heart! You have a very special place in my heart. Today was one of the hardest decisions to make, but you weren’t well and it was time to let you go. Rest in peace my dear friend."