Charlotte Defalque Leases Larissa Pauluis' Valentin for Team Push

Dressage

Belgium

Belgian team rider Charlotte Defalque is leasing Larissa Pauluis' second Grand Prix horse, First Step Valentin, to make a push for the Belgian team for the 2026 World Championships.

Botticelli

The 29-year old Defalque has made her career on one horse so far, the Dutch warmblood gelding Botticelli (by Vivaldi x Koss), which her mom purchased as a young horse from Dominique Mohimont. With trainer Jeroen Devroe consistently riding and training the gelding, the chestnut moved with Charlotte from junior riders' level to Grand Prix.

Defalque and Botticelli debuted in 2013 at junior level and competed six times on the Belgian team: as a junior duo at the 2013 Euros in Compiegne, as a Young rider pair at the 2015 and 2016 Euros. As an Under 25 rider at the 2018 Euros. They moved into the senior ranks in 2019 and were members of the team at the 2023 and 2025 Europeans in Riesenbeck and Crozet and at the 2022 World Championships in Herning. They were first reserves for the Paris Olympics.

First Step Valentin

Defalque has now leased First Step Valentin (by Vitalis x Fidermark) as a second iron in the fire for Belgian team selection for the 2026 World Championships in Aachen.

"I think it’s a nice sport spirit," Larissa told Eurodressage. "I can not ride both horses in the World Championships. First we have to see if there is a 'click' between them. Step by step and we will see."

First-Step Valentin is a 13-year old Westfalian stallion bred by Hubert Waning. Originally owned by Pauluis and her late husband Greg Naslin, Valentin had co-investors over the years with Catherine Bribosia stepping in in 2021, and Caroline and Emmanuelle Lepage replacing her as of 2023 as co-owners.

Pauluis and Valentin represented Belgium at the 2017 and 2019 World Young Horse Championships in Ermelo and became triple French Young Horse Champion. At the Belgian Young Horse Championships they won silver in 2016 and 2018. They made their Grand Prix debut in 2021. They competed for Belgium at the 2021 European Championships in Hagen, replacing Olympic duo Laurence Roos on Fil Rouge. In 2022 Valentin was her ride at the World Championships in Herning, they won the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix Championships and went to the 2024 World Cup Finals in Riyadh, where they were 11th.

The horse's last competition was six months ago in May 2025 at the Belgian Championships in Lier.

New Duo

Coached by Larissa Pauluis and Eddy Swennen, Defalque and Valentin are getting to know each other and a national show start being prepared in the near future.

"i took over the ride since mid September. The goal this year, if everything goes well, is to qualify him for the world Championships in Aachen," Charlotte told Eurodressage.

Defalque's number one, Botticelli, has an international career that spans 13 years The fit, rising 20-year old KWPN gelding is entered for the CDI-W Stuttgart next month.

"The goal is that we finish the season at the CDI-W Mechelen and that he officially takes a sport retirement there," said Charlotte. "As he is still 100% fit, likes working and his daily routine, we will continue the trainings at home."