Dutch and British Team Pony Next Black Magic Retired from Sport

Dressage

Great Britain

Next Black Magic, a Dutch and British team pony at four European Championships, has been retired from competition sport.

Next Black Magic is an 18-year old Westfalian bred gelding by Nabucco R out of Prime Time (by FS Pour l'Amour x Hasko). He is bred by Mareike Teeken in Germany and was originally named Zilhouette's Next Totilas.

German Start

The pony's competition career began in Germany in 2012 with Christin Eilers.

They debuted at the local show in Meppen at A-level in May 2012. They headed to the 2012 Westfalian young pony championships in Munster-Handorf but retired there.

Two years later Next Black Magic returned to competition in July 2014 under Lea Marie Golkowski. They did two shows.

The Netherlands

The pony sold to R. Prinsen-Walter in The Netherlands for Fleur Prinsen to ride. Fleur debuted internationally at FEI pony level in July 2017 at the CDI Diepenbeek where they won the team test. She competed him at Lamprechtshausen, Exloo, Aachen and Roosendaal that year.

In 2018 the pair had its best season. After showing in Le Mans, Lier, Joosland and Compiegne they were nominated on the Dutch team for the 2018 European Pony Championships in Bishop Burton, where they won team bronze and finished 15th in the individual test. They won silver at the 2018 Dutch Pony Championships.

Next Black Magic sold to Jill Kempes shortly afterwards and she debuted him straight away at the CDI Exloo in October 2018. Kempes showed him for three years and rode twice on the Dutch team. At the 2020 European Pony Championships in Pilisjaszfalu, where they got team bronze and were 17th in the individual test. At the 2021 European Championships in Le Mans they won team bronze and made it to the Kur finals and finished 14th.

Great Britain

Next Black Magic sold to Great Britain for Sofia Games to ride. She debuted him internationally in March 2022 at Keysoe and from there went to Le Mans, Compiegne and Wellington Heckfield. They were selected for the British team for the 2022 European Pony Championships in Strzegom and placed 15th in the Kur Finals. After the Europeans Games competed the gelding at the British Championship, where they won, and did one more national show in Aintree in October 2022.

With Jill Kempes at the 2020 European Pony Championships

Next Black Magic then sold to Hannah Dovey for her daughter Ella-Grace Dovey to ride, but the pair never competed.

Retirement

The Dovey family confirmed to Eurodressage that Next Black Magic has been retired.

Ella-Grace explained, "I purchased Totti almost three years ago with severe injuries. We have spent the last three years giving him time to mend & the best rehab possible however sadly we have made the decision to permanently retire him from sport."

Dovey continued, "He is a true schoolmaster who has taught so many to ride and has competed year on year at the highest level winning a number of European team medals. I feel incredibly honoured that he is home & safe with us, loving life and where he can live out his retirement being truly loved for simply being a pony - just a very special one."