Dutch Team Pony Zky Sold to New Rider

Dressage

The Netherlands

Dominique van Dalsen's Dutch team pony Zky has been sold to a new rider. He will stay in The Netherlands. Van Dalsen announced the news on Instagram and Horses.nl posted today that the pony has not moved abroad and will be ridden by a 12-year old.

Zky is an 8-year old NRPS bred stallion by Zodiak Boy For Future x Orchard Boginov. He is bred by Jansen of Lorkeers.

Dominique van Dalsen

Zky sold as a 2.5 year old in the 2017 Elite Dressage Pony Sales to Petra van den Berg. Zky has been trained from novice to FEI pony level by Van Dalsen.

The pair made its international show debut in Le Mans in February 2022 and competed in Kronenberg, Exloo and Waregem that year.

In 2023 they went full throttle in Sint-Truiden and Exloo and was nominated by team trainer Imke Schellekens-Bartels on the Dutch team for the 2023 European Pony Championships in Le Mans. The pair finished 16th in the team test with 69.628% and 20th in the Individual withy 69.595%. The Dutch team finished fourth in the nations' ranking.

Retained for The Netherlands

Zky will now continue his sport career under a new Dutch rider.

"My heart is in 1.000 pieces," van Dalsen wrote. "I can’t thank you enough for everything you have done for me. You made my dreams come true and im so proud of us that we both came from te beginning and ended up here. I got to enjoy you for 6 years and each day you would bring a smile on my face. You are my everything, my whole world and i will never be ready to let you go. Today we brought you to your new home and even though I’m so sad I am sure you will have a great time with your new owners. Zky I can say so much more, but you will simply always be my soulmate and always have a really big place in my heart."

Van Dalsen has reached the age limit and will move to the junior category with horse, Just Johnson, an 8-year old Dutch warmblood by Johnson x Florencio, which she already competed internationally in Sint - Truiden and Exloo this year.