Japanese Paralympic Horse Javyro Died Unexpectedly

Japan

The Dutch owned Japanese Paralympic horse Javyro died unexpectedly on 6 April 2025. He was to turn 12 years old in June.

Javyro was a Dutch warmblood gelding by Zack out of Tennessee (by Jazz x ). He was bred by A. Schepens.

Japanese Paralympic Horse

The chestnut was first owned by Berlinde Middelbrink, the former treasurer of the KWPN breed society. He sold as a foal at the SELL Foal auction in 2014 but Middelbrink bought him from horse dealer Tim Coomans.. Javyro is bred out of a successful dam line that produced KWPN licensed stallion Orlando Go (by Concorde) and small tour horse Kingsley (Jessica Idol).

In 2023 Middelbrink struck a partnership with the Japanese Yoshigoe family for Soshi to ride him. Through colleague and translator Chika Matsunami moved into the full training and care of Lynn Dohmen at Steyvershof in The Netherlands.

With Lynn Dohmen by his side, Soshi Yoshigoe debuted on Javyro at Grade II level at the CPEDI Kronenberg in June 2023. They showed in Grote-Brogel, Deurne, Warsaw, and Genemuiden that year. In 2024 Soshi and Javyro went full steam ahead for Paralympic qualification with CPEDI starts in Doha, Waregem, Mannheim, Hagen and Kronenberg. They were nominated for Japan and at the 2024 Paris Paralympics Soshi and Javyro finished 9th in the Grade II Grand Prix Test A and 7th in the freestyle.

Lynn Dohmen

After the Paris Olympics ownership of the horse was transferred to Lynn Dohmen, Mark Deuss and Patricia Palmen on the horse's FEI passport.

Soshi and Javyro at the 2023 CPEDI Grote Brogel

"I found it very difficult to see say goodbye to him so the owners (Berlinde and Jeroen Hendriks) offered him to me to continue riding him in able-bodied sport," Dohmen told Eurodressage. "In principle they gifted him to me, for which I'm eternally grateful."

Dohmen picked up his training after the Paris Paralympics and competed him a few times to get some show mileage in as a pair. Their last show was in October 2025 where they won a class with 70%.

Untimely Passing

Unfortunately their partnership didn't last long as Javyro died unexpectedly three days ago.

"On Easter Monday he collapsed from heart failure while I was lunging him on his halter," Dohmen told Eurodressage. "I never saw this coming. It's devastated."

Lynn nicknamed Javyro "shrimpy" and described him as "such a sweet horse, sometimes a bit innocently naughty with so much willingness and a great rideability. Truly incredible. The feeling he gave me was so special. I really enjoyed working with him and spending time with him; he was simply my best friend. I loved that horse. And we were also able to go on some lovely trips together with his mate Fonq (Rixt van der Horst's Dutch paralympic horse) and make memories. I really miss him so much and am so grateful to him for everything."