Final Observation for the European Championships – Children at CHIO

3 girls all 13 years old and still in school

Bo was born in Woerden and now lives in Reeuwijk. She is in the second year of HAVO (senior general secondary education). Outside of riding, she enjoys shopping for clothes.
Lisa is originally from Veghel in North Brabant and currently lives in Meijel, Limburg. She’s also in her second year of HAVO and loves shopping too. Besides horses and shopping, she enjoys spending time with friends.
Floor was born in Goes and now lives in Oude Tonge. She is in the second year of MAVO (junior general secondary education). Her favorite things are horses, shopping, going out to eat, and hanging out with friends.

A future in horses

All three girls see their futures in the equestrian world. Floor is certain she wants to pursue a sport career, Lisa would love to become a riding instructor, and Bo dreams of training horses together with her mother.

Bo and Floor have already experienced CHIO before. Bo: “I was part of the KNHS Utrecht Stars Talent Team and we visited CHIO. We watched the competitions and had a tour – it was amazing and I could tell how well-organized everything was.”
Floor: “I’ve been as a spectator and thought it was beautiful, especially the main arena.”
Lisa: “I’ve never been to CHIO myself, but I’ve watched it on ClipMyHorse. It looked absolutely stunning.”

Preparation

We’re curious: is it mostly fun to ride at CHIO, or do nerves also come into play? Are they doing anything special to prepare for such a big event?

Floor: “I’m already excited and don’t think I’ll be nervous. I’m preparing just like I do for other shows, and for me that means staying in a good rhythm.”
Lisa: “I’m also really looking forward to it. I believe that if I just do what I always do, everything will go well.”
Bo: “Of course I’m excited too. Riding at a competition like CHIO is amazing. Before big shows, my horse and I both get massages, and besides training, we also do fun things like trail rides.”

Who do they learn from?

Clearly, nerves aren’t the issue here. So who do they train with, and who are their role models?

Bo: “I train with Patrick van der Meer, your sports director for dressage, and Loes Corsel. My mom also helps me. My role models are Patrick, Dinja van Liere, and Charlotte Fry.”
Lisa: “I train with Ton Verhoeven and Loes as well. My role model is Dinja van Liere – she rides with such subtle aids, her horses are beautifully developed, and she has such an elegant seat.”
Floor: “I train with my mother, Carola Kulik, and we receive national squad training from Loes Corsel. My mother is my role model, but I also love watching Charlotte Fry. With Lottie, you can barely see the aids – it’s amazing.”

Bella Rosa, Icecream & Gentle

They may be young, but they answer every question with ease – sometimes with a little help from dad (Lisa) or mom (Bo and Floor). When we ask about their horses, their faces light up.

Floor: “I’ll be riding Bella Rosa, a very sweet, dark bay mare, 20 years old and 1.70 m tall. She always tries her best. I’ve been riding her for six months – we bought her especially for my final Children year. Her sire is Belissimo M, and we hope to move into the Juniors together.”
Lisa: “My horse is Icecream, a 12-year-old mare by Negro. She’s white and 1.69 m tall. She’s very sweet and saves all her energy for me – when she’s not working, she loves to relax.”
Bo: “I’ll be riding Gentle van Wittenstein (by Wittenstein), a 14-year-old chestnut mare, 1.64 m tall. She’s super sweet, but also very spirited.”

Favorite shows

Despite their young age, they’ve already seen a lot of shows. We ask which are their favorites.

Bo: “Indoor Brabant and the Dutch National Championships in Ermelo. Indoor Brabant for the high grandstands and the incredible atmosphere.”
Lisa: “I’d say Lier and also the Nationals in Ermelo. I love the huge, beautifully decorated arena in Lier.”
Floor’s favorite is the 2024 European Championships in Opglabeek.

Horse welfare

Horse welfare is a vital topic in our sport. Since these young riders are the future, we ask for their views.

Lisa: “I think the conversation around this is very important. A sport horse should also get to be a horse – it deserves a life outside the ring, like time in the field. That’s exactly what we give ours.”
Bo: “Our horses get everything we believe they need – trips to the forest, massages, Bemer blanket treatments… we do everything for them.”
Floor: “I think it’s incredibly important that my horses are happy and comfortable. If they’re happy, so am I.” Respect, girls – keep it up!

In 3 words

For a lighter touch, we ask the girls to describe their equestrian lives in just three words.

Floor: “Fun, competitions, love.”
Bo: “Dream, amazing, joy.”
Lisa: “Friends, shows, enjoyment.”

That says it all. From the very first question, it was clear: horses are number one. But they’re still young and rely on their parents to support their ambitions.

Lisa’s father: “We enjoy Lisa’s passion and are just as committed as she is. We’re not from the horse world, but we are very sporty people. We had to get used to it, but Lisa sacrifices a lot, and we’re proud of how she’s doing.”
Bo’s mother: “It takes up a lot of time, but we love it. I ride myself too, but I’ve stepped back a bit to support Bo.”
Floor’s mother: “I enjoy everything about Floor and her horses. Her passion is ours, too. We keep the horses at home – it’s wonderful. I love watching her train while I cook dinner. It’s always been special and only gets more so.”

Closing words

We let the main characters finish the interview with a final thought – a question they had to reflect on for a moment, but their answers were well worth the wait.

Bo: “Our sport is the most beautiful sport there is. I really hope I get to ride at CHIO and I’m counting down the days. I also want to say thank you for including me in this interview.”
Floor: “I want to once again stress the importance of horse welfare if we want to continue our sport. I really dislike the negativity surrounding it. I also hope to ride in Rotterdam and want to thank you for this conversation. I hope to show you a lovely test in June.”
Lisa: “I agree with Bo and Floor. I also want to say that I’m very happy with where I am now. It’s gone fast and I’m enjoying every second. I’m counting the days to CHIO and hope lots of people come watch the Children class on Saturday afternoon.”

Bo, Floor, and Lisa in our 3 words? Young, ambitious, respectful.

Thanks for this wonderful conversation, girls! Just thirteen years old, yet so dedicated and clear about your goals – truly inspiring. Best of luck with your observation competitions, and hopefully we’ll see you at the 76th CHIO Rotterdam!