Top riders about 77 years of CHIO Rotterdam: Yessin Rahmouni

Yessin Rahmouni is a dressage rider of Moroccan descent with dual Dutch and Moroccan nationality. He is 41 years old and was born in Haarlem. Moroccan Princess Lalla Amina purchased the horse Floresco NRW (by Florestan) to help Yessin reach the Olympics after a chance meeting with King Mohammed VI while jet-skiing. He became the first African ever to qualify for dressage at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. In Tokyo 2021, he competed with All at Once (by Ampère), and in Paris, Yessin rode a stallion owned by Willeke Bos. He also participated in the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy and, naturally, we have seen him in action at the Kralingse Bos several times.

Full-time in Horses

Yessin: “I work full-time in the horse industry with my own company, where I train horses for myself and others. I also teach a lot, though significantly less than ten years ago. Breaking my neck two years ago made me realize there’s more to the world than just horses. Currently, I still ride six to eight horses a day for De Droomhoeve, Stal 104, Stal Stouwehof, and myself.”

Unexpected

“I’ve been coming to CHIO since I was about sixteen, usually tagging along with Tommie Visser. Back then, I looked up to combinations like Imke and Sunrise, Anky and Salinero, and Coby and Ferro. I never dreamed I would ride there myself—I didn’t even dare to hope for it. I just loved horses, and through hard work and riding as well as I could, I eventually reached the top. In my early twenties—I think it was 2009—it finally happened: I was allowed to ride the Future Cup final at CHIO, an initiative for future Grand Prix riders. I was incredibly nervous, but I think I even won. My horse at the time was Only Society, and interestingly, he was later sold to the owner of my current Grand Prix horse, Kind of Magic. I think I’ve been able to start at your event four or five times now.”

Impressive

“Typical of CHIO Rotterdam is the difficult traffic around the venue, but once you’re inside, it’s more than worth it. It’s a bit of a grand entrance, let’s say. I think the event itself is fantastic. It has so much atmosphere, it’s beautiful, the people are great, and the main stadium is incredible. It’s very imposing when you ride in there, and that’s a feeling you never get used to—it gives such an adrenaline rush. I definitely plan on being there again this year. My horse is ready, and my goal is to enjoy having another horse at this level as much as possible.”

Memories

“My best memory of CHIO goes back to 2021. I achieved a score of 71.095% in the Freestyle with All at Once—it was a wonderful evening. However, winning the Future Cup was also very cool. That was the moment I felt I might actually be able to compete at the highest level. The most beautiful thing I’ve ever experienced is the journey to all the Olympics and championships with All at Once. You only realize how special it was once it’s over. That said, it’s amazing that I found a new horse in Kind of Magic so quickly who can compete at the top level; I wouldn’t have dared to dream that.”

“In my youth, besides CHIO, I often came to Rotterdam to go shopping. I still visit regularly, but now it’s to go out for dinner. We have a group of 'horse friends,' and Rotterdam is a nice central location for everyone.”

Kind of Magic

We ask Yessin to tell us about his current top horse, Kind of Magic, who may not be familiar to everyone yet. As often happens with this question, a smile appears on Yessin’s face. Yessin: “Kind of Magic is a ten-year-old gelding, and his sire is my previous top horse, All at Once. He has only competed in a few Grand Prix tests, but he handles the level like a true pro. He is very sharp and intelligent, has a great walk, does everything very easily, and is very sweet. He is owned by Joy Geerts, who has been my best friend for years and accompanies me to every competition I ride.”

Politics

Yessin and horses—it sounds as synonymous as Feyenoord and Rotterdam. We ask if he has other passions. The answer is quite surprising. Yessin: “I am very interested in politics. I watch the news whenever I can and love watching talk shows. If I wasn’t in horses, I would have gone into politics. Last time, I voted for D66, but I regret that now. I thought I was in the political center, but I recently took a test for the local elections and it suggested I was far-right—something I don’t actually recognize in myself.”

Keep Enjoying

Something else we are curious about: Yessin has ridden all over the world, so we want to know if he still has any dreams. Yessin: “Definitely. To be able to keep enjoying what I’m doing now. And, of course, to stay healthy so I can keep riding and traveling. I have my low moments sometimes, but by continuing to work hard, I always find my way out of them quickly.”

Optimistic and Emotional

Optimistic as always—that’s how we know him. Does he ever have a day without a smile? Yessin: “I think I am exactly as I come across. I am very cheerful and rarely grumpy; at the stable, they say it’s too quiet when I’m gone. However, I am easily moved; I am an emotional person. I also can’t stand people with mood swings—I try to avoid them.”

Conclusion

Clear. Our conversation with “our” cheerful Moroccan comes to an end. Yessin takes the final word: “I feel privileged to live in a country like the Netherlands, to be able to do what I do, and that you asked me for this interview. The world is on fire, yet here we are talking about our future in horses—what a wealth that is.”

Beautiful words from a genuine person. Cheerful, emotional, optimistic, but certainly serious when it counts. Thank you for your time, Yessin, and we hope to see you this June in the Kralingse Bos.