Dromelot van Helvoort from Drunen became world champion Icelandic horses in Switzerland on Sunday. The 19-year-old cannot completely believe it. A few months ago it seemed that she couldn’t even go to the World Cup, because her horse had sustained an injury.
“My horse sustained an injury a few months ago,” says the brand new world champion. That seemed to jeopardize her World Cup dream, until Dromelots mother came up with a solution. “My mother gave her place at the World Cup in Switzerland for me, so that I could try to qualify again on her horse.”
Dromelot normally runs on Rokkur Frá Ytra-Vallholti. Valerie, the mother of Dromelot, drives on Glymjandi Frá íbishóli. The choice to let Dromelot ride on Valerie’s horse was not an easy one. “Of course I think it is a shame that my mother could not have the World Cup experience, as I have had it now. Fortunately she was there,” says Dromelot.
In addition, it was not certain that Dromelot could take action with her mother’s horse at the World Cup. She had to qualify again. “I had two games to collect enough points together to place me with Mama’s horse,” she explains. “I succeeded at the Dutch Championship in July.”
“Mama does everything for me.”
Dromelots parents used to rode both horse. They introduced their daughter to the sport. Her mother said earlier that during Dromelot’s pregnancy she just kept driving a horse: “And as soon as she could sit, we put her on a horse for the first time.” The love for Icelandic horses is therefore very deep with the Van Helvoort family.
The fact that she has become world champion on her mother’s horse gives the title a special charge. “Mama does everything for me. She is part of my crew and helps me enormously.”
It was still very exciting during the Sunday final in Switzerland. Dromelot was in fifth place in the rankings after the first two parts. “I didn’t know if it would work out, that’s why I immediately left the job after the last part. Mama was waiting for me with a few other people. At that moment I didn’t know the result and then Mama stuck one finger in the air. I shouted,” What? “I just didn’t believe I had won.”
“My phone has exploded.”
In the last test, Dromelot managed to win an eight, so that she came first in the rankings. “I noticed that the last test went very well for me. Mama’s horse is incredibly good at the ‘loose rein’ part. I could really trust the horse as a result. But I would not have expected that I would be world champion.”
Her father was still in the stands at that time. “Everyone there went crazy when they saw the scores coming in.” The congratulations still flow in on Sunday afternoon. “My phone has exploded.” Dromelot does not yet realize that she has become world champion. She will first recover and let everything sink.
When asked if she wants to go to the World Cup again in two years, there is no doubt. “But with my own horse and on another part,” concludes the world champion.
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