1/2 Myrthe and Marit visit Indoor Brabant / dressage at Dutch Masters Indoor Brabant (photo: ANP).
As a lover of equestrian sports, Daphne (12) from Mierlo thought it would be fun to see the world top in jumping and dressage in action. The matches of The Dutch Masters made a big impression on the Mierlose on Saturday. “This is special to experience live.” She was certainly not the only one in the Brabanthallen, because this weekend there are 8,000 spectators per day.
Suze (10) and Isis (12) from Helmond enjoy top sport to the fullest. And if the sisters are having a good time, so is mother Eline. “They have created something very beautiful here. The tickets are very expensive, but they have paid off big time. Nice to see all those people who love this sport, although for some it is also a matter of seeing and being seen.”
Myrthe and Marit Meijer (21) are at Indoor Brabant for the first time, as most Dutch people know The Dutch Masters. “We saw this event on social media and we really wanted to go. It looks fantastic, they have worked hard to convert the Brabanthallen like this.”
“You have to push the right buttons at the right time.”
The twin sisters from Zutphen compete in dressage at a recreational level. “We have seen the world’s top at work, and you can only admire that. It takes an incredible amount of time to reach this level. There are so many things you can teach a horse, but you have to act at the right time turning the right buttons. And also in front of such a large audience, that is something different than training quietly between four walls.”
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Paul from Oirschot has been coming to Indoor Brabant for decades. “The cows used to be in the hall here on Wednesdays during the cattle market and a few days later Indoor Brabant took place. You see it getting bigger every year. Yes, that requires more commerce, otherwise it would no longer be affordable.”
He was active in both dressage and jumping. “I had to stop due to a back injury. But I don’t want to miss Indoor Brabant for a year. The level is so high, it’s wonderful to watch.”
“When I said I was into equestrian sports, I was sometimes laughed at.”
His wife is also a real enthusiast and admires the riders. “When I used to say that I did equestrian sports, I was sometimes laughed at. That’s not a sport, people would say. But do you think you can just sit down and let your horse do the work? It’s a teamwork between you and the animal, that requires an enormous investment of time.”
“Other sports can learn something from this.”
Bram from Den Bosch has nothing to do with equestrian sports, but spends an afternoon with his son along the track. “What a beautiful world, the stands are full. They all treat each other with respect, other sports can learn something from that.”
On Sunday, live broadcast of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping from 3 p.m. on Omroep Brabant TV/web/app and Brabant+.
On Saturday evening you can watch the highlights of the spectacular derby via web, app, TV and Brabant+.
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