Equestrian sport – In Veeningen, 550 combinations from 20 different countries will start in the international jumping competition for young people over the next five days. Participants between the ages of 12 and 22, who are the cream of the crop in Europe, take action.
“We can lose 550 horses here, so we are really full”, reacts competition director Michel Broek. “We have signed a contract for two years with an option for another year. So the intention is that we will hold this European youth competition here in the coming years.”
Between all the international jumping violence we meet Wesley de Boer (16) from Nieuwleusen. Practically speaking, he drives a home race in Veeningen. He is the son of show jumping rider Marcel de Boer, who runs his own trading stable in Nieuwleusen. Wesley will start in Veeningen with a total of three horses in the individual competition for the next five days.
During the show jumping competition, the four best riders per country also compete against each other in a Nations Cup. But De Boer does not belong to that select group of riders this time.
“This is one of the most important matches for the national coach. The best team runs here. And I would like to perform here in order to be part of that team again in the future,” explains De Boer. He feels perfectly at home in Veeningen. “I’ve been coming here since I was a kid for the big races and it’s very nice that I can now ride here with the youth.”
Today De Boer competed with two horses: Sisi and Icarinda. De Boer stays clear with both horses. He is eighth fastest with Sisi and ninth with Icarinda among all the international violence. A total of 93 combinations will start in the junior competition.
“There was a line that I thought I could have done with one less canter jump with Sisi, but otherwise it went very well and I am satisfied,” concludes De Boer.
The international show jumping competition in Veeningen will last until Sunday.
View here with which ambitions Wesley de Boer from Nieuwleusen is at the start of the international showjumping competition: