May 16, 2021
Wylster 463 with Leonie Evink at the Stallion Inspection 2020 (Photo: Remco Veurink)
Last weekend, after some urging from her regular crew, Leonie Evink decided to take the plunge and started her KFPS Studbook stallion Wylster 463 (Rindert 406 x Rypke 321) in the Grand Prix at a competition in Urk. ‘I was actually planning to start Hors Concours but the people around me convinced me that I might just as well ride officially. I had some doubts but in the end decided to try my luck. And now I’m so happy I did! We got 61.08%, there’s still a lot of room for improvement, but we’ve made a start.’
Secretly hoping
Wylster 463, approved as stud stallion in 2010, initially turned out to be exceptionally talented for showdriving. That’s how he entered the CE and in the past years he has distinctively proven to be a first-rate showdriving horse. He went on to become a huge collector of winning points in the national Honorary Class! Not every one had expected him to embark on an impressive journey towards the highest top in dressage. ‘I had already secretly been hoping that we would be able to get that far. The first stud stallion to reach the highest level in showdriving sports as well as in dressage sports’, Leonie says with pride. Indeed, it demonstrates the outstanding class of this stallion. A few years ago Olgert 445 was similarly successful, but he was mainly active in regional showdriving sports.
Not that easy
‘The biggest challenge for him were the canter changes. It took us a long time to practise those, but now it’s well-established. Our main focus now is fine-tuning collection work in piaffe and passage. Riding Grand Prix is pretty difficult’, Leonie admits. ‘Riding the separate exercises is no longer a problem, but stringing them all together is not that easy. Wylster and I have been a combination for nearly ten years now, whereas I was only meant to ride him temporarily when we started. I’m so grateful to his owners Germ Aise and Nynke Bouma for giving me the chance to ride their stallion and giving us everything we need to progress.’
A joy every single day
This first score gives Leonie a taste for more. ‘I can feel that there is still room for improvement. He’s in wonderful condition and we both enjoy our rides every day. He has mastered all the exercises and has a great mentality. Now it’s the little things we have to work on. Eighteen months ago I wouldn’t have dreamt of ever getting this far. Back then I really believed we had reached out limit but it has all turned out quite differently.’
