I don’t know which word could truly capture my feelings, but there are so many I could use… Genius, warrior… But all I really want to say is THANK YOU.
Thank you, Nevados, for everything you’ve given me. Thank you, Nevados, for everything you’ve given to an entire team throughout your career. To everyone you’ve met and who has cared for you. I’m especially thinking of Sylvain and Pauline, who have been with you since the very beginning. It’s already been 10 years since you came into our lives—10 years of happiness, success, and so many victories.
From a very young age, you were already among the best, with your precocious talent and your title as 7-Year-Old World Champion. After that, very few horses can boast the same accomplishments as you: you competed in every major championship—Olympic Games, World Championships, and European Championships, crowned by a European Champion title and a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. You also shone in multiple finals: in Barcelona (Nations Cup Finals, with two podium finishes), in Prague (Global Champions League Final, also with two podium finishes). You competed in most of the 5* Grand Prix events (World Cup, Rolex, CSIO, Global Champions Tour), winning the 5* Grand Prix in Windsor, Valkenswaard... You represented Belgium countless times with clear rounds and podium finishes (Rome, La Baule, Aachen, Hickstead…).
You were just as strong in tight arenas like Prague (the only double clear in the 2019 Final) as in large venues like Aachen, where you placed third in the legendary Grand Prix in 2021. Your performances left an indelible mark on the sport. Let’s not forget what you gave to Belgium, like your double clear in Rotterdam in 2019, which earned the country its only gold medal in championship history. And I’ll never forget the bronze medal you brought back from Tokyo, once again with the Belgian team.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without your owners, who entrusted me with your sporting career. Thank you to the Nevados Group, including my loyal owners Judith Goelkel, Jorn Longem, and Evergates Stables, who made the dream of securing you a reality five years ago, with the Olympic dream in mind.
Even though, at nearly 17 years old, you are still in great shape and full of spirit, it is now time to say goodbye to the sport and enjoy a well-deserved retirement. You will, of course, stay with us, and we will continue to care for you as we always have. And most importantly, you will enjoy this retirement while being made available to breeders as a fresh stallion starting with the 2025 season.
There’s no better way to say goodbye than during the magnificent Malines jumping event at the end of December, at this great World Cup event in Belgium. You, who have given so much to Belgian sport.
See you on Sunday, December 29, around 10 p.m., for one final lap of honor filled with emotion…
