Thierry van Reine and his 18-year-old star ACSI Harry Belafonte won bronze at his first Dutch national championships with the seniors, at the 50th Military Boekelo. “My first NC with the seniors and my first long four star! I am so terribly happy,” says Thierry van Reine.
“What a fantastic week this was, culminating in the clear round in our first 4*L together,” continues Thierry van Reine, “so proud of Harry and of my whole team. Thank you so much to everyone who supported and encouraged us during the week! I can only say, what a kick this is, on to more.”
Trainer and ACSI team member Alice Naber Lozeman also enjoyed it: “I am really mega proud of Thierry and ACSI Harry Belafonte! ACSI Harry Belafonte went clear with me in Boekelo in 2016, now he ran a clear round with Thierry! Really unbelievable! Thierry has been a combination with ACSI Harry Belafonte for three years now, Thierry is the only Dutch Young Rider to start in Boekelo now and they went around beautifully! Mega proud!”
Good start
Thierry made a good start riding a nice dressage test, very much appreciated by everyone.
About the cross-country Thierry says: “It was a fantastic experience to start in the cross-country in front of so many people! ACSI Harry Belafonte knew what was expected of him. He did absolutely his very best. For a moment it looked like we were punished one refusal but fortunately the protest from by our national coach Andrew Heffernan was granted. I chose for sure everywhere, for the alternative route according to plan. Really enjoyed it”.
Dutch national Championships
The final battle for the Dutch national championships was still exciting.
ACSI Harry Belafonte was very fit. With Thierry van Reine he had five mistakes in the showjumping. Thierry van Reine says: “I blame myself for that. Maybe it was my lack of experience. I hope to improve my performance next year and I can assure everyone that I will work hard on that!”
Thanks to his clear cross country with only time faults, he stayed ahead of teammember Sanne de Jong and won the NC bronze.
The battle for the gold and silver went between Tokyo rider Merel Blom and her Crossborder Radar Love N.O.P. and Tim Lips, who competed with the Tokyo horse Lady Chin van ‘t Moerven Z from his Chinese student Huadong Sun. Tim Lips finished 18th in the international field, was the best Dutch rider and won the NC.
Families
Father Ramon van Reine rode Boekelo several times with top horses like Rock of Massada and Golan Heights. Just like the Lozeman and Lips families, the Van Reine family was mentioned in the nice Boekelo magazine that focused on families and their Boekelo participation. Thierry was also followed by NOS sport, very nice, see the link below!
ACSI
This year ACSI once again ensured that the grooms could follow the horse entrusted to them on television during the competition in the arret near the finish, a much appreciated gesture. Also families, riders, trainers and horseowners found a good spot for watching in the arret.
The Rooky of the Year prize awarded by ACSI as encouragement went to the Swedish Lina Forsberg with Kaizen. As a debutant, she took an excellent twelfth place in the final ranking.
(With thanks to Ashley Claus for some photos and the NOS for the photos taken from the screen)
Watch the beautiful NOS-report 50 years Military Boekelo
Results Dutch National Championships
Complete results Boekelo 2021