Police Investigates Pick-up of Tommie Visser's Vingino

Fri, 04/04/2014 - 17:12
Dutch Dressage News

The Dutch police has investigated the dramatic pick-up of Dutch A-team Grand Prix horse Vingino which ensued from a disagreement between rider Tommie Visser and owner Margriet van Beelen.

On 3 April 2014 Visser posted on Facebook that his horse was taken from his yard by force by owner Van Beelen, following a dispute over a potential sale of the horse.  Van Beelen is the sole owner of the horse.

Visser's side of the story is that "they came to pick up Vingino with ten people.  They struck my father and a girl in the stable with chains and pipes." Van Beelen told the press that "we were just picking up my horse and then Tommie Visser's father shot at us."

Dutch equestrian magazine De Hoefslag posted today that the police came to the scene at 22h00 last night after the horse was filed as stolen. So far fifteen people have been arrested, ten men and five women.

"We are investigating what happened exactly," the head of the police told the Dutch TV station RTL. "The horse has been found in good health and is currently at an undisclosed location." The police added that "no evidence has been found of a shooting. There were no people injured." However, on the premises a mini-van was found with potential bullet shots in the window (see photo here).

Early this morning the police also told the Dutch newspaper Haarlems Dagblad that on the premises of Visser's stable they also discovered a marijuana plantation. The police did not want to reveal how many plants were found, but they have now been destroyed.

Photo © Astrid Appels

Related Link
Tommie Visser's Vingino Taken "by Force" From Stable by Co-Owner