Erin Williams' British junior riders' team horse Fleurie has been retired from international competition. The 15-year old Hanoverian mare is now working as a stay-at-home schoolmaster for a friend of the family.
Fleurie is by Florestan x Akzent II and was first ridden into the spotlight by Swedish Stefan Jansson, who won the Swedish Young Horse Championships with her five years in a row (4 to 7 year old). In 2009 Sven Rothenberger bought her for his daughter Sanneke, but quickly sold the mare to his father-in-law, the late Adri Gordijn, as a junior riders horse for Antoinette te Riele. Antoinette won team bronze at the 2011 European Junior Riders Championships in Broholm, Denmark, and finished sixth in the Kur to Music Finals. The Williams family bought Fleurie right after the 2011 European Championships.
Erin and Fleurie gained mileage and experience together in 2012 and 2013 at the CDI's in Addington and Roosendaal as Williams was still focusing on ponies. In 2014 she made the definite switch to junior riders and showed Fleurie with success in Addington, Nieuw en St. Joosland and Saumur before representing Great Britian at the 2014 European Junior Riders Championships in Arezzo, Italy. They finished fifth with the team but individually they landed a 48th place after an unexpectedly disappointing ride in which the pair was not on the same wavelength in the individual test. It was Fleurie's final show.
"We decided to retire her from international competition as we felt she wasn't working well with the pressure," Erin told Eurodressage. "She's now enjoying a quieter life as a school mistress for a friend with the view to having babies in future."
Fleurie is awaiting a new career as a broodmare but so far she has not been bred yet. Interestingly, the Williams family owns the liver chestnut Swedish warmblood yearling Fleur de Lis, a filly by Bretton Woods out of Fleurie's full sister. "She has legs like Feurie, so it's very exciting," Erin added.
Erin is continuing her international show career as a British junior rider squad member with the 12-year old Dutch warmblood gelding Waverly (by Polansky), the 9-year old Dutch warmblood gelding Bolsan B (by Sandro Hit x Gribaldi), the 9-year old Dutch warmblood Sonny (by Sandro hit x Gribaldi), and the 9-year old Dutch warmblood Billionaire (by Romanov x Donnerhall).
Photos © Astrid Appels
Related Links
Eurodressage Photo Database: Fleurie
Antoinette te Riele's Fleurie Sold to Erin Williams
British Teams Selected for 2014 European Junior and Young Riders Championships