Stephanie Kooijman's Winston Sold

Dressage

Dutch Dressage News

The 23-year old Stephanie Kooijman has sold her Under 25 Grand Prix horse Winston to Grecian FEI pony rider Theodora Livanos. Winston was one of The Netherlands' most successful youth riders horses the past six years.

Winston is a 13-year old Dutch warmblood gelding by OO Seven out of Paola (by Cocktail). He came to Stephanie as a 3-year old and she has trained him up to Grand Prix level with the help of coach Tineke Bartels.

Kooijman and Winston were a fixture on the Dutch junior and young riders team as of 2010. The pair competed at the 2010 and 2011 European Junior Riders Championships in Kronberg and Broholm, where they got team silver and bronze. As a young rider she represented The Netherlands at the 2012, 2013 and 2014 European Young Riders Championships. They won team gold in 2012, 2013 and team silver in 2014. Kooijman's career highlight was at the 2013 Europeans where she also got individual silver and kur bronze.

In 2015 Kooijman and Winston only competed at the internationals in Roosendaal. They were back on the Dutch team for the 2016 European Under 25 Championships, where they got team silver and placed fifth overall.

The 23-year old Dutch rider has been experience some personal and financial set backs this year due to issues in her family and was forced to sell her horse to survive.

"I had to take one of the hardest decisions to sell my prince Winston," Kooijman wrote on her Facebook based. "I didn't want to but I had to, to keep going on and to clean house. Unfortunately too much has happened and I have to choose for the sport and myself. Winston was my star and made all my dreams come true. I'll miss him terribly, but fortunately he gets a super place with super nice people."

Winston sold to the 15-year old Swiss based and Grecian born FEI pony rider Theodora Livanos, who competed her pony Cognac IX at the 2016 European Pony Championships in Vilhelmsborg