Sophie Reef's Charming Lady Passed Away

Dressage

The Netherlands

Sophie Reef had to say a sudden goodbye to her most successful competition horse in her career, so far: Charming Lady.

Charming Lady was an 18-year old KWPN mare by Painted Black out of Tanja (by Krack C x Amulet). She was bred by J & B Naber and was originally named Chantal.

Renken and Nieuwenhuis

The bay mare was initially competed up to Intermediaire II level by Katja Renken-van der Lubbe. She rode her first Inter II test in March 2017 and by June was showing at national Grand Prix level.

Jeanine Nieuwenhuis received the ride on the mare in February 2018 with the plan to have her sold. She premiered her in the Inter II in April, scoring a winning 69,56%. In the autumn of 2018 she showed her in national Under 25 classes.

Sophie Reef

The Reef family acquired the mare for 700,000 euro as the price highlight of the 2019 Excellent Dressage Sales auction.

Reef was at the time based in Germany and riding for Germany but in 2021 declared for The Netherlands. She also studied at Radboud University in Nijmeghen at the time.

Reef debuted the mare internationally in the Under 25 division at the 2019 CDI Riesenbeck. Half a year later they showed at the 2020 CDI Lier after which a 3-year break from international showing followed.

They returned at the 2023 CDI-U25 Geestenen and in 2024 had their best season. After winning the short Grand Prix at the CDI Tolberg, she clinched a spot on the Dutch team for the 2024 European Under 25 Championships in St. Margarethen, Austria. There they won team bronze and placed 8th in the individual test and 12th in the Kur.

She trains with Joyce Heuitink, Monique Peutz and Sabine Egbers.

Retirement

In January this year Reef announced the retirement of Charming Lady as the mare had sustained an injury. She was retired to the field with her mom's older horse.

Unfortunately Reef announced that Charming Lady has now passed away. "From Piaff Förderpreis wins and team Germany to a European Championships medal and team Netherlands. We did it all! You were a once-in-a-lifetime horse! We tried everything to save you but sadly it was not meant to be," she posted.

Reef told Eurodressage that the mare had been home for a few months when she sustained an injury in the paddock, which turned out to be too severe for her to have a comfortable life.

"We had made plans for a foal and had bred her, but it didn't work out due to the accident," Reef explained. "She never really recovered from it. It was a horrible decision. She did not deserve this because she should have enjoyed the field for years to come." Sophie looks back with great gratitude on her time with Charming Lady. "I'm incredibly proud of what we have accomplished. She was a super special horse with an incredible temperament for sport. She always gave 1000%."