Jochen Arl Sells Vitus as Asian Games and L.A. Olympic Hopeful to Saudi Arabia

Dressage

Hungary

Jochen Arl has sold Hungarian team horse Vitus as an Asian Games and L.A. Olympic hopeful to Saudi Arabia.

Vitus is a 12-year old Westfalian gelding by Vitalis out of Bella Donna (by Brentano II x Likoto xx). He is bred by Michael and Wilhelm Rüther-Rhode and owned by the Arl family.

Hungarian Team Horse

At the start of 2025 German horse dealer Jochen Arl allocated the ride on Vitus to German based Hungarian Maté Garai.

The new pair debuted internationally at the CDI Aachen Festival 4 Dressage, then headed to the CDI-W Mariakalnok where they won the Grand Prix and Special, before gaining mileage in Wiesbaden, Deauville, and Achleiten. They were nominated on the Hungarian team for the 2025 European Championships in Crozet, where they were Hungary's best scoring duo.

The Path Ahead

Garai and Arl high-five at the CDI-W Mariakalnok

Arl offered the 34-year old Garai the opportunity to retain the ride on Vitus with the 2026 World Championships in Aachen and the 2028 Olympic Games ahead, but the young professional preferred a different road.

"Maté has other plans for his future and I have to accept his decision. Of course I wish him all the best," said the 73-year old Jochen.

As a busy horse scout jochen wanted to celebrate his 75th birthday and 60-year long career at the L.A. Olympics. Most recently he has been turning his attention to investing in show jumping horses, as well, together with Dutch jumper Logan Fiechter.

"Of course I stay very connected with the dressage world and my network of clients," Arl explained, "but I'm also having a lot of fun with these show jumpers and it's something new and exhilarating on top."

Saudi Arabia

Vitus has been sold to the Saudi Arabia Equestrian Federation to support Sara Baban on her journey to the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya (JPN) and the 2028 Olympics Games in Los Angeles (USA).

While show jumping is thriving in Saudi Arabia, dressage sport is still in its infancy. In the hopes of developing equestrian sport across all disciplines, Saudi federations are now initiating a project to support dressage riders and Vitus is their first investment.

The 48-year old Baban is based in Brussels and has been competing for Saud Arabia in show jumping since 2010. She made her international debut in dressage at the CDI Riyadh in December 2024. She will be training Vitus at Van Olst Horses in the Netherlands under the supervision of Danish Olympian Anne van Olst and British Olympian Lottie Fry.

Sarah and Vitus