Dinky Toy, a Westfalian gelding who competed at international Grand Prix level for France and continued as a schoolmaster for Indonesian and Thai riders, has passed away. He was 23 years old.
Dinky Toy was a 2003 born Westfalian gelding by De Kooning out of Agatha Christie (by Akzent II x Gutenberg). He was bred by Christine Kärcher.
A Life in France
The chestnut gelding was trained to Grand Prix level by the Saumur based riders Jorg Heinrich and Alain Francois.
The horse made its show debut in France as a 4-year old in 2007 under Jorg Heinrich, who rode him to a 22nd place at the French Young Horse Championships. A year later they were 10th at the 2008 Nationals and in 2009 Alain Francois rode the gelding to a 9th place in the 6-year old final. They were named first reserve for the French team for the 2009 World Young Horse Championships in Verden.
Dinky Toy continued to move up the levels, hitting small tour in 2010 and landing 5th place in the 7-year old French Championship. Their international show debut came in 2011 in Vidauban at small tour level, followed by Saumur and Vierzon. BY 2013 the pair had moved up to Grand Prix level and only once competed internationally in the big tour in Deauville in July 2013, scoring 65,106% in the Grand Prix and 63,542% in the Special.
In 2015 Dinky Toy was offered for sale in the Eurodressage equimarket.
Asian Schoolmaster
He sold into Thai ownership and became a schoolmaster for Chalermcharn "Tor" Yotviriyapanit. Tor trained with Alain Francois in 2014 (as well as with Daniel Ramseier in Germany) and had moved to Johanna von Fircks' barn in Germany in late 2015.
Dinky Toy was a professor for Tor and the horse moved to Thailand. The chestnut made his international come back at the 2019 FEI Asian Championships in Pattaya, Thailand, on loan to Indonesian team rider Dewi Kunti Njoto.
As of 2022 the FEI had Dr. Harald Link, President of the Thailand Equestrian Federation, registered as Dinky Toy's owner.
Goodbye
Yotviriyapanit announced the passing of Dinky Toy at age 23 on his Instagram.
"Dinky Toy, you are the most perfect gentleman I have ever known. You were such a calm and kind horse, always the fist one out in the morning, enjoying your favorite paddock runs," Tor wrote. "Although we spent only six years together, knowing you since 2014 during my training in France made our bond even more special, and your GP talent will never be forgotten."
Photos © A. Francois private
Related Links
Scores: 2019 FEI Asian Championships
Thai Dressage Team On The Road to the 2014 Asian Games
Scores: 2008 CDI Vierzon
Scores: 2011 CDIO Saumur
French Young Horses Selected for 2009 WCYH in Verden