Agatha van der Lei Loses Ride on Grand Prix Horse Caron

Dressage

The Netherlands

Dutch Grand Prix rider Agatha van der Lei has lost the ride on her number one horse, Caron.

After a partnership of five years, the Grand Prix horse will became the Young Riders horse of 18-year old Noa van Rijbroek.

Caron is a 13-year old Dutch warmblood gelding by Florencio out of Zveva Lonka (by Goodtimes x Colway Bold xx). He is bred by Jenarc BV in The Netherlands.

Debutant Duo

The horse was originally named Caron RT but has been competed with the owner prefix VRB Group's Caron.

Van der Lei began riding Caron for owner Marc van Rijbroek five years ago and the pair made its international show debut in July 2018 at the CDI Hickstead. It was a first time international for both rider and horse.

From there, the duo competed at CDi's in Waregem, Le Mans and Stuttgart. In 2019 the pair went full steam ahead and competed at no less than 11 CDI's in twelve months time. They rode in Lier, Dortmund, Nieuw en St. Joosland, Mannheim, Hamburg, Wiesbaden, Donaueschingen, Waregem, Flyinge, Exloo and Salzburg. Their personal best score was 70.522% achieved in the Mannheim Grand Prix. In 2019 they also finished 12th at the Dutch Grand Prix Championships.

In the 2020 corona year, the pair rode at the last CDI right before the European lockdown, CDI Dortmund, where they finished 15th in the Grand Prix with 68.424%.

Schoolmaster

Van Rijbroek and Cezanne de Luxe at the 2018 CDI Sopot

Caron will now became the schoolmaster for the owner's daughter, Dutch young rider Noa van Rijbroek.

"I get asked by many people if I'm still riding Caron and it is right that after five years we are no longer a combination. It hurts incredibly," said Van der Lei. "We walked a long road together and achieved much and seen many things. Caron is my dearest friend. However, after a good conversation with the owner, Noa van Rijbroek will take over the ride."

Van Rijbroek has gained international show experience as a pony rider in 2017 and 2018. She campaigned ponies Bugatti (by Mikel x Corso) and Cezanne de Luxe (by Champion de Luxe x Domingo) at shows across Europe. Her last international start was the CDI Sopot in Poland, where she finished twice three times in the pony division. Pony Cezanne de Luxe has been sold to Nicole Crona in Sweden.