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World Dressage Masters Guide 2016

By Equine MERC

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“Vingino is an advanced-level Ravensburger puzzle”<br />

TOMMIE VISSER<br />

<strong>2016</strong><br />

“Just lots of practice. “ That is what Tommie owes his success to. Tommie: “The fact that we managed to get things<br />

sorted with Vingino in such a short space of time certainly contributed to the success.” As never before, he dances<br />

around the arena with his impressive athlete. He is a well-known face at WDM competitions, where he rides for all he<br />

is worth. WDM asked Tommie about his current and future stars.<br />

WDM GUIDE<br />

I did not think I would succeed in getting so far again with<br />

Vingino so quickly” says Tommie about their rapid inclusion in the<br />

“Initially<br />

Olympic Team. Tommie: “The swift bond is thanks to the fact that we<br />

have known each other for four years already, a horse doesn’t just forget that.”<br />

That there is a bond between them is obvious and the dream pair is better<br />

than ever. In 2015, they had successes at the WDM competitions in Mechelen,<br />

Lier and Roosendaal. Vingino is a horse with many qualities: “When Vingino<br />

enters the arena, a real horse enters the arena. Furthermore, he has a very<br />

good walk, piaffe and pirouette. I feel that we are no way near the max. Once<br />

the general base is better, then a few percentage points more can definitely be<br />

achieved.”<br />

RAVENSBURGER PUZZLE<br />

In addition to the convincing performances<br />

with Vingino, he also regularly appears in “When Vingino enters the arena,<br />

the ring with the KWPN-approved stallion<br />

Bojengel. He has ridden this star since the a real horse enters the arena.”<br />

beginning of 2015: “We have a good set<br />

of Small Tour competitions behind us. At<br />

the moment I am keeping him at home in<br />

order to train him on further for the Grand Prix. Bojengel’s character is much<br />

easier than Vingino’s. As a result I expect the training to progress much faster<br />

than the four years it took with Vingino. “Training Vingino was definitely an<br />

advanced-level Ravensburger puzzle!”<br />

Despite the fact that all competitions are planned around Rio, Tommie<br />

is certain that he will compete in a few WDM competitions. “One of the<br />

reasons that I participate in the WDM competitions is the prize money. This<br />

is quite unique in the dressage sport. The WDM competitions also have a<br />

great atmosphere and are beautifully organised. It is just a good series of<br />

competitions to ride in.”<br />

BOREDOM IS IMPOSSIBLE<br />

As well as Vingino and Bojengel the Retie-based rider has several more<br />

talented horses on the yard. Together with Rob van Puijenbroek he lives<br />

at Stoeterij de Begijnhoeve, where all the<br />

horses are stabled. One of Tommie’s future<br />

stars is the 6-year-old stallion Mac CL<br />

(Gribaldi x Havidoff), a horse owned by<br />

Cor van der Linden and Joop van Uytert:<br />

“ I have very high expectations of this<br />

stallion in the Grand Prix. I am currently<br />

training him at home until he reaches Small<br />

Tour-level, and we also have several stallion<br />

shows lined up. Furthermore they also have<br />

Heros (Vivaldi x Havidoff), a four-year-old stallion approved by the BWP. The<br />

4-year-old stallion Hilltop (Chagall x Tuschinski), who has been selected for<br />

the performance test, is also one of the talents. Tommie: “We have no time<br />

to get bored!”<br />

65

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