Joyce Heuitink: looking back with a smile
The medals of the Longines FEI European Championships Jumping, Dressage and Para Dressage are divided. The riders, horses and other team members have arrived home safely and can look back on an exciting event. We speak a number of key players of these European Championships. Big names in dressage and show jumping have given their opinion earlier, but at the Longines FEI European Championships in Rotterdam there was also Para Dressage. It is about time that (winning 9 medals) the most successful chef d'equipe Joyce Heuitink speaks.
“Above all it was a very nice European Championship, where I have walked a lot.” Heuitink begins her story. “I think it was very well organized for the para riders too. Only the distances were perhaps a bit long. All riders, but also the para’s were on the road all day. And if they also wanted to go to the boulevard, they would have had a full day”, she says laughing.
Helpful
“The whole venue and not the least the Para Dressage Arena, looked great. I think that safety has been carefully considered, also for the blind rider who participated in this Para Dressage Championship. Those extra points of attention have been picked up very well and were supported by everyone. That is certainly worth a compliment. Furthermore, the meeting and drawing rooms were very convenient and beautiful. Normally those are messy places, but now it was all well organized. The stewards were also very helpful. It was just fun to work together like this. ”
Main Arena
“The award ceremony in the Rotterdam Arena was a great fun. It is nice to note that Para Dressage was seen as equivalent and that there was full integration. In retrospect, looking at the programme there was some space in the main arena and it would have been nice if we could also rode there. But there was a nice atmosphere throughout the week. I look back at a very pleasant, well-organized championship leaving me a great feeling and where I had a great time”, said the chef d'equipe who brought the Netherlands on top of the Medal Tally.
photo credits: Danielle Vink