Brother Fortune Equestrian Belgium, happy anniversary!
Last year, with the news of starting “Brother Fortune Equestrian Belgium”, there was a news item of it on the national Belgian Television Eén . We have built a team of riders in Europe to support the Chinese junior rider You Zhang, and we have created a system to sell more horses to China. Brother Fortune Equestrian, helps to prefinance the horses. Our BFE riders can compete with these horses in China, and that has been the best publicity with really good results till now. So the Chinese riders can buy horses in China, and they are winning time. Where they normally should come to Belgium to try some horses. It always takes 4 months between having an idea to buy a horse, and that the horse located in Europe would be transported to China. A transport like that, means always 2 months of quarantine. We have a good partership with European Horse Services (EHS), to help to transport the horses from Belgium to China, so no worries on that point.Transport is one thing, but education is also important. The partnership of BFE with the “Vlaamse Liga Paardensport” (VLP), will help to give more education and structure to the Chinese riders and Clubs.
The first exams, with the official coaches/instructors of VLP in China was a success. There are several programs to educate riders, and send them as coaches to other riding schools. During their visit, the Chinese national television has made a reportage about this collaboration. It’s important that the transported horses, can get also the best care and food. There are Belgian blacksmiths, veterinarians, horse – dentists, who went several times last year to China. Cavalor has also reached agreements, for horsefood and supplements.
The Chinese BFE riders in China and the guest riders/coaches out of Europe have done a good job. A special thanks to Mr Ha Dati.
In the mean time, our BFE riders in Belgium have made a lot of progress.
We have got to thank Dirk Demeersman for all his efforts. Let’s remember the 2nd place for You Zhang in the 1.45m LR in Sentower, and a victory in an international class in CSI** Lier. At this moment, we can find You Zhang on placd 1236 of the LR FEI Longines ranking, that means top 20 of the Chinese riders. He’s only 17 years old.. Last year, we were thinking about a possibility for You Zhang to try to go to the Olympics in 2024 or 2028. Some new horses have been bought recently, and there is a possibility that You Zhang would go to the selections for Tokyo 2020 next year. For sure, he can count on our support. But it will be Dirk Demeersman who will make that schedule. There is no rush…
Jeroen De Winter and Thibeau Spits can also be really satisfied with their season. We will never forget the gold medal of Jeroen with Mistic (6 years old) on the World Breeding Championships in Lanaken . The gold medal for Thibeau and Jericho with the junior team on the European Championships in Fontainebleau will always stay in our memories.
The good results with Karmelita, Cleopatra and Gretel S, have brought Jeroen De Winter to number 583 on the Longines World ranking. Also Thibeau Spits did a great jump forward from place 919 to 587 ! There were some good results on 1.45m classes for Thibeau with Zafira in China, and with Belissimo, Jericho, Juragold and Jacobien in Europe.
Also Marthe Van Gorp did some good results with a top 20 place individually on the European Poney Championships.
Patrik Spits was an important part of the year in China, helping with the horses in the BFE project. He also did an amazing job in finding the horses for the Military Games, a project where BFE will take care of the services, finding the good horses was our responsability.
Met de goede service van EHS (European Horse Service), zullen deze 30 paarden op maandag 10 december naar China vliegen, vanuit de luchthaven van Luik.
And that’s why next Monday 10th of December, 30 horses of that project will leave from EHS tot he airport in Liège and leav to the Wuhan University.
Our BFE riders Lieven Devos, Patrik Spits and Jeroen De Winter will compete in the CSI** Jumping Mechelen. You Zhang, Thibeau Spits and Marthe van Gorp will start in the international junior/youngriders competition. Our youngest BFE Riders Zuo Zhang, Catherine Spits and Lauranne Spits will compete in the national poney classes and junior/children classes.
A big thank for the friendship, support and everything to Mr Wang, family Zhang, and the people who work for BFE or Beijing Office.
And last but not least, thanks to Jennie Fu. Our Chinese friend, who is the one who brought Patrik Spits and Mr Wang in contact. She was sure about the possibility of success in this project. Because Patrik had an injury in April 2017, he had made the time for a first meeting with Mr Wang in China. The rest is history, a story of supporting each other, friendship, and good contracts with respect for each other, and respect for the horses.
We hope to see you all in Jumping Mechelen from 26 to 30 of December. Or maybe from 3 till 6th of January, then Patrik Spits, Jeroen De Winter and some Chinese BFE riders are competing in Guanghzou. Also Kelly Jochems for the Netherlands will join them.
