A special meeting takes place in Balve, Germany, this week for a group of riders from the Young Rider Academy teams: Maria Madenova, Emma O’Dwyer, Francesca Ciriesi, Eoin McMahon, Giampiero Garofalo and Matt Garrigan arrived on Tuesday to experience training with Franke Sloothaak. Three days of intensive flat and jumping work to prepare well for the two-star event in Balve this coming weekend is on the program for the young riders. 

The training started Tuesday morning for the young horses with sessions of two riders each. The purpose was to diagnose the needs of each horse in order to shape a specific program for the following days. In the afternoons, the riders exercised in bigger groups with individual session as well.

"It's not riderkraft is riderkunst," said Franke "I don't want it strong, what is important for me is the balance and the leg position. I always try to make their basics better and it is amazing how these riders are interested in it and how they try to immediately experience the different tips.”

"He goes very far into the details; he is an incredible man. The thing that impressed me most is the feeling he has with the horses,” commented Francesca Ciriesi.

“It's amazing how in 10 minutes with Franke, the horse changes,” added Giampiero Garofalo during the training.

The Young Riders Academy is a program conceived for European talented young show jumpers, under the patronage of the European Equestrian Federation (EEF), with the cooperation of the International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) and the support of Rolex.

Founded in 2014 by Athenaeum, a non-profit association, the program will give talented riders between the ages of 18 and 23 the chance to get six months of training and boarding at a well-known professional stable. On top of that, professional education in communication, business and economics, veterinary and legal practice related to show jumping. The objective is to develop future champions as well as potential managers of this sport.

Source: Press release from the Young Riders Academy // Picture © Young Riders Academy