Janika Sprunger’s Bacardi VDL (Corland x Kannan) has been sold to Stal Tops, and left the Swiss rider yesterday for his new home in the Netherlands.
Recently, Sprunger and the 13-year-old stallion won the CSI5* World Cup in Dubai as well as ending third in the CSI5* World Cup in Sharjah. Last year, the two were double clear in the CSIO5* Nations Cups in Rotterdam and Rome – and they were also part of the Swiss team at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon.
“Bacardi is an exceptionally talented horse, and I am very grateful to have had the chance to ride him,” Sprunger comments to World of Showjumping. “At this moment, it is of course a big loss for me because I only had Bacardi for the top sport. On the other hand, to only have one horse for the bigger classes and championships with no others as back-up is very difficult – and as the rest of my horses are not ready at that level this was a factor in the owner’s decision to sell.”
“For sure I am sad to lose a horse like him, but building up young horses for the big sport is also a part of my job. The plan is to re-invest in new horses with Bacardi’s owner. We have done this successfully quite a few times, and I already have a new 9-year-old called King Edward that he has bought for me to ride. It looks like a very promising horse,” Sprunger says. “Hopefully, I can have a string of horses ready in a year’s time that makes it possible for me to catch up with the big sport again.”
“For the moment the plan is that Edwina (Tops-Alexander) will ride Bacardi, and I hope that will stay the case,” Sprunger closes off.
Text and photo © World of Showjumping