So many memories! Following last week's announcement of Emerald van ’t Ruytershof's (Diamant de Semilly x Carthago) retirement, we have collected all our favourite photos of one of our all-time favourite horses. 

Emerald van ’t Ruytershof has had a long and successful career. With Harrie Smolders in the saddle, the stallion was Vice Champion at the 2016 World Cup Final in Gothenburg as well as a finalist at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero. Emerald has some impressive victories on his record, such as the CSI5* Grand Prix of Bordeaux in 2018, the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Chantilly in 2017 and the World Cup of Washington in 2015. The pair also contributed to Dutch Nations Cups wins in Rotterdam in 2016, in Falsterbo in 2015 as well as in Aachen and Gijon in 2013.

Emerald van ’t Ruytershof will now focus on his breeding career, but with several of his offspring already competing at the highest level of the sport there is not much left to prove for the 15-year-old stallion. Igor (Emerald x Nabab de Reve) and Jos Verlooy jumped on the Belgian team at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon in 2018, while Jeunesse van 't Paradijs (Emerald x Heartbreaker) is very successful under Lorenzo de Luca, Imerald van 't Voorhof (Emerald Van't Ruytershof x Bacardi-Orange De Muze) under Paul O'Shea, Sea Coast Kira under Gudrun Patteet (Emerald Van't Ruytershof x Querlybet Hero) – just to mention a few of his famous offspring coming through at the highest level of the sport. And for sure there will be more!

And, with this photo tribute the team at World of Showjumping wishes Emerald the happiest of retirements! 

All photos © World of Showjumping by Jenny Abrahamsson.