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Israeli Olympian Isabella Russekoff has announced the retirement of her Grand Prix horse Jumpy van de Hermitage (Toulon x Darco), who bows out of the top sport at the age of 16. 

Jumpy van de Hermitage jumped into the spotlight with Belgium’s Abdel Said in the saddle, who competed the gelding at the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon and at the 2019 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final in Gothenburg where the two placed 10th overall.

In 2021, Russekoff acquired Jumpy van de Hermitage and competed him successfully at five-star Grand Prix level over several seasons. 

“Before I started riding Jumpy, I never even dreamt of jumping 1.60m classes, but with his scope and honesty he made it feel easy,” Russekoff said to World of Showjumping. “He was my first 5* 1.60m horse and I could not think of a better teacher to take me around the Global Champions-circuit and other top 5* European Grand Prix classes. Jumpy will now enjoy his well-earned retirement in huge grass fields in Lexington, Kentucky.”

“Jumpy was special to me,” Said commented to World of Showjumping about his former partner. “He was a horse with an incredibly big heart who always wanted to please; he was like a giant teddy bear. He took me to my first ever top ten finish in a World Cup Final, and was such a fun and kind horse who I really enjoyed to be partnered with.”

At World of Showjumping, we wish Jumpy a very happy retirement!

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