Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann's former top horse Goja (Wandor van de Mispelaere x Palestro van de Begijnakker) has left the German rider's stable, and it will be the 14-year-old Spanish rider Carlos Borho Giron taking over the reins.
The now 16-year-old gelding has been with Meyer-Zimmermann since 2013, and the pair has had lots of success together – being part of the German A-squad for many years. In 2016, the two were on the winning German team in the Longines FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona and during their years together they also won CSIO5* Nations Cups at venues such as Hickstead and Sopot, as well as finishing on the podium in many five-star Grand Prix classes.
In an update on her social media channels yesterday, Meyer-Zimmermann wrote:
"Thank you Goja!
Yesterday I had to say goodbye to my long-time friend and success horse Goja. This was a difficult day for all of us and there were many tears!
Goja is an exceptional horse!
His way of jumping is anything but classic, but he is a horse that loves jumping, that I could always count on a 100% percent and that flew with me over the highest courses in the world like they were little cavalettis.
He came to my stable at 7 years old and together we made it back to the A-team after the retirement of my Cellagon Lambrasco.
We have travelled the world together as friends and were placed in the 5* Grand Prix of Aachen, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Doha, St. Gallen, Vienna, Brussels, Barcelona, Villach, Mannheim.
We won the Nations Cup Final for Germany and were double clear and victorious in many Nations Cups, for example in Hickstead, Falsterbo and Sopot.
Together we won the Riders Tour and we were between the top, or could canter away from the competitors, in many Grand Prix classes like in Wiesbaden, Neumünster, Hagen, Paderborn, Oliva, Luhmühlen….
The quick jump-offs were a lot of fun for both of us!
But also, all the way, the last 9 years – the daily training with Goja's seemingly endless urge to move and his very special personality, which pulled our whole team under his spell!
Me and all of us at Hof Waterkant miss you already!
At this point I would also like to thank Goja's long-time owner, our friend and partner Jürgen Fitschen, for trusting and providing me with this extraordinary horse for so many years!
The decision to send our long-time four-legged partner out of the stable was very difficult, but we are sure that Goja will have a wonderful life as a future teacher with our friends the Borho-family at MET Oliva and gets a very talented young rider in Carlos Borho Junior.
Goja likes to be in the warm weather, likes large spaces and loves walking through the water at the beach at the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour in Oliva Nova.
I will visit him often and keep my fingers crossed for the new pair and stand by!"