Text © World of Showjumping

Lars Kersten's home-bred mare Hallilea (VDL Zirocco Blue x Larome) has been sold, and will in the future be seen with U.S. rider Caroline Mawhinney. 

Bred by Lars' father Pieter, Hallilea has been ridden by Lars since she was five – going all the way from youngster classes to five-star level. In 2023, the two won the CSI5* 1.50m Prize KBC Bank & Verzekering in Mechelen (BEL), placed 12th in the CSI5*-W 1.60m Longines FEI Jumping World Cup of Leipzig (GER) and 6th in the CSI5* 1.60m Rolex Grand Prix in 's-Hertogenbosch (NED).

This year, they took the top honours in the CSI5*-W 1.60m Longines FEI Jumping World Cup in Gothenburg (SWE), and took part at the first Rolex Grand Slam Major of the year in 's-Hertogenbosch. 

"It was not something we had planned, it just came on our path," Lars Kersten commented to World of Showjumping about the sale. "We never really put her out for sale because that was never our intention. Hallilea means a lot to the whole family; she's really nice, really good in the sport – she is simply a top horse. However, we have to live from the horses. What was important for us was that she would go to a good home and to the right people. In Dutch, there is a saying; “Only if the right train comes” – and it did." 

"Together with Emmerton, she probably has had the biggest influence on my career," Kersten said about the 12-year-old mare. "With her it has maybe been even more special, because I have known her pretty much her whole life. We started from jumping one meter courses to in the end winning a World Cup. Obviously, she means a lot to me and to everyone in the stable. It was emotional to say goodbye, but on the other hand, I know she goes to a very good new home and I'm convinced she will make her new rider just as happy as she made me." 

"For sure Gothenburg was the main highlight," Kersten said about his most memorable moments together with the home-bred mare. "We had great results including jumping double clear and placing 6th in the Rolex Grand Prix in Den Bosch, but to win my first five-star World Cup in a place like Gothenburg was something very special; it is something I will never forget and I will be forever grateful for."

As to his own future, Kersten added: "I have a very nice string of horses, but obviously a horse like Hallilea is going to be missed. However, I hope this gives all the other horses an opportunity to step up and hopefully some of them can be our new Grand Prix horse – that is what we always try to do."