Text © World of Showjumping
The Rein-family's Nikka vd Bisschop (Emerald x Nabab de Reve) will in the future be seen with Nina Mallevaey. The 25-year-old French rider, who for the past three years has worked for the Rein-family, has taken over the ride on the talented 12-year-old mare who competed at the 2024 Olympic Games with Canada's Erynn Ballard.
In April 2024, Ballard and Nikka vd Bisschop made their international debut together. It did not take long before the two had success; at the end of May the pair won the CSI5* 1.60m Major League Show Jumping Grand Prix in Vancouver and they also placed second in the CSI5* 1.60m RBC Grand Prix of Canada, presented by Rolex, at Spruce Meadows in June – leading to selection for the Paris Olympics where they finished 37th individually.
Prior to Ballard partnering with Nikka vd Bisschop, the mare was ridden by Beth Underhill – who parted ways with the Rein-family in March 2024 after two-and-a-half years of collaboration. With Underhill, Nikka vd Bisschop was part of the Canadian team that took team silver at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago – securing Canada qualification for the 2024 Olympics – and the two also competed at the 2022 World Equestrian Games in Herning.
“I am obviously super happy to ride Nikka,” Mallevaey told World of Showjumping. “Actually, I already rode her when she was eight; she was the first horse that I rode for Mark and Tara Rein. It is amazing to get to ride her again now, three years later. She's a fantastic horse and she has done big things in between. I'm really looking forward to our time together.”
Mallevaey – who started up her career as an 18-year-old working at the Sadran-family’s Ecurie Chevel, before moving on to ride for Torrey Pines Stables – is now working full-time for the Rein-family, and currently has between six to seven horses to compete. "I have just started with Nikka, and have been showing national this week,” she explained. “We are just going to take our time to get know each other again because it's been a long time. We are going to another national show next week and then maybe we will do some four-star classes in three weeks and go from there. She is a great horse, and she has proved everything already – I hope I'm going to be good enough to reach some good results with her. I am very grateful to the Rein-family for all the opportunities and trust they have given me.”