Marc Houtzager's Sterrehof's Calimero (Quidam de Revel x Libero H) retires from the sport, the owner of the gelding – Stoeterij Sterrehof – announced on Friday. 

Stoeterij Sterrehof announced the retirement on social media, writing: "Under the saddle of Marc Houtzager, Calimero jumped to many great results. Now Marc has decided that it has been enough for our top gelding. Calimero is seventeen years old now, still super fit and will get his well-deserved retirement!

"Calimero means a lot to me and also to my career", Marc says. "In his prime, I just knew he would jump clear if I rode him well. If you have that kind of feeling with a horse it makes your life easy as a rider. He is seventeen now, still jumped another good year, but I felt at the last show that it was getting a bit more difficult. A horse like Calimero does not deserve to compete at 1.40m level. With his beautiful age he can enjoy his time off on the pasture.” 

With Houtzager, the now 17-year-old gelding was part of the Dutch team at the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon (USA) and at three European Championships – in Gothenburg (SWE) in 2017, in Rotterdam (NED) in 2019 and in Riesenbeck (GER) in 2021. In 2017, they were part of the Dutch team that won the CSIO5* FEI Nations Cup™ Final in Barcelona. The two topped the CSI4* Grand Prix in Ommen the same year as well as winning the CSI4* Grand Prix in Amsterdam in 2018.

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