By Milou van Engeland / KWPN
Photography: Dirk Caremans
This year marks a remarkable anniversary for the Pavo Cup which, for 30 years, has been the go-to competition for young dressage talents. This breeding ground for talent has, over the past three decades, produced not only outstanding horses, but also riders who grew into fixtures at the top of the sport.
The first edition of the Pavo Cup took place in 1995, won by Mieke Ruisaard-van Gent with Junior STV (Uniform) and Marie-Jose Timmermans with Iglesias. This successful debut marked the beginning of 30 years of Pavo Cup history. Only in the COVID year 2020, no champions were crowned. That makes the upcoming edition the thirtieth time this competition is being held – a pearl anniversary.
The start of my career
Marie-Jose Timmermans became the first Pavo Cup winner in the class for five-year-olds in 1995, riding the KWPN stallion Iglesias (Rubinstein I). “You could say that was the start of my career,” she reflects. “It was a wonderful time, and Iglesias really put me on the map. First we won the Pavo Cup, and later the Levade (the then national championship) in the Z1. I had just started my own dressage stable, and these victories gave me name recognition. That brought in more young horses to train. At the time, it wasn’t mandatory to ride a KWPN-approved stallion in the Pavo Cup, but the owners Lauw and Jenet van Vliet suggested entering Iglesias. It was already a major event, with the finals held at the UTV, where Monica Theodorescu and Ellen Bontje rode the horses. Winning the Pavo Cup was a big achievement – it boosted my business, and me personally.”
Quality has improved
Iglesias was later sold to the U.S., but Marie-Jose went on to ride many other horses up to Grand Prix level. “Iglesias was a beautiful horse with a super character, something I find very important. I’ve always looked for willing horses with conformation that allows them to do the work. I’ve achieved a lot with horses that weren’t extravagant movers, but had the right build and work ethic. Over time, with more specialization, horses have changed a lot, and the quality has greatly improved. For health reasons I don’t ride anymore, but I still teach a lot. I think it’s important to give a horse time during training and not apply too much pressure. Some horses need more time, and they should get it.”
Natural talent
Thirty-seven riders have won a Pavo Cup title in their career, most of them Dutch. But there are exceptions, like American rider Nick Wagman, who won in 1996 and 1997 with the famous Krack C, a son of Flemmingh. “At the time, I didn’t realize how special it was to win the Pavo Cup,” he laughs. “Everything was still new to me, and I was just thrilled to ride such an extraordinary horse. Only after we won a second time did I realize how unique it was. Looking back, it was a very special moment early in my career.
“Krack was a special horse – there weren’t many like him. He moved differently than other horses, which led to a lot of discussion. Many people thought it was ‘made,’ but that was just his natural way of moving. If he competed in today’s Pavo Cup he might not stand out as much, but he’d still be among the best. Back then, horses were presented more naturally. Horses like Krack stood out, and expectations shifted. People wanted expressive movers. That focus became too strong, putting too much pressure on young horses. Thankfully, that’s changing again and judges now want more natural movement. Exceptional horses will always exist, but not every horse should have to match them to be successful.”...
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