Epplejeck Prix for Dutch Children's Champion Joep Schaap

International show jumping has also begun at Indoor Friesland. The 55 riders in the one-star Small Tour class kicked off with a two-phase special class. They nearly achieved a complete Dutch top 10, as the number ten came from the Czech Republic. The only thirteen-year-old Joep Schaap can call himself the first international show jumping winner of Indoor Friesland 2025. Aboard the sixteen-year-old gelding Abbervail Diamant (by Diamant de Semilly), he won the Epplejeck Prix over a height of 1.20m. He finished in 31.73 seconds.

Second place went to Tim ten Berg with the fifteen-year-old gelding Fadograaf (by Vigaro). Tim recorded a time of 32.47 seconds. Third place went to Yoni van Santvoort. She and the eight-year-old gelding Majeur S (by Bamaldo de Muze) recorded a time of 33.45 seconds.

Great friend
Joep: "I rode really hard, right from the start; that was my intention. I've had Abbervail at my stable for two years now. He came as a school horse, and we've really become a team. Now he's my speed horse, and he loves that the most. He's my buddy, my best friend. In the stable, he's incredibly grumpy and doesn't like cuddling. He's lazy about dressage. But he's really into jumping, especially when he's allowed to go fast."

Honor to ride here
This is my first time at Indoor Friesland. I'd never been here before and I'm pleasantly surprised. I couldn't believe my eyes when I arrived last night. It's truly beautiful here; I'm honored to be able to ride here. I have one horse with me for the Light Tour and one for the Grand Tour. The latter is the horse I became Dutch Champion with this year.

Genetically determined
I live in Herpen, Brabant, and I'm in my third year of pre-university education (HAVO). To be honest, I don't focus on school at all; when I get home, I go riding straight away. I have nine horses for competitions. The horses are at home, and my parents help me out whenever they can. They ride the younger horses, and I only compete with them. I ride the older horses myself as much as possible; there are four of them now. My father jumped 1.50m, and my mother 1.40m. Both have also been successful at youth level. So, along with Willem Greve as an uncle, my love for equestrian sports is pretty much genetic. My dream is to compete with the best in the world and, of course, to compete in the Olympic Games.

Sponsor Epplejeck
The final word goes to Hester van der Burgh on behalf of sponsor Epplejeck: “Last week we sponsored the foursomes cup and a fashion show here, and this week we sponsored show jumping. Epplejeck is there for all disciplines, and that works out perfectly here at Indoor Friesland. There's a wide range of classes here, and that's a perfect fit for us. We were also a sponsor last year, and it was such a success that we've continued the partnership.”

Text: Media team Indoor Friesland
Photo: Digishots