Hobby rider Nicole Eggens wins Horses2fly ticket 1.35m Jumping Tolbert

Five selection competitions have already taken place, and there is only one more to come. After Harich, Mildam, Eext, and Dronten, it was Jumping Tolbert's turn this weekend. At the magnificent, always welcoming HJC Manege in Tolbert, the competition for those coveted tickets to the final on October 14 during Indoor Friesland at the WTC Expo in Leeuwarden took place over no less than two days. Once again, the entry lists were well-filled. The victory in the 1.35m class went to a rider who views horses as a hobby. The honor went to Nicole Eggens and the seven-year-old gelding Ohigho-P (by Arezzo VDL). The duo crossed the finish line in a time of 27.11 seconds.  

Second place went to Auke Feenstra in the saddle of the seven-year-old mare Olalineke. She is also an offspring of a VDL Stud stallion, Grand Slam VDL. Auke and Olalineke recorded a time of 29.20 seconds. Third place went to a female rider once again. Linde Bulthuis and the twelve-year-old mare Jesmerily (by Numero Uno) clocked 29.26 seconds.

Normal office job

Nicole recently turned 32 and lives in Beilen, Drenthe. For the past two years, she has had what she calls a normal office job. Nicole: 'I worked for Daan van Geel for more than ten years. First alongside my studies, and then full-time. After a few years, I felt I needed to do something related to my studies, and I did, but it didn't suit me. I went back, but I have now decided to look for a job outside of horses again. The reason for this is that I had too little time and energy left for my own horses.'

National driving in an international atmosphere

'I didn't go to Tolbert specifically for the Horses2fly classes; I ride there every year. However, except for the first year, I have also ridden the Horses2fly Wednesday of the new Indoor Friesland every year. I think your competition is fantastic, with always full stands and a great atmosphere. It is a chance for amateur riders to compete nationally in an international setting. It is wonderful for us as riders and very educational for the horses. I am not just coming as a rider; I will also be there as a spectator. Definitely on the Saturday of the show jumping week.'

Mildam, Eext, Tolbert and Warga

'I also rode in the selections in Mildam and Eext and am now going to Warga, because I hope to qualify with another horse. Currently, I ride two horses: the horse with which I have now qualified and another horse belonging to Daan van Geel. Ohigho is my own and I bought him as a foal. That is a special story. I bought him from a good friend who also bred him. In 2021, I finished third at the World Championships for young show jumping horses in Lanaken with Loharna P, who was five years old at the time. Ohigho comes from the same dam. Since that third place, I have bought all the foals from that mare; that is how crazy I was about them. Ohigho is the last one I still have; the others have since been sold.'

Nathalie van der Mei

It will be a while before Indoor Friesland is on the calendar, and until then we'll stay in the rhythm and look for some more fun, bigger competitions. I will also take lessons with my instructor Nathalie van der Mei one more time. Ohigho has already jumped 1.40m, and I hope he can do even more. So I'm in no rush to sell him.

Went as it should

'Did I expect the victory? Certainly not, even though Ohigho is a fast horse. We have already achieved some nice successes, but we always finish second or third; often it is just not quite enough. I thought it would be nice to win for a change, so I went for it in Tolbert. It was a Two-Phase Special class and I was able to ride the second phase at a good pace. I rode the turns as tight as possible; everything just went as it should. However, once again, I did not expect this fast time.'

Photos: Nicole Eggens

Text: Marjan de Wildt for Indoor Friesland