The Voltige competition team is very ambitious. They work very hard and win a lot. In 2006 the two oldest members of the team, Milou and Nicky, will start solo also. In 2005 they were third in the National Championships and in 2006 they want to come out again. The two competition teams that are trained by Hellen become more and more professional, so they need good material too. This year we got the new bigger horse Zazie that improved the results dramatically. Now they also needed a new harness for the horse. On internet they tried to find a used one, but that is very difficult.
A completely new competition harness with white girth and head-stall costs almost 1400 euro.
The team earned some money with demonstrations and had 300 euro in their savings account. They got 100 last minute euro’s extra and a donation from some grandparents. This was enough to do a bidding on a used girth on a German internet site. It all worked out and we went to Germany (a real voltige country) to buy the girth. On the picture we are in Emden in North Germany, where the girth was sold by a member of a well known German team. With this girth they became European champion and World Champion! A very inspiring idea!
When we came home they had to try it, although it was almost dark and it snowed. They are all very happy. Jazzy jumps on the galloping horse with her hands on the new girth.
1 comment:
Thanks, Gerritt. I now understand a bit better what the girth does and how crucial a role it has in the voltige performance. And it is an expensive piece of equipment. If the converter I used was accurate, that girth cost the team over $1650 US! Not bad for some leather, nylon, cotton and many hours of hand stitching.
Happy Boxing Day and I do hope the teams do well, now that they have the needed equipment.
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