This year marks a remarkable anniversary for the Pavo Cup: for thirty years, it has been the 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 (s.Uniform) and Marie-Jose Timmermans with Iglesias. This successful debut marked the beginning of thirty 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 (s.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.”

Making a name
In 2000, Nick returned to the U.S., where he runs his own dressage stable and has trained many horses up to Grand Prix. “I no longer ride the three- and four-year-olds, I leave that to the younger generation. I prefer five- or six-year-olds with a solid foundation. Riding Krack and winning the Pavo Cup definitely helped me gain recognition in the Netherlands as a young horse rider. As an unknown American, I was riding one of the most talked-about horses of the time. I’m grateful that owners Ad Valk and Fred Vlaar let me keep the ride, even though many better-known riders wanted to ride him. They believed in me, which made that possible. I later rode more horses from Ad in the Pavo Cup, and I always enjoyed it. It was a very competitive event and a great opportunity to see all those young horses together.”

Stepping stone
For many riders, the Pavo Cup was a stepping stone, they competed at a relatively young age and went on to reach the Grand Prix level. For Joyce Vroom, it was different. She was 46 when she won the Pavo Cup in 1997.“That was the most incredible experience of my life,” she begins. “I’ve had some wonderful moments in the equestrian world, but this was truly special. Many well-known riders and approved stallions were competing, and there I was, an unknown amateur among them. I never had the ambition to ride professionally. I started riding when I was seven, but that was just at the local pony club. I was only able to buy my own horse much later, because my parents couldn’t afford it. So my start was very different from most of the others who competed in the Pavo Cup. I met my husband, who worked in the horse world, and because of him, I kept riding. In the end, I rode my first Grand Prix at 57.

A wonderful time
Joyce’s late husband, Ad Vroom, was a Grand Prix judge and gave many lessons. He came into contact with the owners of Lucky Times, the Goodtimes son with whom Joyce won the Pavo Cup. The horse later competed at Grand Prix level with Anne Franssen.

“Because the owner’s wife was pregnant, I got the chance to ride Lucky Times. He wasn’t very big, but I’m small too, so it was a perfect match. Lucky went to Anne at a young age, and she did an amazing job with him. I didn’t ride him for very long, but that time was truly wonderful. The image I could present with him looked easy and natural, exactly what we aimed for. Ad always guided me so well with that; I couldn’t have done any of it without him. I worked full-time and rode the horses after work. After the Pavo Cup with Lucky, I did ride a few nice horses for other people, but I never became a professional rider. We did breed some horses, including Fossbury, a son of Ampère, who competed at the World Championships for Young Horses and at international Grand Prix level with Carlijn Vaessen. When Ad passed away in 2015, I stopped riding, and Fossbury’s dam went to the Vaessen family. I still enjoy visiting them. Also, my stepdaughters’ children have ponies now, so I stay involved in the sport in a lovely way.”

Double win
Until 2016, the Pavo Cup was only for four- and five-year-old horses. Only three riders managed to win both age categories in the same year. One of them was Liseon Kamper, who celebrated her double victory in 1999. She did so with the KWPN stallions Norway (s.Jazz) and Montecristo (s.El Corona) from Stoeterij Broere. “That was really fantastic,” Liseon recalls. “The year before, I was actually a bit disappointed. I had won a lot with Montecristo, but in the final everything still depended on the guest rider. I ended up second, and in 1999 I got my revenge. I enjoyed everything I won, but I also learned a lot from the things I didn’t win. I was riding very good horses for the Broere family at the time, so expectations were high. There was definitely pressure to have everything in order, and it worked out well with both horses. Norway wasn’t always easy,  I often got up really early to go explore the arena with him. Montecristo, on the other hand, was a real sweetheart. I worked at Stoeterij Broere for almost ten years. I started all the horses under saddle myself and trained them up to Small or Big Tour level. Once a week I took lessons with Bert Rutten. I helped out in the stables, but I was riding twelve horses, so I was often still in the saddle late at night. I loved the horses and truly enjoyed it all. Winning the Pavo Cup was amazing, but I also genuinely loved being involved with the horses every day. I did ride some difficult horses now and then, but I always tried to make something of them. When it worked out, I was over the moon.”

In the spotlight
After winning the Pavo Cup, Liseon also won the Stallion Competition. “Thanks to things like that, I really came into the spotlight back then. That recognition brought some invitations, for instance, to judge young horse competitions. But because I was very focused on Stoeterij Broere at the time, I didn’t fully take advantage of all the opportunities. When I left the Broere family, I moved to Warnsveld and started Stal Braamveld. I started over again with young horses, but I did have to rebuild my reputation. It took time to train my horses again, but through word of mouth I managed to regain some recognition. These days, I give a lot of lessons, mostly to riders in the grassroots levels. My last Grand Prix horse passed away a year and a half ago, and before that I had sold another one. Now I have a few young horses again, but I’m taking my time. There’s no rush or pressure anymore, but I still enjoy training horses up to Grand Prix. As long as I’m able to do that, I want to keep going. I think it’s important to give horses time and not to put too much pressure on them, so they can stay supple. Of course, I want a horse to collect and come into the frame, but not by applying too much pressure. I can truly enjoy watching someone ride really nicely, even if it’s not the most spectacular performance.”

Six titles
One of the riders who took home the Pavo Cup most often is Hans Peter Minderhoud. He won no fewer than six times. In 2001, he claimed his first victory with Rubels (s.Rafurstinels). The 2004 edition was also special, as he topped the rankings with both Sandreo (s.Sandro Hit) and Florencio (s.Florestan I). In 2007, he won his last title, this time with the preferent stallion Vivaldi (s.Krack C). “At that time, I was mainly riding young horses,” he recalls. “There were years when we went to the Pavo Cup final with two horse trucks. Alongside the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses, it was the event I worked toward all summer. All the wins were great, but the one with Rubels was special because it was the first. The victory with Vivaldi might be my favourite. We didn’t enter him in the Pavo Cup as a four-year-old because he was still very youthful. As a five-year-old, he won with 10s from the guest rider, that was really special. The Pavo Cup definitely gave me a lot. I always had a stable full of young horses, and over time I could really start being selective.”

Experience
Hans Peter believes the Pavo Cup fits well into the training of his young horses. “It’s good for them to experience things and see the world at a young age. It’s also nice that they go into the arena with multiple horses and don’t have to ride a precise test just yet. With horses that haven’t competed in young horse competitions, I often notice later on that they actually needed that experience. Approved stallions see a lot at stallion shows and competitions, but that doesn’t apply to all horses. Even though I think it’s good for a horse’s development, I also believe you shouldn’t force anything, you need to see what the horse is ready for. In 2021, I got to judge the Pavo Cup, which I really enjoyed. I think it’s a positive development that there’s more focus on relaxation in the Pavo Cup now. I don’t think it’s crucial for a young horse to ride a flawless test. I actually like a horse that’s alert and don’t mind if a young horse gets a bit tense. As a judge, it’s important to recognize whether a horse is tense because something spooked it, not because it’s under too much pressure.”

Pavo queen
With nine victories, Emmelie Scholtens was long known as the Pavo Queen. Her first win came in 2007 with Westpoint (s.Jazz), and in 2012 she scored a double victory with Desperado (s.Vivaldi) and Charmeur (s.Florencio). “I’ve always really liked the Pavo Cup, and I look back on it fondly,” she says enthusiastically. “I’ll never forget the first win with Westpoint. I was only 22 at the time, and it felt like a dream come true. After that, I had a lot of really good young horses for years. For the Pavo Cup, it’s important to have a complete horse with three good basic gaits and a nice posture. All those aspects are essential for a Pavo Cup champion. For Grand Prix level, a horse with a slightly weaker walk might still do well, but for the Pavo Cup, ideally you want a horse that can score a 9 for everything. That was true twenty years ago and hasn’t really changed. Over the years, the judging has become more focused on the test itself. Many people used to think that riders just went around fast and big in the Pavo Cup. But if you present a horse well and can easily adjust the tempo, then that kind of riding isn’t necessary.”

Trusting your own feel
In 2016, the class for six-year-olds was added to the Pavo Cup, and Emmelie won it that year with Fenix, a son of Vivaldi. “I think that was a good addition. I don’t often ride in the Z (Advanced) classes quickly, but I do like the opportunity to take a six-year-old to a competition again. The Pavo Cup is a great checkpoint to see if you're on the right track at home. I think it’s important to trust your own feeling when training a young horse. Every horse is different, and I try to respond to that. Honestly, I enjoy developing young horses the most. All my most successful horses competed in the Pavo Cup when they were young, and I believe that helped us become a better team. The Pavo Cup successes definitely boosted my name recognition, though it also led to the assumption that I could only ride young horses. I hope I’ve shown by now that that’s not the case. Even though I prefer being in the saddle myself, I’ve also had the opportunity to judge the Pavo Cup a few times. I really enjoy it, and I think it’s good to sometimes have people from the sport judging. I understand very well how riders feel in the arena, and I really try to see through things and look for the positives.”

Text: Milou van Engeland
Photo: Dirk Caremans