After a brilliant career, Sterrehof's Calimero, Marc Houtzager's 17-year-old top gelding, is bidding farewell to show jumping. For years, the duo formed an indispensable combination on the international show jumping arena and achieved numerous victories and podium places at the world's biggest events. Now Calimero is getting his well-deserved retirement.
For Marc Houtzager, saying goodbye to Calimero is an emotional moment. “Calimero means an awful lot to me and my career,” the Dutch rider explains. “In his best years, I just knew he would jump clear if I did my job right. That confidence makes life as a rider so much easier. Even this year he still performed well, but during the last competition I noticed it was getting a little harder. A horse like Calimero doesn't deserve to have to run at 1.40m level. With his wonderful age, he can now enjoy his time in the pasture.”
A career full of highlights
Sterrehof's Calimero started his career modestly, but grew into a world star with an impressive record. The gelding, known for his reliability and unlimited jumping ability, wrote the following successes to his name, among others:
🥇 Grand Prix Amsterdam
🥇 Nations Cup Final Barcelona
🥇 GCL Super Cup Final Prague
🥇 Dutch Championship
🥉 Grand Prix Aachen, Rotterdam and Den Bosch
He was also the best Dutch combination at major championships such as the European Championships in Rotterdam (8th), the World Equestrian Games in Tryon and the European Championships in Riesenbeck.
A well-deserved retirement
After a long career at the highest level, Calimero remains fit and healthy, but the decision to retire him from the sport comes out of respect for his exceptional performance. He will now enjoy a quiet time on the pastures of Stal Sterrehof, where he will be surrounded by the loving care a champion of his caliber deserves.
For Marc Houtzager, saying goodbye to Calimero is an emotional moment. “Calimero means an awful lot to me and my career,” the Dutch rider explains. “In his best years, I just knew he would jump clear if I did my job right. That confidence makes life as a rider so much easier. Even this year he still performed well, but during the last competition I noticed it was getting a little harder. A horse like Calimero doesn't deserve to have to run at 1.40m level. With his wonderful age, he can now enjoy his time in the pasture.”
A career full of highlights
Sterrehof's Calimero started his career modestly, but grew into a world star with an impressive record. The gelding, known for his reliability and unlimited jumping ability, wrote the following successes to his name, among others:
🥇 Grand Prix Amsterdam
🥇 Nations Cup Final Barcelona
🥇 GCL Super Cup Final Prague
🥇 Dutch Championship
🥉 Grand Prix Aachen, Rotterdam and Den Bosch
He was also the best Dutch combination at major championships such as the European Championships in Rotterdam (8th), the World Equestrian Games in Tryon and the European Championships in Riesenbeck.
A well-deserved retirement
After a long career at the highest level, Calimero remains fit and healthy, but the decision to retire him from the sport comes out of respect for his exceptional performance. He will now enjoy a quiet time on the pastures of Stal Sterrehof, where he will be surrounded by the loving care a champion of his caliber deserves.