In his final junior year, Roy became Belgian Champion with the stallion Chacco Me Biolley, with whom he also won team gold at the European Championships. He started his professional career as a stable rider at Regenwortelhoeve, and at 21 he took the leap to go independent, founding RVB Sporthorses.

“I was on a horse before I could walk.”

That Roy is horse-mad is clear from the path he’s taken.
“I left school at 16 and started summer work at Ludo Tielen’s Regenwortelhoeve. In September, he offered me a contract as a rider, and that’s when I started working with Chacco Me Biolley, among others. I worked from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., then rode a few more horses at home. Horses have always been part of my life. My mother used to ride, but stopped when I was born. My dad still rides. I was on a horse before I could walk.”

His parents quickly realised that their son was born to ride.
“They weren’t surprised when I said I wanted to become a rider. They both work—my mother in administration, my father in road construction. Horses were a hobby for them, but for me, it was always a passion. Even in the crib. When my dad went to shows without me, I’d cry and scream until they gave in—and my mom would end up driving after him. I went to school knowing I’d be a rider one day. I considered auto mechanics too, but being colourblind makes working with wires a bit of a challenge.”

“If you can make a horse better, you can make a living.”

His biggest inspiration? Harrie Smolders.
“Because he started with nothing and got to the top through hard work. We know Harrie pretty well—my dad and his dad go way back. As a pony rider, I took the occasional lesson from Harrie. When I wanted to quit school to go all-in on horses, I talked it through with him. One thing he said really stuck with me: ‘If you can make a horse better, you can make a living.’ I still look up to him. During school holidays, he would sometimes pick me up in the morning to go to Euro Horse. Just walking around there for a day taught me so much.

Harrie also started as a stable rider, just like I did. He proves that even without resources, with hard work, you can still build a great career. If I can even follow in his footsteps just a little bit, I’ll consider my career a success.”

From his pony years, it was already clear to experts that Roy had talent.
“I trained many young ponies. Once they jumped 1.20m, they were sold. I learned a lot from that—both technically and emotionally. I had to say goodbye to many of them at a young age. I still remember a few that were really hard to part with. Some of the ponies I trained even ended up jumping European Championships. One funny story: my dad had bought a foal, which was alone in the field. So he bought a mare with a foal from the neighbours, just for company. That pony foal turned out to be an incredible jumper. I’ve never had another one with that much power. When I look back, it shows how important it is to meet the right horses along the way. They have to cross your path at the right moment. One horse can change everything—it can launch your entire career. If they keep getting sold before you can show what they’re capable of, you never get a real chance.”

“I’ve been lucky with Cavoiro, who isn’t for sale—for now. But you never know, of course.”

When it comes to sales, Roy has come to understand the economic reality.
“Today, I get it. But as a little kid, selling horses just felt painful. At home, it was no different—my dad also trained young horses and sold them at five or six. That’s just part of it.”