May 22 2010
Karin Donckers
Karin Donckers is a renowned world famous 3 Day Event Rider who has competed in four Olympic Events.
Karins Journey with horses started when she was just 9 years old. Born in 1971 she is coming up 39 and has spent 19 years as a top competitor in various equestrian events, securing top positions from very young age it was clear from the outset horses and Karin were a partnership meant to be.
At 9 years old Young Karin started her journey and joined the pony club St. Clement Minderhout it was at this club she participated in her first tournaments such as mini crosses. It was here that Karin realised her passion with Horses. She then started riding with St. Clement Minderhout Riding.
Karins big breakthrough happened in 1992 , This year saw her take part in her first Olympics games in Barcelona. The young inexperienced Belgium team won fourth place and Karin achieved a great individual place of 8th . There were 86 participates from 17 countries this was a real good result for Karin and showed her talent.
Shortly after the Olympics Karin trained in Horsemanship and was the only coach in Flanders. A trainer qualification of the Flemish Trainer School in all three disciplines of equestrian sport dressage , show jumping and eventing.
Karin is a truly dedicated women her passion and desire for horses and the equestrian world is clear in her lifestyle she utilises all of her time and dedication to training horses and students.
Karin has a successful breeding platform with her parents from which many of her successful rides have come from. One of such horses bred was Paymyra and was elected Elgian Warmblood Horse of the Year in 2005. Which was another fantastic result for Karin and is a reward for her hard work and dedication
In 1996 Karin was scheduled to compete in the Atlanta Olympics, sadly this never happened her horses were deemed medically unfit.
Some years later In preparation for the 2000 Sydney Olympics no one could of predicted what was about to happen a fire broke out at her stables on Febuary 11 2000. This fire was caused by a garage near Karins stables. The stables housed 20 horses. Most of the horses were brought to safety in a nearby meadow sadly the 3 top horses Better Times, Duc des Guillon, Glenn Doc broke free and were killed on the highway this was a devastating day for team Donkers. Karin was due to ride Better Times in the Olympic games so something had to be done fast so Karin worked hard and trained up one of the younger horses Oekie, to the standard required for the Olypics games and was able to participate. The bad luck was not over for Karin yet as during the games she fell and broke her back fracturing one o f her vertebrates
Karen did not let these setbacks damage her confidence and took it all in her stride, she came back even stronger in 2005 finishing with an overall 5th position for the best Women in the world.
Karin continues to win top ten placements in the events she participates, and is one of the most highly regarded trainers , dressage and event rider s in the world.
Keep your eyes open for the 2010 Olympics where I am sure we will all be congratulating Karin for another successful event, we wonder if her beautiful chestnut stallion Charizard will be her horse of choice … we will have to wait and see. Earlier this year Donckers rode and preformed a stunning dressage test at Express Eventing with Charizard but at only 8 years old and as courageous as he was jumping proved a little too much for the stallion, he was just not ready and they retired during the cross country.
Good Luck Team Donckers from the Lehel Team
Karins Record
- 8th FEI Rider Ranking (as at 1 January 2008)
- Represented Belgium at the European Championships 2007 and Olympics in 1992, 2000, 2004 and Beijing in 2008;
- World Equestrian Games 2006.
- Other recent notable successes are:
- 9th Individually Beijing Olympics 2008 (Gazelle de la Brasserie)
- 4th Blenheim CCI*** 2005 (Gormley)
- 2nd Barroca d’Alva CCI*** 2008 (Gazelle de la Brasserie)
- 4th Aachen CIC*** 2007 (Palmyra)
- 6th Luhmühlen CCI**** 2007 (Gormley)
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