Jos Lansink, center. Ph. DigiShots
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Indoor Brabant, in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Holland on Thursday, March 9, 2017, Jos Lansink was recognized by public as the best show jumping rider by the public.
Show jumping fans had been voting since February 9, 2017, and the 55-year-old rider received over the 37% of the votes, placing him above Piet Raijmakers sr., Franke Sloothaak, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Ludger Beerbaum.
Lansink is considered a show jumping legend, and he’s always been linked to Indoor Brabant earning Grand Prix victories there in 1991, 1993 and 1996. But his most significant victory was when he won the World Cup Jumping Final in 1994. He remains the only Dutch rider who has earned the title [later he switched his nationality to Belgium.]
“Nothing can exceed that,” said Lansink. “I’m still the only Dutch who has ever won a World Cup Final.”
Just before the ceremony, the Belgian rider rode in his first competition after being diagnosed with prostate cancer last year and undergoing surgery in June 2016, which forced him out of the running for the the Rio Olympic Games. He will now decide if he is going to keep competing, or focus on training riders.
“This is my first competition, eight months after a major surgery, I will do a few shows and then I’ll decide if I keep my career as a rider or trainer,” Lansink said.
In the dressage category it was Anky van Grunsven who earned the title.