Jos Verlooy’s very own Domino (Thunder van de Zuuthoeve x Azur Dapaulstra) has been sold to USA’s Audrey Coulter. Coulter, who made a trainer change last year with her sister Saer Coulter, from Germany’s Markus Beerbaum to the Netherland’s Harrie Smolders, spoke exclusively to Noelle Floyd.com about the new acquisition for Copernicus stables.
“I’m very excited to add Domino to the Copernicus team! Jos has done an incredible job with him and has had amazing success over the years. Jos has been riding Domino since he was very young and it will be incredibly helpful to receive his advice as Domino and I get to know each other.”
“I’m very fortunate to be able to work with Jos, Axel and Harrie to try and continue Domino’s successful career.”
The twelve year old gelding has been an integral member of the Belgian team on a number of occasions including the European Championships both in Herning and in Aachen as well as the World Equestrian Games last year.
Despite numerous inquiries for the horse, Domino has never been made available to potential buyers until now. One wonders whether Belgium’s inability to quality for the Olympic Games in Rio next year would have played a part in this very big decision for Belgium’s Jos Verlooy.
“First of all, we didn’t qualify for the Olympics, so this played a big part in the decision” said Jos from Belgium today. “I was never going to sell Domino but I know Audrey, I know the way she rides, she rides with talent and she treats her horses so well. I don’t have a chance to go to the Olympics now with Domino but I think Audrey could go to the Olympics for the USA so maybe she will go with Domino some day.”
“First of all, we didn’t qualify for the Olympics, so this played a big part in the decision” said Jos from Belgium today. “I was never going to sell Domino but I know Audrey, I know the way she rides, she rides with talent and she treats her horses so well.”
“Normally it was never a plan to sell Domino. That was never part of my plan but Domino will be able to stay in his same box at our stables, I will still be able to ride Domino at home when Audrey is not there, so it’s the best possible arrangement I think. I am happy for Audrey and I am happy for Domino.”
“It was a Family idea really, we sat around the table one night and talked about it, my father, my mother and myself. We thought about it for a few days and then spoke with Audrey and her father, Jim Coulter. It was a decision we all made together, as a team.”
Coulter plans to compete Domino at the Global Champions Tour event in Vienna, Austria next week while Verlooy will compete Sunshine at the LA Masters in a few weeks time. Verlooy remarks that Sunshine will replace Domino for the moment, while he brings up a collection of young horses his father, Axel Verlooy, has acquired for him to produce.