Vandijk’s Superboy, World Champion in Para-Harness Racing

The six-year-old Welsh Partbred Vandijk’s Superboy (by Good Looking) became World Champion last month at the World Para-Driving Championships in Schildau (Germany) with Francisca den Elzen. He was also a member of the Dutch team that won the silver medal.

This is Francisca den Elzen’s third World Championship title. She won all three titles riding a Welsh horse. In 2016, she won the gold medal with the NWR gelding Bart Blom (by Boomer) and in 2018 with Albrecht’s Hoeve’s Lars (by Orchard Red Prince). Vandijk’s Superboy won his first championship title in July of this year at the Dutch Para-Driving Championships in Oirschot.

Breeder

Superboy’s breeder is C.H. van Dijk. His dam is the NWR star mare Viersprong’s Dancing Queen (Orchard Red Prince x Goldwind Empire’s Voice). Francisca den Elzen: “We bought him when he was 2.5 years old and trained him ourselves. He has a great temperament and is also very handsome. They should breed more like him!”

Lars from Albrecht’s Hoeve

Incidentally, Lars from Albrecht’s Hoeve won his second World Championship title in para-driving in Schildau. Den Elzen: “We bought Lars at the Welsh auction when he was 3.5 years old. I trained him myself, and with him I won the World Championship in para-driving in Kronenberg in 2018. In 2019, we sold him to the U.S., and this year he won gold again in para-driving with his new handler, Tracy Bowman. That’s so cool! Lars and Superboy are two very different ponies, but both are so eager to work. That makes them a joy to work with!”

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