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Local Horses Will Compete at Paris Olympics
Local Horses Will Compete at Paris Olympics
By Emma Boyce
The Middleburg area will be well represented in the show jumping equestrian competition at the upcoming Paris Olympics, with four horses whose owners call these parts home. The most interesting twist is that three of these horses will represent three different countries.
Ann Thompson of Corotoman Farm in Upperville owns Romeo 88, the 15-year-old Zangersheide gelding ridden by Great Britain’s Harry Charles, 25. The pair will represent Great Britain in Paris. Harry and Romeo delivered an impressive double clear at CHIO Rotterdam in the Longines League of Nations. Zineday came into Alice Lawaetz’s life as a talented, yet temperamental seven-year-old stallion, straight from the stables of Ludger Beerbaum in Riesenbeck. Businesswoman and equestrian Lawaetz is married to horseman Doug Fout of The Plains. She keeps some of her horses in this area. A son of Beerbaum’s famed mount Zinedine, Zineday had already impressed the likes of Richard Vogel and Christian Kukuk before Philipp Weishaupt, 39, took over the ride in 2021. In 2023, Weishaupt piloted the then nine-year-old Zineday to third in the prestigious Aachen Grand Prix. Recently, he helped Germany win the Nations Cup with a double clear at La Baule. Now, they look forward to representing Germany in their first Olympics together.
Middleburg staple, Thaisa Erwin, 44, will represent Australia in Paris with Hialita B, owned by Mike and Wendy Smith of Middleburg. Erwin and the 12-year-old chestnut mare have been very successful at the five star shows in Europe, from Rome to Rotterdam. If you’re watching the Olympics from the comfort of your home or with friends, you’ll likely be cheering her on as the hometown hero.
And finally, American Olympic rider Laura Kraut, 59, and her powerhouse partner Baloutinue, need little introduction. Kraut and the scopey 14-year-old gelding owned by Barb and Dave Roux of St. Bride’s Farm in Upperville already helped the U.S. bring home silver at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Since then, the bay gelding out of Balou du Rouet has conquered course after course, most notably winning gold at the Nations Cup in San Miguel de Allende in 2023. For Baloutinue, Paris will be just another day.
