European champion Bryan Balsiger new rider of Scarlina de Tiji Z

Niels Bruynseels and Tiji Stables have sold their promising Scarlina de Tiji Z to Bryan Balsiger, the young Swiss talent who won team gold at the European Championships in September and finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics.  Scarlina (Hunters' Scendro) is a daughter of Vallonia de Reville (Kannan) who in turn is a granddaughter of Pius Schwizer's Olympic mare Carlina V. Scarlina comes from the 'Tiji' breeding of Jill Smits and Tim Van Tricht. Jill gave Scarlina the basic training, Niels became co-owner and took over the reins last year. They jumped from Valkenswaard via Knokke and the Brussels Stephex Masters to the World Championships for Young Horses in Lanaken, where Scarlina reached the final without any problems. In her period with Niels Bruynseels she jumped no less than 20 clear rounds. Niels looks back on it with great admiration: 'three weeks ago we jumped the seven year olds in Knokke Hippique and Scarlina only had one fault in the jump-off. She is now 8 years old and is a potential five star horse. It was not yet the intention to sell her. A loyal Swiss customer was looking for an exceptionally good young horse and Scarlina caught his eye. Bryan Balsiger will give her every opportunity and that was an important argument to sell her.

About the collaboration

'As a rider it is particularly interesting to work with breeders like Tiji. Jill has international experience and knows what you need today for the big sport. Tim is a passionate breeder who follows the sport and breeding closely. An ideal mix, which means that they select very strictly because they are aiming for the top sport. We look at a horse in the same way. Jill trains the Tiji horses. When they are five or six years old, we look at their horses together and out of that follows constructive collaborations, such as with Scarlina. It's a win win situation for breeder and rider. And now I hope Jill and Tim have more Scarlina's to offer.'