AFTER a tough road to Tokyo which included losing her teammates along the way, Kildare dressage rider Heike Holstein did Ireland proud when competing at her fourth Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, last Sunday.

Holstein was chuffed to have bred her Tokyo mount, Sambuca, and produced her all the way from novice to the Olympic Games. The 12-year-old mare was the first Irish-bred dressage horse to compete at an Olympic Games.

“I am really proud of her. When she was a little foal I never thought that we would get this far, it is a long road and lots of things can happen. In 2019, I finally thought, this might happen!” Heike said.

Sambuca is by Samarant out of the Limmerick-sired Astoria, who she competed before breeding. Astoria had two more foals for Holstein, in 2012 and 2013, by the Oldenburg stallion Fürstenball, and both are competing on the national dressage circuit in Ireland.

Sambuca received a score of 68.43% in her Grand Prix test in Tokyo from the seven international judges. Commentator and international trainer Lucinda Green commended Heike’s achievement of getting a home-bred to the Olympic Games and said their one-time changes were “pretty spectacular”.

The combination received an eight for the piaffe, and scores of seven and 7.5 were awarded throughout the test. Their score was not good enough to see them through to the individual Freestyle final, but Heike was delighted with the performance.

“I am really pleased with her. I really enjoyed it. I had loads of time in the ring, I was able to ride every movement,” she told The Irish Field. “It was one of her better tests. I have just looked back at the video, there was one change in the zig zag that wasn’t perfect, but otherwise, her piaffe was better, she walked lovely, and she did lovely changes. She has grown up a lot. She behaved really well.

“I am a little disappointed with the marks but very happy with my test. Some marks I thought were a bit harsh but nothing I can do about that.”

Speaking about her fourth Olympic experience, Heike said Tokyo has been different in many ways, including having no spectators in the stadium. “You have social media and it really feels like the whole country is behind you and here with you.

“And because of quarantine and being locked down in Aachen and then here, the riders have bonded better. Isabell Werth wished me good luck before I went in! Everyone knows each other much better now. Usually you wouldn’t get that because you are in and out, but this is our third week together. It is more of a community feel. It is a nice feeling.”

Heike and Sambuca are currently driving home from Liege in Belgium after their epic adventure. She thanked her groom Frazer Kirby for all his hard work. “Frazer has done a great job looking after here, I couldn’t do it without all the support.”