Yvonne Losos de Muñiz

Training and Competing in Europe

Following her success in the 2003 Pan Am Games, Yvonne decided it was time to take a new step in her pursuit of becoming a better rider. She was invited to train in Germany with Jean Bemelmans, the dressage master who has led the Spanish dressage team to international success in the Olympics, as well as the European and World Championships. All her top horses were moved to Krefeld, Germany in 2005, and since then, she has based her operations in that European country.

While it is not easy to commute between the Dominican Republic and Germany, Yvonne feels it has added greatly to her career. “Moving to Jean’s barn has been a real wake-up call for me. Not just for training with him, which in itself is an incredible experience, but by being able to work next to some of the world’s best riders from countries such as Spain, Denmark, Russia and Germany. Every day you learn something, just by watching them ride and train with Jean.”

The pressure of competing in Europe also proved to be a new challenge, says Yvonne, “Showing in Germany, even at national shows, is a challenge. You might have thirty entries at any FEI-level class, and nearly all the riders, even amateurs, are extremely correct and competitive. After over two years of hard work, I can now see how I have improved in my riding thanks to this experience, it is something hard to duplicate anywhere else in the world.”

Photo credit: Charles Mann