Berry van der Genugten (team captain)
Berry is, with his 30 yrs of age, the most experienced runner in our group from Friesland. In his daily life, he now works for an agricultural service company, driving trucks or is busy with other agricultural related activities. As a young man, Berry fantasized about a career with horses. He got a serious chance at one of the biggest facilities with harness horses -- The Zilfia’s Hoeve with National Champion Manno (www.zilfiashoeve.nl). He worked and trained qualified stallions for a period of 10 years and showed them as a runner at the inspections and shows. He has the skills and the speed. Berry’s ambition to participate in this tour includes the chance to perhaps meet somebody, someday, somewhere for a real chance to train and act on a professional basis with horses.
Jordy Engelman
Jordy is 25 yrs old and brings a lot of runner experience to the team as well. He has gained this experience by showing Friesians, riding horses and Dutch Warmblood Harness horses. He and Berry normally operate as a team. Jordy is a Farrier in his daily life. His expectations of this tour are about having a good time with showing Friesians in a foreign country. His only conditions are good arrangements for the runners and nice weather!
The youngest member of runner Team West, he is 21 yr old and a 2nd year student at The Dutch Equestrian Vocational Education in Deurne, the institute for education and the centre of knowledge for the equestrian sport and horse keeping in the Netherlands. Cristian grew up in a province, even more North than Friesland, in Groningen. He’s somewhat familiar with Friesian horses through his mother and grandparents. His main ambition is to become a professional jumping rider. Whenever he has any free time, he helps and assists at a professional facility / riding school in Tolbert. (www.hjcmanege.nl) His running experience is from showing mares and foals at regional inspections. For Christian, this “running” trip in the US means a wonderful chance for experience.