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The very best will appear at the Brussels Stephex Masters. But the big names are far from guaranteed a win. They will be challenged by a strong new generation of young talents, who will undoubtedly push them to their limits. One of those promising talents is Emilie Conter, who has been making waves this year, thanks to Portobella vd Fruitkorf, her partner in crime.
The Brussels-born rider from the Stephex stables won her first CSI5* Grand Prix in Wellington in March. A few weeks later she helped the Belgian team to bronze in the Nations Cup in the United States. Emilie Conter and Portobella had put themselves on the map and became a fixture in the national team, confirming their status with faultless rounds in the Nations Cups of Rotterdam and Aachen.
What stands out is that her ten-year-old mare Portobella vd Fruitkorf is not the biggest horse. “You could even say she’s small, but once she enters the ring, she always believes she’s the biggest,” Emilie laughs. And yet it was not love at first sight: “Three years ago Portobella was first introduced to my father, and he was not immediately convinced. On the other hand, he did recognize her as a horse that would fit me. In the past he has assigned me horses like that before. We have several riders at the stables and dad usually knows very well which horse suits which rider. But this time? I really wasn’t crazy about her. Because I trust my father 100%, I wanted to give it a chance. Portobella had a lot of scope, you felt that right away. At the same time, I found her rather cold and not careful. That was my first impression.
The first year we did not compete much, because I wanted to get to know her better and gradually we grew closer. Chestnut mares usually have a very strong character and Portobella is no exception. On top of that, she’s also a bundle of energy, sometimes too wild, and she reacts incredibly quickly. We found each other because I always respected her and never asked anything of her that she didn’t like. Portobella has a long neck and back and jumps with her head forward and up. I took that into account. I never asked her anything that made her uncomfortable, and I think she appreciated that. We also share the same traits. In the past, when I jumped a 1.40m class, I could be easily distracted, leading to faults. Bella is the same. When it’s less important, she can be careless. But when it really matters, we show total focus. We are kindred spirits, and that’s why we grew towards each other.
I love all my horses, but my life now revolves around Portobella. She feels that. That’s why she can be so demanding. She knows she’s important. You know what’s even more important? That as a rider you keep believing in your horse. Belief works wonders. Horses feel that, and then they give so much more back. 5* is the highest level in our sport, and realizing that I can now compete there as a newcomer is very special. Above all, it has given me courage and confidence – not exactly my strongest qualities in the past. That’s why you need a horse you can trust unconditionally. And that goes both ways. That’s why I tell everyone that Portobella has changed my life. She has made me mentally stronger and more mature. And I mean that. A horse is such a fantastic teacher. Without words, they teach you so many values and skills: belief, courage, trust, patience, consistency – the list is endless. And equally important: if one horse teaches you that, you also ride your other horses that way. Do you now understand how important Portobella is to me?”
In the Olympic year 2028, Portobella will be 13 and at her peak. “We’ve had a great start and already shown we belong on the five-star circuit. My aim now is to keep confirming that status step by step. The Los Angeles Olympics would be a dream, of course. And I know my father dreams of the Olympics too. Imagine if his daughter were selected? For now we joke about it, but in the meantime I work on it every day. And sometimes dreams do come true.”
