Meet the young horse riders representing Monaco in the European Championships
Eva Rey, Romane Seret, Eileen Thomel and Katarina Repotto all secured their place at the European Championships after competing in the Nations Cup last week in Italy. After such an incredible result for Monaco, we went to catch up with them at Jumping International in Monte-Carlo.
Romane Seret (12 years old)
“It was whilst going to my godmother’s house, when I was about four, that I started riding. I loved animals so it was the best thing I could do. As time went on, I set myself goals. I’m very competitive, so I enjoy it, and I hope that we’ll all do well in the European Championships. The atmosphere in the team with the girls is great.”
Eileen Thomel (14 years old)
“I started riding when I was very young. It was what both my mum and my uncle did for work. I quickly got into it and decided to stick with it whilst growing up. This year, we’re going to our very first European Championships. It’s the first time for all four of us. It’s an incredible opportunity to compete on a European level and represent our country’s colours.”
Eva Rey (14 years old)
“I started riding thanks to Eileen, who I’ve known since I was little. I went to visit her one day and straight away I knew I wanted to do exactly what she was doing. We ended up getting the same poney, at the club in Villeneuve-Loubet. I love horses. They’re such emotional, affectionate animals. I’d love to do well in show jumping and carry on representing Monaco in the future.”
Katarina Repotto (14 years old)
“I started when I was five and I’ve never given up. It was all thanks to my grandmother in Sweden. I first started with poneys and then moved on to horses. I’m really hoping to compete more in the future. It’s always been my passion. In our first Nations Cup, we finished fifth. We hope we can go on to win, even if all the other teams are really strong!”