Main image: Ronald Zabala-Goetschel and Forever Young Wundermaske, by Lukasz Kowalski.
Ronald Zabala-Goetschel and Forever Young Wundermaske may not have set the scoreboard on fire, but the oldest combination in the field certainly captured hearts in posting a strong score of 37.7.
Forever Young Wundermaske has lived up to his name and is 21 years young. Not only that, Ronald Zabala-Goetschel is the oldest rider in the eventing field at age 58. Both looked relaxed and in harmony throughout the test, no doubt the product of a partnership that has spanned many years.
Forever Young Wundermaske is an American Oldenburg gelding, by Weltbekannt out of Deer Rose (Deerhound).
Starting his FEI career with the USA’s Sharon White in 2012, Forever Young Wundermaske has been partnered with Ronald since back in 2016. The pair contested the 2018 Word Equestrian Games in Tryon, however Paris is their first Olympic Games together.
Ronald himself is no stranger to the Olympics. At London 2012 he rode Master Boy at the Games, becoming the first Ecuadorian to do so in the sport of eventing.
“No other horse of mine deserves more than him to compete at this Olympics!” says Ronald via social media of the horse he calls Patchito. “He never gets sick… never has had an injury in his life… He is always there for me!”
