GAL Edward

Netherlands
Equestrian
4 Mar 1970
51
Male
RHEDEN
 
Netherlands
OOSTERBEEK
 
Netherlands

Events and Medals

Discipline Event Rank Medal
EQU Equestrian Dressage Team
NED
Netherlands
 5
Dressage Individual 6

Schedule

Change
Start
Time		 Location Event Status
Equestrian Park
Dressage Team Grand Prix Special
Finished
Equestrian Park
Dressage Individual Grand Prix Freestyle
Finished

Biographical Information

Highlights

:
Olympic Games
YearLocationDressage IndividualDressage Team
2016Rio de Janeiro, BRA204
2012London, GBR93

World Equestrian Games
YearLocationGP SpecialGP FreestyleDressage Team
2018Tryon, NC, USA7-5
2014Normandy, FRA25-3
2010Lexington, KY, USA111
2006Aachen, GER11122

European Championships
YearLocationGP SpecialGP FreestyleDressage Team
2019Rotterdam, NED862
2017Gothenburg, SWE24-5

World Cup Final
RankEventYearLocation
6Grand Prix Freestyle2017Omaha, NE, USA
8Grand Prix Freestyle2018Paris, FRA

World Cup Western European League
RankEventYearLocation
2Grand Prix Freestyle2017/2018's-Hertogenbosch, NED
2Grand Prix Freestyle2017/2018Amsterdam, NED
3Grand Prix Freestyle2019/2020Amsterdam, NED
3Grand Prix Freestyle2017/2018London, GBR
3Grand Prix Freestyle2016/2017London, GBR
4Grand Prix Freestyle2016/2017's-Hertogenbosch, NED
4Grand Prix Freestyle2016/2017Amsterdam, NED


Legend
GP - Grand Prix, NS - Not Started, RT - Retired, WD - Withdrawn, EL - Eliminated
:
Eddie (horseandhound.co.uk, 11 Mar 2016)
:
Athlete, Coach, Horse Trainer
:
Economics
:
Partner Hans Peter Minderhoud
:
Dutch, English
:
Glock Horse Performance Centre [GHPC] [Treffen, AUT]
:
Alex van Silfhout [national], NED; Nicole Werner [personal], NED
:
His partner Hans Peter Minderhoud has represented the Netherlands in dressage and won a silver medal in the team event at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. (SportsDeskOnline, 29 Oct 2019; Hans Peter Minderhoud Facebook profile, 25 Jul 2018; fei.org, 06 Jul 2018; trouw.nl, 21 Jul 2012)
:
He was not from an equestrian family and learnt to ride at age 14 in the Netherlands. He decided to focus on an equestrian career when he was in his early twenties. (thehorseridersjournal.com, 06 Sep 2016)
:
Riding is the only thing he ever wanted to do. He took up dressage when the pony he got at age 17 did not want to jump anymore. "When I started riding I had no ambition to become a world champion. I entered that world because I love horses and wanted to live among them. I don't think you can be a good rider if you don't love horses. You live with horses seven days a week and 24 hours a day. It's not a job, it's a passion." (thehorseridersjournal.com, 06 Sep 2016; fei.org, 04 Dec 2007)
:
To win a medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (trouw.nl, 12 Mar 2018)
:
He wears an orange watch, orange boxer shorts, an orange belt, and a gold guardian angel pin in the dressage arena. (thehorseridersjournal.com, 06 Sep 2016)
:
"I identify myself with the horse. I improvise and adapt to the horse. The horse is not capable of changing itself to suit me, but I can align myself to it. I try to do what's best for the horse. I never attempt to change a horse's character." (thehorseridersjournal.com, 06 Sep 2016)
:
He was named the 2010 Athlete of the Year by the International Equestrian Federation [FEI]. (eurodressage.com, 11 Jun 2010)

He was named the 2010 Sportsman of the Year in the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands. (gelderlander.nl, 07 Dec 2010)

In 2009 and 2010 he was named Dutch Horse Rider of the Year. (dehoefslag.nl, 22 Feb 2011; horses.nl, 08 Feb 2010)

General Interest

General
STABLES
He and his business partner Nicole Werner established Dressuurstal Werner/Gal in the Netherlands in 1996. He trains horses and coaches riders, while she manages the stables, plans clinics and competitions, and coaches in the afternoons. In 2012 the pair, along with Gal's life partner Hans Peter Minderhoud, began competing and training dressage horses for the Glock Horse Performance Centre in Treffen, Austria. (ghpc.nl, 16 Mar 2020; edwardgal.nl, 24 Mar 2014)

IMPORTANT HORSE
He is known for his partnership with the horse Totilas, with the pair winning three gold medals together at the 2010 World Equestrian Games [WEG] in Lexington, KY, United States of America, as well as titles at the European championships and World Cup Finals. Gal never got the chance to compete at the Olympic Games with Totilas as the horse was sold to new owners following the 2010 WEG. "He had such a special way of moving. I knew immediately that it was special. But that it would be so special, I did not expect that. I knew [a sale] could happen. I couldn't decide, it's someone else's money. It had already been discussed with the owners. And there is always a demand for special horses. There are always people who are willing to pay for it. When it comes to that much money, you can't expect someone to keep it. No matter how difficult that is. You have to accept that." (SportsDeskOnline, 27 Apr 2021; nos.nl, 13 Feb 2021; eurodressage.com, 13 Jan 2021, 19 Oct 2019; teamnl.org, 13 Jan 2021; fei.org, 07 Jan 2021; omroepgelderland.nl, 15 Dec 2020)

TOTILAS LIVES ON
His main sponsor, Austrian entrepreneur Gaston Glock, bought six horses that were sired by Totilas. Two of them, Toto Jr and Total US, are options for Gal to ride at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. "Toto Junior is a bit more of a powerhouse, Total US a little more elegant. But it's great to have two such horses on the way to the Tokyo Olympics." (nos.nl, 13 Feb 2021; eurodressage.com, 06 Mar 2020)

Legend
:
Gold Medal Event
:
Silver Medal Event
:
Bronze Medal Event
Content 1 (removed through CDN)
Content 2 (removed through CDN).
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