Carlin awarded DSHS Youngster of the Year

30 September 2025

Competing under the name Carlin, the Gaspahr son Nik was one of the standout talents of the 2024 Dutch Sport Horse Sales collection. Now ridden by Lucy Davis, he has made an impressive start to his international career this year. In Dublin he placed in the Youngster Tour, time and again showcasing his tremendous potential. Today, he was crowned DSHS Youngster of the Year.

Last June, Lucy Davis debuted with Carlin at the international show in Peelbergen Equestrian Centre. The very venue where this Gaspahr son had changed hands to Old Oak Farm just nine months earlier.

Promising start
At only his second international outing in Chantilly, Lucy Davis Kennedy and Carlin immediately claimed victory in the Youngster Tour. On the final day of that same show, they tackled their first international 1.40m-level class, where a double-clear performance secured ninth place. In August, Carlin gained valuable mileage in Dublin, jumping clear rounds every day and taking fifth place in the 1.40m class for seven- and eight-year-olds. The horse bred by H.P.M. Hamans of Roermond, is living up to expectations and, thanks to the Dutch Sport Horse Sales, has found himself in the perfect place to develop. That Carlin has already produced such promising results in his very first season is precisely why he has been named DSHS Youngster of the Year.

Award ceremony
During the 21st edition of the Dutch Sport Horse Sales, a small sculpture crafted by Limburg artist Jos Dirix was presented to Julie Welles and Lucy Matz, who accepted the award on behalf of rider Lucy Davis.