A Powerful Partnership: Nina de Haas and Ritchie Bros.

At Ritchie Bros., we’re used to talking about power, the immense force of heavy equipment. But true power comes in many forms, and we’re incredibly proud to share our partnership with Dutch event rider, Nina de Haas, who embodies a different kind of strength: the power and partnership between horse and rider.

From an early age, Nina was drawn to the saddle, beginning her riding journey at just eight years old. Her passion quickly grew, and by the age of 15, she was competing at an international level, even earning a spot at the Pony European Championships at 16. Nina’s love for the sport led her to make a life-changing decision: to pursue a career in eventing full-time. This ambition and drive eventually brought her to the UK in 2021 to train with renowned Dutch coach Andrew Heffernan.

Now, with her sights set on reaching the highest levels of the sport, including the Olympics, Nina is constantly pushing forward. Her dedication has paid off, with her proudest achievement to date being her three-star win at Osberton Horse Trials last year.

The Support That Drives Ambition
The partnership between Ritchie Bros. and Nina came about through a connection with Shane Eshuis, our Vice President of Operations. “I think he saw how ambitious and keen I was with the sport and that I wanted to drive forward and get to higher levels,” Nina shared. “He wanted to support me and the journey to bigger things.”

For Nina, the support is invaluable. It helps her cover the high costs of training and competitions, allowing her to focus on what she loves. She explained that it’s been a “huge help, enabling more training and more competitions.”

Shane Eshuis echoed this sentiment, adding, “We’ve always been about supporting the hard work and dedication that goes into a job well done. When we met Nina, it was clear that her passion for eventing and her drive for success mirrored the ambition of our own customers. We are proud to support her on her journey and can’t wait to see what she accomplishes next.”

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Looking Ahead to New Goals
Nina is gearing up for a busy end of the season with some major goals on the horizon. She hopes to compete in the Dutch Championships at Boekelo and also at the World Championships in October with her six-year-old horse. Her long-term goal is to qualify for the Senior World Championships next year.

For Nina, the most rewarding part of eventing is finishing a round and feeling the “great buzz” when she knows her horse enjoyed it just as much as she did. She advises other aspiring eventers to seek out experienced riders to learn from, noting that having guidance makes the journey much easier.

We are thrilled to be a part of Nina’s incredible journey and look forward to cheering her on as she continues to show the world the true power of partnership.

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