While the Olympic dressage is going on, Jur Vrieling and VDL Zirocco Blue N.O.P. are doing their last daily workouts in the direction of their opening match on Sunday. Vrieling trained yesterday with his teammates in the indoor hall, which is present on the horse sports complex Deodoro. The four basic riders' rode together first, reserve Gerco Schröder joined them later. Zirocco looked fit and fresh and he felt good, Jur let us know.

Intelligent
He is fit, Marielle Schrotenboer confirms. She works from January as a groom at Jur’s, in the meanwhile she knows Zirocco Blue through and through. Also in Rio she takes care about the KWPN stallion. Marielle: "Zirocco is really fit. He is sharp and knows that something important is going to happen. He is that intelligent! The first days we just walked some. Then you notice that he has not suffered from the trip. He soon became fresher by the day. He happens to be always energetic and has a lot of blood. Therefore, at one point, I lunged him a little. Just 10 minutes for the freshness. Now Jur rides him again and Zirocco Blue can lose some more energy, so It is easier for me to walk with him, ha ha. The last thing you want is him getting hurt as he is so fresh."

Nice and relaxed
During the Olympic Games Zirocco Blue has the privilege of a groom entirely for himself so lack of personal attention. Marielle: "Between seven and eight we feed the horses. The food is all from home. Then we go and walk for a half an hour with them. You can go anywhere on the estate. Then riders arrive between ten and eleven o'clock to ride and I think Jur him will ride Zirocco Blue twice a day from today. In the afternoon, we go out on the estate, let them graze and then it's almost feeding time. "
For grooms the facilities are good and just as for the horses, Marielle says. "It's well taken care of and the stables are great. They are large and warm with a regular fresh breeze through it. The horses can also look outside. Everything is still relaxed. I think that starting Friday, when the inspection is, the stress will increase a little. After all, everybody here wants that gold medal! "