Yves entered the world of horses rather by chance. The fact that he made it his life's work, was made possible by some inspiring teachers who believed in him and offered him opportunities. It shaped him into who he is as a person and as a rider and he now shares that experience with the horses. Yves also wants to give them opportunities and develop their talents to get the most out of them.
'My father has a construction company, my mother went to the riding school once a week. I went with her and was sold. I caught the eye of a teacher who was connected to the Castershoeve of Luc Mardaga, the breeder of Bon Ami among others. He gave me the opportunity to ride horses from the Castershoeve. I was so excited about it that I became an apprentice there. I was 15 years old and jumped national GPs with five horses every weekend. It was a clear-cut decision: I wanted to become a rider. I learned the trade at Luc Mardaga's riding school. In the early days I had some good teachers such as Margareth Van De Velde, Carl Conings, Patrick Vandereyt and Jos Lansink.'
Yves Awouters transferred from the Castershoeve to the commercial stable of Danny Telen. There he got the chance to jump Jumping Brussels, in Tour&Taxis. He caught the eye of Stephan Conter who offered him a job as a rider. After his passage at Stephex, Yves was picked up by Euro Horse of Axel Verlooy.
Yves learned something in every stable. He never had to apply, Yves was invited. His talent and work ethic were recognized. After those enriching experiences in professional stables, it was time for the next step: his own stable and that meant that Yves literally had to start from scratch. 'I didn't have a horse, not even a bridle,' he says.
Yves rented stables and invested in his first horses. Fortunately, at that time he was already in great demand as a teacher. He's now based in Dilsen-Stokkem. An accommodation with 25 boxes, indoor and outdoor track, and pasture.
