A Change in the Saddle (1/7): Smits clan building a dynasty
Every year, the CHI Geneva newsletter picks a theme and runs with it for the duration of the season. The theme for 2025 is the new generation of riders, the talented sons and daughters of, who are making their way solely on merit. First up in our “Dynasty of Riders” series are none other than the Smits.
Bryan and Mike take the reins
Our destination is Chevenez, in the Swiss canton of Jura. It is here that Dehlia Oeuvray-Smits, who hails from a family of riders, and husband Edwin Smits have been running a multi-faceted operation since 2003: equestrian centre, rider training centre, commercial stables, and an office organising national and international competitions. The two are former elite riders. Dehlia, a Nations Cup winner in Aachen in 2002, called time on her career when Covid-19 hit, while her Dutch-born husband, who became a Team Switzerland rider, retired from international competition a year ago. They now devote all their time to their business and to coaching their two sons, Bryan and Mike, who are intent on taking the reins from their parents.
Aged 19, Bryan has just been awarded his federal professional horse care, riding and coaching certificate. Now in charge of a team of eight horses, the older of the Smits brothers is fully committed to repaying the faith their owners have placed in him and to developing this commercial side of the family stables. Currently competing on the U-25 circuit and having impressed at last year’s FEI Jumping European Championship for Young Riders, Bryan is on the cusp of the elite. Coming up behind him is 15-year-old Mike, who is also set on making a career out of riding and has already acquired a fair bit of experience in the Children’s category. Though the two siblings took up the sport at an early age, it was a while before their passion for it began to manifest itself, as Bryan explains: “I always watched my parents ride, so it was a bit of a no-brainer for me. To be honest, though, I didn’t actually enjoy it that much. What changed it all for me was competing and a family horse that we all rode, For Love de la Velle. My parents have all the trophies they won at home and seeing them gives me the motivation to go out and be just as good as they were.” Recalling his road into riding, younger brother Mike says: “I didn’t like it that much to begin with, but I didn’t know if I should say so or not. But I just kept on doing it and it started to grow on me. I love riding now and Bryan pushes me to be even better.”
Parents and teachers
For Dehlia and Edwin, the whole process has come naturally. “Bryan was a good student, so we pushed him in that direction to begin with,” she explains. However, as the elder of Smits boys goes on to say, and not without passion, he realised he wasn’t cut out for higher education: “By the time I knew I wanted to commit myself to riding, I’d already started the first year of my course, because my parents were worried that I didn’t have the passion for it. But studying wasn’t really for me. I was born into horses, and I’ll die on one.” After leaving university behind, Bryan completed his federal professional horse care, riding and coaching certificate, a pathway that his brother has taken directly, both of them doing so at the family stables and under the watchful eyes of their parents, who are their instructors. “It’s not always easy being coached by your parents, but I know they want the best for me and will do all they can to help me reach the highest level,” says Bryan, who is hoping to win a medal for Switzerland at this year’s FEI Jumping European Championship for Young Riders and, with any luck, compete in his first CSI 5* event.
Dreams of the top
Looking further ahead, the Smits boys are thinking big. “Watching my father compete in the last two years of his career was a real motivation for me,” says Mike. “I went to competitions that I really want to take part in, and I’m dreaming of one day stepping out at Geneva, Calgary and Aachen and riding at the Olympic Games.” Bryan is no less ambitious, though he’s determined to keep his feet on the ground: “My ultimate dream is to go down in the history of riding, but to do well in a competition like Geneva would be amazing in itself. Just talking about it gives me goosebumps. I took part in the U-25 events at Palexpo in 2024 (when he finished 11th in the Grand Prix Land Rover Discovery) and 2023.” “If I do make it to the highest level, I’m not sure I’d also be able to take over the running of the Chevenez stables from my parents. But if it turns out that I’m not good enough or I don’t enjoy what is a very challenging environment, I could then concentrate on developing the business, for example. I won’t be able to run the elite-sport side of things, a riding centre, commercial stables and training academy all on my own, but with Mike, why not, if we work together.”
For Dehlia and Edwin, there is a lot to look forward to and a lot to be proud of. “We have a big estate that requires a lot of energy,” says Edwin. “When the boys decided to make a career of it, it allowed me to pass the baton on as well. We’re doing all we can now to help them with the project and keep the business running.” The final word on this happy family story goes to Dehlia: “It makes me so happy that we can experience all this as a family and share the passion that we have.”
Interview by Sophie Lebeuf
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