Both Louis Konickx, responsible for all jumping courses, and Jeroen Houterman who designs the courses for the FEI World Cup Driving, are from Limburg.
Louis Konickx, born in Beesel and now living in Deest, is the course designer at Jumping Indoor Maastricht since 2013. It all started as a hobby but these days it is almost a fulltime job. The 64-year-old psychologist was a passionate jumping rider at rural Z level and was trained by Henk Diks. After he had made some comments on the course during a competition he was told “you better do it yourself!” And so he did and it was the start of a successful career. Currently he is a popular craftsman and travels around the globe. Last year he designed the courses for the European Championships in Gothenburg.
“Jumping Indoor Maastricht is a four star event this year, but in the past years we also had very good competitors. Therefor I don’t know yet if we are going to build higher, it all depends on the participating horses. I certainly have to have a good plan. The riders that compete have seen it all, so I will have to think twice.” Louis is looking forward to JIM: ‘I have a lot of respect for organisations that know how to achieve the right atmosphere that also attracts a lot of volunteers. And…. it is in Limburg, at least they can understand me!”

Jeroen Houterman from Meterik has been very successful in the driving sport. This year he has been building the courses for the World Cup Final Driving in Bordeaux and he has designed the courses in Mechelen for years.
“Maastricht is new for me and a challenge. The course must be fair for the horses, but also selective. The challenge will be where to put the gates. It is more difficult for the drivers when the gates are placed on the short side of the arena. I will have to find the fair way.”
Houterman has never driven a carriage in competitions himself: “I have sat on a drivers seat, but that is all”. However, his family in law and his daughters Eline and Anouk are enthusiastic drivers.

(photos: Digishots and Marie de Ronde-Oudemans)