Sven Steffens-Smienk is living his dream – a dream which has taken him from the Netherlands, to British Columbia’s Slocan Valley, to Florida’s sun-drenched shores. While not necessarily a familiar name to those outside B.C.’s dressage community, Sven recently gained international attention at the Challenge of the Americas breast cancer fundraiser. The dazzling pas de deux freestyle he performed with his husband, Adam, left a lot of people asking, “Who’s that Canadian guy?”
Born in the small Dutch town of Putten, Sven set his sights on an equestrian career at a young age.
“Dad was a plumber, and mom was a bookkeeper. We had no dogs, cats, or horses. I was actually terrified of animals because I had been attacked by dogs in the past. So my fear of the unknown with animals in general was very overwhelming,” he says. “One Sunday morning we came home from church. We turned on the TV to the Dutch national sports channel, which that day happened to feature the new World Cup Dressage champion, Anky van Grunsven. I was absolutely mesmerized by her performance and turned around to my parents and said ‘That’s what I want to do! That’s who I want to be like! And that’s going to be my career!’ Ever since that moment I never considered any other passion or career.”
From the moment he started riding at the age of eight, Sven was passionate about dressage. However his first horses were jumpers, so he pursued that discipline initially, if reluctantly.
“I was never a kid who enjoyed going fast and being reckless. When I turned eleven I got a five-year-old gelding named Kingston. He had a solid dressage foundation and dabbled in some jumping. That’s when my OCD really got utilized. I rode with my heart pounding from fear, but my desire to succeed overpowered my anxiety.”
Seeking a change, Sven’s parents decided to move the family to Canada when he was 14 years old, settling in the peaceful Slocan Valley. In addition to learning a new language and adjusting to a new culture, Sven soon learned the isolated location made pursuing his equestrian dreams a challenge.
“The biggest difference in the Canadian dressage scene versus the Netherlands was the amount of travel. Because of where we lived it would take us 10-12 hours of driving to get to the areas where there were horse shows. I quickly learned that it was a small dressage community with lots of trainers and not a ton of clients, making it a very competitive environment. The shows were always held on beautiful grounds and the organizers were on point and accommodating. Even though the entry numbers were small, the show organizers always hired very respected national and FEI judges, therefore always giving you a fair idea of where you were in training. I formed valuable long-term friendships and connections at these shows and learned good lessons from the community.”
Sven and A Cappella making the mare’s debut at PSG with a winning ride scoring 72.353%.
Like many Canadian equestrians, Sven often spent snowy winter nights watching livestream videos from the Adequan Global Dressage Festival and dreaming of riding in the Florida sun. When he first visited Wellington in 2021, he immediately phoned his mother to say, “This is where I want to be! This is where I belong!”
Sven cites the weather, the very high standard of veterinary care, the wealth of horsemanship knowledge, and having top riders of every discipline located in a condensed area as key factors in his decision to relocate to Florida. Most importantly, the move reconnected him with his now husband, fellow dressage rider Adam Steffens-Smienk.
“I am living my dream in Florida, with my husband, living on the property of a beautiful barn with the most wonderful owners surrounded by amazing horses,” Sven says. “My goal is to continue surrounding myself with good, kind horse people and to learn from them. This sport is a lifestyle and one bad apple can ruin your day, week and month. Hopefully in the future I can have a couple of special horses myself to train and compete, and see wherever that may take us. But until then I am happily living my dream every day.”
Fast Facts
Age: 32
Home Base: Candoit Stables, Jupiter, FL
2024 season: A Cappella, 13-year-old Oldenburg mare owned by Monique Richter; won debut at PSG with 72.353%; won FEI Intermediate I class with 71.618
In 2023, rode Fontenay to the 6-year-old U.S National Championship with a score of 88.200%
Who has been your biggest mentor?
“I’ve been always been a bit of a gypsy, never living in one place for very long and always going after bigger goals and dreams. Therefore, I’ve never had a solid long-term mentor. Clinicians here, a summer coach there, but nothing solid. That’s actually something I hope to find in my near future. Until now my biggest coaches have been the horses. I’ve learned that by listening to them and treating them with compassion, respect, and love, you achieve far more.”
Adam and Sven at home at Candoit Stables. (svensteffenssmienk Instagram photo)
What horse had a profound impact on you?
“There are many, but the first one that comes to mind is Handel. He was the horse I rode at Third Level, and the FEI Juniors on. I was thirteen years old. My first flying change, my first line of tempis, my first pirouette and the first and only time he gave me four passage steps. He was a special boy. From the forests of the Netherlands to the mountains of Canada to my first big shows ‒ he was there every step of the way.”
What rider had a profound impact on you?
“I have a lot of respect for Isabell Werth. She produces horse after horse after horse, and horses with all kinds of qualities, temperaments, strengths and weaknesses. Those qualities I aspire to have.”
What achievements are you especially proud of?
When a horse show goes well and we win something I’m thrilled for the day, but the next day it’s back to square one. It’s not really something I hold onto. The one achievement that does come to mind is having recently won the U.S. Festival of Champions in the six-year-old division with Fontenay. That was the last show to a very layered, complicated, and complex time. I was incredibly proud and thankful to the horse and our ability to present a respectable picture under the difficult circumstances. (Ed. note: Sven and Adam were instrumental in exposing the Cesar Parra horse abuse situation, but as it is an ongoing investigation they are required by law not to comment publicly about it. At one point the threat level was high enough that the Candoit stable owners hired armed security to protect people and horses.)
