The Early Days
Harrie Smolders grew up with his parents and his sister in the small village of Lage-Mierde in Brabant, The Netherlands. Since he was born, horses have always played a fundamental role in his life, and while his family were never competitive, their simple love for horses was passed on. His father has always been a horse-lover, keen on both the breeding aspect and the sport of jumping, and so was the main instigator for Harrie and his sister Caroline's initial passion. Harrie was 8 years old when he started riding a pony, originally his sister's and who was affectionally known as Smurf - the story goes that Caroline outgrew Smurf and so their father said he must be sold, but the idea of that happening was so upsetting to Harrie he decided to take over the reins and so kept hold of a much-loved pony.
Harrie was certainly no hero in the beginning and started his riding career out very cautiously. Preferring to keep his pony's feet on the ground, the take-off boards had to be dug into the ground before Harrie would even consider risking a little jump. He was also a football fanatic up to the age of 16 and seriously considered whether he should follow that as his career. However his love for horses prevailed, and in his pony years Harrie managed to win several national titles in jumping, as well as in dressage and eventing.
