Efe Siyahi

Name: Efe Siyahi
Nationality: Turkish
With our team since: The beginning

Efe Siyahi is the owner and one of the international riders of Carpe Diem Equestrian Team. Efe successfully competes with both young horses and the more experienced horses of our team at the highest level of the show jumping sport.

Efe started  riding when he was 14 years old. At first as a hobby, but soon his interest in equestrian sport grew. Horses became a vital part of Efe’s life, which initiated the start of his professional career in show jumping.

To gain more experience Efe teamed up with several renowned coaches, such as Avni Atabek, Emile Hendrix and Rob Ehrens. He proved himself on the European show jumping circuit and in 2011 he was chosen to represent Turkey for the first time in a Nations Cup competition.

In 2014, together with his father Cem, Efe realised a new home base and show jumping stable in the Netherlands. The stable embodies Efe’s love for nature and his passion for horses. With Avni Atabek on board as managing partner, Carpe Diem Equestrian Team has grown into a well-known sports, trading and trading stable.

Since moving to the Netherlands Efe has made his dreams come true. His show jumping career has developed to the highest level of the sport. He has represented his home country many times at high-profile events with as a highlight, competing at the 2018 European Championships in Goteborg, Sweden.

Avni Atabek

Name: Avni Atabek
Nationality: Turkish
With our team since: The beginning

Omer Karaevli

Name:Omer Karaevli
Nationality: Turkish
With our team since: Summer of 2018

Omer Karaevli is one of the international riders of Carpe Diem Equestrian Team. He successfully competes with both the young horses and the more experienced horses of our team at the highest level of the show jumping sport.

Omer started riding at a young age. In order to pursue and develop his show jumping career he moved to Europe. Since then Omer has achieved many outstanding results and has been a valuable rider for his home country. Omer has competed individually or with the Turkish team in three European Championships. He also participated in the World Equestrian Games twice.

A highlight in Omers’ career was his selection for the Olympic Games of 2016 in Rio de Janeiro – Brazil. Making Omer the first Turkish equestrian to participate in the Olympics since 56 years. Due to his achievements Omer is considered to be one of the most successful Turkish riders of all time.

Patrick Lemmen

Name: Patrick Lemmen
Nationality: Dutch
With our team since: October 2015

Patrick Lemmen is one of the international riders of Carpe Diem Equestrian Team. He successfully competes with both the young horses and the more experienced horses of our team near the highest level of the show jumping sport.

Patrick started  riding when he was 5 years old. As a talented rider he became a regional and national champion at a young age. During his career he has jumped his way to the top of the Dutch equestrian sport and has many great achievements to his name. When Patrick is not at our stables or away at shows, he is never without horses and enjoys them at the stables he has at home.

Johanna Sixt

Name: Johanna Sixt
Nationality: Austrian
With our team since: 

Johanna is one of our youngest riders, who works for our team fulltime. She produces and competes with the younger horses of Carpe Diem at national and international level.

Johanna has been competing at international level since she was only thirteen year old. She represented her home country in many Nations Cups and no less than six European Championships. First with the Ponies, progressing to the Childrens division, Juniors and Young Riders.

David Arcand

Name: David Arcand
Nationality: Canadian
With our team since: Beginning of 2019

David Arcand is one of the international riders of Carpe Diem Equestrian Team. He competes with several young horses and the more experienced horses of our team at national and international level.

David made a name for himself early in his career by his achievements in the first Continental Championships in Lexington (USA). As a Junior rider he was part of the silver medal winning team and his individual performance resulted in another silver medal. Next to our horses David spends his time training and competing with his own horse.

Encho Vasilev

Name: Encho Vasilev
Nationality: Bulgarian
With our team since: Summer of 2014

Encho Vasilev works within our team as a full-time groom. He takes care of Efe’s horses both at the stables and away at international shows. He makes sure that the horses are well taken care of and feel happy so they can perform to the best of their ability.

Encho was an accomplished rider himself. Before moving to Holland, he competed with the Bulgarian Cross Country team and scored the championship title for six years in a row in the 3*class. Encho is not the only one of his family that works at our stables in Baarlo. His wife is also a valued member of our team.

Mariusz Mitryk

Name: Mariusz Mitryk
Nationality: Polish
With our team since: Summer of 2017

Mariusz Mitryk works within our team as a full-time home groom. Occassionally he travels with the horses to shows, but most days he can be found at the stables caring for the horses and making sure they are nicely clipped and groomed.

Mariusz started his equestrian career as a young boy. His father was very supportive of his career and Mariusz succesfully competed with this own horse at national level. When he was 21 years of age Mariusz was given his first working opportunity as a young horse trainer in Ireland. After ten years it was time for a new adventure, which led him to our stables.

Andrian Datsinksi

Name: Andrian Datsinksi
Nationality: Bulgarian
With our team since: 2014

Andrian Datsinksi works within our team as a full-time home rider and groom. Andrian takes care of the horses of our team and several horses of our clients. When our clients are away Andrian is one of the riders that trains their horses to keep them fit.

Andrian has ridden horses since he was 11 years old. During his younger years he won the 1.35m level Championship of Bulgaria in 1994. Continuing his show jumping career by winning a silver medal in the 2002 Grand Prix of the Bulgarian Championships. He has worked for several European show jumping stables, before settling in Holland.

Robin Vendrig

Name: Robin Vendrig
Nationality: Dutch
With our team since: May 2018

Robin Vendrig works within our team as a full-time groom. She takes care of the horses that are stabled at an external location in Sevenum, due to the expansion of our stable.

Robin has loved horses from a young age. When she was old enough she started helping out the local riding school, breaking in young ponies and horses. She has completed her studies of Equestrian sports and is happy she made a career out of her hobby. In her spare time Robin trains and competes with her own horse at Z2 dressage level.

Rachelle Killaars

Name: Rachelle Killaars
Nationality: Dutch
With our team since: Summer of 2017

Rachelle Killaars works within our team as a full-time groom. She helps take care of the horses at the stables and at national and international competitions.

Her career at Carpe Diem Equestrian Team started with a summer job. Currently Rachelle is with us in the capacity of a working student, combining her equestrian education with a learning experience at our stables.

Rachelle grew up with horses. Her family runs a small riding school that also offers carriage rides. In her spare time Rachelle enjoys riding her own horse recreationally.

Michelle van Heugten

Name: Michelle van Heugten
Nationality: Dutch
With our team since: October 2017

Michelle van Heugten contributes to our team working as a full-time home groom. She makes sure that the horses are well taken care of whilst they are not away at shows.

Michelle grew up in a horse loving family. She studied as a veterinary assistant, but realised she enjoyed working with horses to much to pursue another career. Michelle started riding dressage tests at a young age and to this day  is still active in the dressage sport in her spare time.

Marsha Aarts

Name: Marsha Aarts
Nationality: Dutch
With our team since: Spring of 2019

Marsha Aarts is the office manager of our team. She takes care of all the day-to-day work at the office. She handles the administration, makes the entires for the riders and is happy to help with any requests that may come up.

Marsha grew up with horses and her family is still active in the driving sport. She is also a volunteer for several international shows, where she assist the organising committees with the communication and at the show office.

Burcu Ozdemir

Name: Burcu Ozdemir
Nationality: Turkish
With our team since: The beginning

Burcu Ozdemir contributes to our team as  Efe’s personal assistant. Burcu ensures that everything runs smoothly and knows exactly when what needs to be done.

Burcu and Efe have known each other for a long time, since they were in the same class at school together. Burcu has always been passionate about horses, so she happily travels to Holland on a regular basis to be of assistance. She enjoys working along side horses and many of the other animals at our stable.

Maggie Dimitrova

Name: Maggie Dimitrova
Nationality: Bulgarian
With our team since: Summer of 2014

Maggie Dimitrova works within our team as a housekeeper. She makes sure that all the facilities that do not include the stables are nicely cleaned and well-organised.

Maggie enjoys being part of Carpe Diem Equestrian Team and values the nature, the people and the animals that she is surrounded with every day. Maggie is not the only person within her family that works at our stables in Baarlo. Her husband Enscho is also a valued member of our team.

Mart Kuijpers

Name: Mart Kuijpers
Nationality: Dutch
With our team since: September 2015

Mart Kuijpers works at a facility manager within our team. He is in charge of the maintenance and takes care of the surrounding grounds and gardens of our stables.

After riding ponies a few times as a child, Mart did not pursue a career as a rider. To this day he does not have much experience with horses, but enjoys working beside them. Before Mart joined our team he was employed as a gardner and infrastructure worker for many years. Gaining skills that are visible in the amount of perfection and detail he puts into his work.