Haley Cuypers (18) from Beringen and her best friend Amber M’chaar (19) from Nieuwerkerken would normally be at the Christmas jumping in Mechelen until Saturday, to take care of the horse of her brother and rider Kyle. The girls were on their way back from the truck to the Nekkerhal with their e-scooter on Thursday around 8:30 PM when a 36-year-old driver crashed into the Limburg friends from behind at high speed. Haley did not survive the accident, Amber was seriously injured.
“Above all, we would like to once again express our sincere condolences to Haley’s friends and family,” says Gunther Van Lent, chairman of Jumping Mechelen. “In consultation with the parents, we decided to organize a subdued moment on Saturday between the youth grand prize and the barrages of that test. Normally Kyle would have competed in that match. Everyone can show support for the family during the moment.”
Kyle himself dropped out of the competition after hearing the tragic news about his sister. “Which of course makes sense,” says Van Lent. “The morning after the unfortunate accident, we took care of his horse. During the day the horse was collected and Kyle withdrew from the competition. Jumping Mechelen will be different for many in the future, especially for those who knew Haley. In her mind she would certainly have wanted her beloved equestrian sport to continue to flourish.”
Close-knit community
The news is also hitting hard at Equestrian Flanders, of which brother Kyle is a member and Haley was a member until 2017. They shared their condolences via social media. “If something happens in our horse family, it affects us all,” says general manager Lies Vlamynck. “We are a close-knit community and equestrian sports is a big and at the same time a small world. We deeply regret the accident and deeply sympathize with Haley’s family. We also wish a speedy recovery to her friend who is currently still recovering.”
Equestrian Flanders supported Saturday’s commemoration moment. “This will undoubtedly continue to resonate,” says Vlamynck. “We talk about it a lot and it will certainly continue to be discussed in the future. Because the accident happened during Jumping Mechelen, people will certainly be reminded of it in the future. We have to process this together and wish the family a lot of strength with this great loss.”
During the subdued moment in memory of Haley, speaker Frederik De Backer took the floor. A photo of her and her brother was also projected. “Every year, for 42 years, we all come together as a large community at the Eric Wauters memorial,” it said. “We see the biggest stars at work and are enchanted by the best horses. It is here in the Nekkerhal that dreams are born. And so Haley Cuypers also had a dream. She wanted to become an equine osteopath and went to Germany to study to follow her dream. She dreamed of becoming a successful tandem with her brother Kyle, who competed here in Mechelen as a talented youth rider. Together they would be invincible.”
Mourning ribbon
“But that dream is shattered. A tragic traffic accident tore Haley away from the lives of her family, her friends, fellow students and from our horse community,” De Backer added. “Before we reach the final part of the youth series, we as a horse family would like to reflect on this untold loss. I invite you for a moment of modesty and reflection, but also a moment of gratitude for what Haley Cuypers has contributed to our sport and to our horses. Our condolences go out to Haley’s family and friends. We also wish her friend, the second victim, much strength and recovery.”
De Backer’s speech was met with loud applause. Many riders and sympathizers pinned a pink mourning ribbon in memory of Haley. In consultation with the organization, it was decided that they would not respond individually. Reactions were also few among visitors out of respect for the family.
