This interview with Tiumen's owner, Ivo Köhler, was written by Petr Guth. It first appeared in the Czech-language pages of Dostihový svět. 

Tiumen, three-time winner of the Velka Pardubicka, may have number 13 this year in the column showing his age, but this seasoned warrior is by no means yet on his way into retirement from steeplechasing. The gelding remains with trainer Josef Váňa, and his owner, Ivo Köhler, states that a sixth start in the Velka for the most famous horse to have carried the Köi Dent colours cannot be excluded.

“We haven’t yet put together an exact plan for this season for Tiumen, but after the Velka Pardubicka he spent the winter the same way as in previous years, and I assume that, if everything is OK, we will try to get him ready for the Velka,“ says his owner, who, before the emergence of the outstanding Orphee des Blins, had the Velka Pardubicka under his control.

“There could be an interesting season ahead of us, as far as Tiumen’s races are concerned. Since Mr Váňa announced the end of his riding career last year at Pardubice, we will have the task of finding a suitable replacement rider for him.“ Köhler said. He offered no comment on the fact that Váňa’s numerous other pronouncements on the end of his career have lacked resoluteness. “Josef Váňa is a great battler, but as of now I take his decision from last October the way it was stated. The approaching season will decide everything,“ he added.

Tiumen will not necessarily be Köi Dent’s only iron in the fire for this year’s Velka. “Of course, both Zarif and Silver Regent are old enough to start in the race,“ Köhler points out. Both of these other horses of his managed to win at Pardubice last year, and Silver Regent won one of last year‘s VP qualification races. “We certainly plan to campaign with both of these horses at Pardubice this year. As far as their aspirations to run in the Velka are concerned, they will have to convince us in the course of the season.“ Both of these horses carrying the white and claret Koi Dent colours have the potential to be challengers for the most famous race in the Czech racing calendar later this year.