The decision for the Team European Championship-title at the first 2016 European U25 Dressage Championships was a neck-and-neck race at the Hof Kasselmann in Hagen a.T.W on Friday 17 June 2016. Forty-one duos, nine teams and eight individual riders, participated in the team competition of the 2016 European Under 25 Championships and Germany snatched the gold. The Netherlands finished in silver medal position and Sweden took home bronze.
Sanneke Rothenberger outpaced her competitors and presented the best performances of the day in the main stadium at Hof Kasselmann. The 23-year-old rider from Bad Homburg was the convincing winner, scoring 76.373% with her 15-year-old Oldenburger Deveraux OLD (by De Niro x Rohdiamant). Together with her team colleagues Juliette Piotrowski on Sir Diamond (72.658%), Florine Kienbaum on Doktor Schiwago (72.632%) and Nadine Husenbeth on Florida (72.526%), the German team clinched the gold medal – with a final result of 222.026%.
„All dreams have come true,“ said chef d’Equipe Monica Theodorescu, not only in regards to this team result, but also the individual performances of the riders. German Developing Grand Prix trainer Jürgen Koschel was happy about the fantastic performance of “top rider” Sanneke Rothenberger. Yet he also emphasized how proud he was of Piotrowski, Kienbaum and Husenbeth. “All three presented their best performances ever – this is extraordinarily good for a championship, more than ever at a debut.” Sanneke Rothenberger who showed the best presentation in the team championship test - the Intermediaire II - with Deveraux OLD, knew that she could rely on her horse at championships: “He was in top form and was fighting with me here in Hagen today.” 
Silver went to the team from The Netherlands headed by chef d’Equipe Johan Rockx whose four protégés shined as second best team. Anne Meulendijks on Avanti (by United), Stephanie Kooyman with Winston (by OO Seven), Daniëlle Houtvast with Utah (by Jazz) and Maxime Van Der Vlist with Bailey (by Negro) earned a final score of 218.947% in total. Meulendijks was the top scorer with 74.421%, followed by Kooijman on 73.026% and Houtvast with 71.500%. Van Der Vilst, the first rider to go of the Dutch team, delivered the discard score with 68.789%.
“I am incredibly happy,” said team trainer Rockx. “Unfortunately one of the girls made a mistake in the pirouette. The performances today are a good basis for the single medals tomorrow, and we want to launch a real attack.”
The team from Sweden with team captain Bo Jena and chef d'equipe Tina Due Boje earned the bronze medal with a final score of 212.711% The contributors were Josefin Gyllenswärd with Don Angelo (71.895%), Marina Mattsson with Beckham (71.737%), Mathilde Hannell with Deela Mae (69.079%) and Sanna Nilsson with Lennox (64.289%).
“We had hoped for a medal and are even more happy that it worked out that well,” Due Boje happily said, and Jena added proudly: “Our second rider, Josefin Gyllenswärd, even achieved her personal best today.“
The teams from Denmark (209.316%), Spain (208.526%) and Great Britain (204.533%) followed in the ranking after the teams from Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, followed by Austria (204.421%), Russia (198.763%) and France (195.947%).
Dutch victory in the CDI1*-Tour
The Intermediaire I-contest of the CDI1*-Tour, presented by Paul Schockemöhle Pferdehaltung GmbH, became a victory for Mara De Vries from the Netherlands with Cuvanck PP, clinching the trophy with 71.931%. The 9-year-old Dutch-bred Downtown x Münchhausen offspring did his last start at this level with a victory, explained his 25-year-old rider.
„We will continue to compete at the Grand Prix-level. It is simply fantastic to win here in Hagen at this amazing tournament. Cuvanck has a super character, and he was bred by my spouse. I saw him growing up right from the beginning,“ said De Vries proudly.
Vivien Niemann from Mannheim, who already represented Germany at two European Junior/Young Riders Championships, came in second today. The 22-year-old rider piloted her 10-year-old Don Frederico-son Don Vertino to 70.263%. Niemann had already won the individual and team gold medal at the 2011 European Junior Championships in Broholm (DEN) and the team gold medal at the 2015 European Young Rider Championships in Vidauban (FRA).
Christianne Goes, another Dutch rider, and her horse Belissimo by Florencio, finished in third place in the Intermediaire I-test, relegating Nicole Wego and Diamonit from the riding club RSC Osnabrücker Land e. V. to fourth place.
Text by Anna Baden - Photos © Astrid Appels
Eurodressage's Astrid Appels is on the scene in Hagen taking photos of as many riders as she could. Contact us if you are interested in prints or digital files for your social media use.
Related Link
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2016 European Under 25 Championships