Van de Weyer, Hennes, De Jong, Luyten, Nyssen, Roos Win 2020 Belgian Dressage Championships

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2020 Belgian Dressage Championships

Pony rider Britt van de Weyer, Children rider Amber Hennes, junior rider Jette De Jong, young rider Laura Luyten, Under 25 rider Nico Nyssen, and senior Grand Prix rider Laurence Roos became the winners of the 2020 Belgian Dressage Championships held in Lier, Belgium, on 1 - 4 October 2020.

The 2020 Belgian Dressage Championships were postponed from a May date to October due to corona. The event was closed to the public but brought afoot a massive number of competitors for an indoor edition of the Nationals. The event was organized by Wim Verwimp and his team of Belgian Dressage Events.

Van de Weyer Finishes Pony Time with Gold

Belgian pony team rider Britt van der Weyer finished her last year on ponies in style by claiming gold aboard Stefaan Brauwers' 11-year old Belgian Riding pony N-Constantino van de Bolkerhoeve (by Constantin x Fidji de Fleury). The pair began by placing second in the team test with 72.314%, but they stayed first in the individual test (72.946%) and Kur to Music (75.945) to total 221.205 points for gold. The pair is trained by Wim Verwimp.

Britt's team mates at the 2020 European Pony Championships in August were her biggest rivals in a field of no less than 21 pony pairs. In particular Liezel Everars was closely on her heals but lost the gold in the freestyle and dropped to bronze medal position. She won the team test with 72.343%, was was second with a fraction less than the winner in the individual (72.919%) but then dropped to fourth place in the freestyle (71.075%) to finish third wuth 216.337 points. Everars is coached by Belgian young rider Suraya Hendrikx.

The silver meal went to a very consistently riding Ine Blommaert aboard the 12-year old Dutch bred bred Wise Guy (by Bodo x Orchard d'Avranches). With 72.000% in the team test, 72.081% in the individual and 74.370% the student of Sophie Baetens-Van Lent totaled 218.451 points for silver in her first year at FEI pony level.

Children New Comer Surprises

With five riders in the Children division the age category was not at full force, missing riders such as Max van Durme and Nicolas Josse. However, a brand new face on the scene rode her way to the top of the board and outclassed Children routiniers with international experience.

Amber Hennes and her 8-year old NRPS bred Allegro van het Trichelhof (by Apache van het Trichelhof x Utharin van het Wolfharthof) surprised all with her perseverance and talent and got the gold after posting 69.482 (2nd) in the preliminary test, 73.250% (1st) in the team test and 73.160% (1st) in the individual test. She scored 215.892 points in total.

The silver went to the seasoned competitors Brittany Clabots on the 15-year old Belgian warmblood Fluegel (by Weltmeyer II x Wendekreis) after posting 69.565%, 73.116% and 71.295%. The student of Carmen de Bondt placed second overall with 213.976 points.

The bronze went to Xyliana de Rover on the 9-year old KWPN bred G-Star (by Blickpunk x Matterhorn) . She improved throughout the show, starting with 69.274% and then riding 71.042% and 73.145% to slot in third with 213.461 points.

De Jong Wins Junior Gold

Eleven combinations contested the Belgian Junior Riders Championships and in the absence of Belgian team rider Katelijne Maes, the other three team members fought for the podium places. The Brussels based Lisa Arcq, however, surprised the establishment and rode herself onto the podium.

Junior Jette de Jong, who has Dutch roots, and her 8-year old KWPN gelding Heavenly Charming (by Charmeur x United) did not have a sweeping start at the Championship but worked her way up to the highest step of the podium. They placed third in the team test (68.909%) and only as of the individual test they hung onto the lead with 72.294% and a massive freestyle of 76.380%. With 217.583 points they were golden and well ahead of the pack. After winning the pony title in 2019, De Jong now added the Junior title to her tally.

The silver medal went to the Danish born Belgian Karoline Sofie Vestergaard on the 11-year old Belgian warmblood Junior Hit (by Sandro Hit x Calvani). They won the team test with 70.242%, were second in the individual (69.912)% and second in the Kur (73.845%). Their total of 213.999 points placed them second overall.

Surprise medalist was Lisa Arcq on the 9-year old Hanoverian gelding Double Twist G (by Diamond Hit x Hohenstein), a horse previously competed in Germany by Katharina Mindt-Weber. The rising pair was fourth in the team test (68.485%), third in the individual (69.706%) and fifth in the freestyle (71.630%). Their total of 209.821 points put them on the bronze medal step of the podium, edging out Belgian junior team rider Clara Collard by a few fractions of a point (209.116).

Laura Luyten Makes it Work

Twelve riders contested the Young Riders division and the biggest absentee was Belgian YR team member Beaudine Pieters with Elbrasco. The podium ended up being taken by her three team mates of the European Championship.

Laura Luyten and the 9-year old home bred Belgian warmblood gelding J2L Lamborghini (by Bon Bravour x San Remo) had bit of a rollercoaster ride to the gold medal, winning the team test with 71.559%, placing third in the individual with 70.706% and then surging to the top of the leader board in the freestyle with a whopping 76.380% to finish first on 218.645 points. Luyten is coached by Brecht d'Hoore.

The silver medal went to Suraya Hendrikx aboard the 9-year old Westfalian gelding Dear Friend (by Danone x Dollmann). Recently having switched trainers from Jeannette Haazen to Nicolette van Leeuwen, Hendrikx improved throughout the weekend, placing second thrice in the team test with 70.676%, in the individual with 71.618% and in the Kur with 74.615%. She finished on 216.909 points.

After being the best scoring Belgian at the 2020 European YR Championships, Amber van den Sten and the 10-year old KWPN bred Fame (by Ampere x Sultano) finished with the bronze medal in her home country at the Nationals. She was third in the team test with 70.059%, won the individual test (72.147%) but ended up being fourth in the freestyle with 71.000% to finish with bronze on 213.206 points.

Nyssen is U25 Champion

The Under 25 division in Belgium struggles to gain ground at the base with a growing group of Young Riders moving through to Grand Prix level. This year the division was contested by only two combinations, but it was interesting to see that not the Belgian representative at the European Under 25 Championships won gold, but Nico Nyssen.

Nyssen and the 12-year old KWPN gelding Da Vinci (by Vivaldo.x Houston) was in a tight duel with European U25 rider Lore Vandenborne on the 12-year old Belgian warmblood gelding Ikke-Pia van de Bergerhoeve (by San Amour x Donnerhall). The combinations were breathing down each other's neck throughout the three rounds.

Nyssen was second in the Inter II (67.029%) and won the Short Grand Prix (67.487%) and Kur to Music (71.545) to get gold with 206.061 points. Vandenborne won the Inter II (67.559%) but then twice followed in Nyssen's wake with 66.262% and 70.345% to finish with silver on 204.166 points.

Roos Renews Title

Ten senior Grand Prix combinations were entered for the Nationals and only eighth of them finished all three rounds. Absentees were for instance, Fanny Verliefden, Isabel Cool, Marc Peter Spahn, Charlotte Defalque, Tom Heylen, and Jennifer Reimer.

Belgium's best scoring Grand Prix rider on the international scene, Laurence Roos and the 15-year old Belgian warmblood Fil Rouge (by Stedinger x Argentinus) continues to rule the roost at home. They were unmatched in Lier and won all three rounds. Trained by Jeroen Devroe, who himself dropped out of Championship because of personal health issues, Roos scored 71.978% in the Grand Prix, 73.511% in the Special and 76.955% in the Freestyle. She earned her second, consecutive Belgian Grand Prix Champion's title with a total of 222.444 points.

Simon Missiaen and the 13-year old KWPN bred Charlie (by Florencio x Osmium) landed the silver medal after placing second in the Grand Prix (70.674%) and Special (70.617%) and third in the Kur (74.440%). He finished second overall with 215.731 points.

The Paris based Laurence Vanommeslaghe has a new iron in the fire with the 11-year old KWPN bred Edison (by Johnson x Balzflug) and will be a force to be reckoned with in the future. In her first season on Edison she landed the bronze medal, finding her groove during the show weekend. They began with a 67.804% in the Grand Prix (6th), then posted 69.702% in the Special (3rd) and were even second in the freestyle (74.855%). Their total of 212.361 points gave them bronze.

Results - 2020 Belgian Dressage Championships - Lier

Pony Riders

1 Britt Van De Weyer - N-constantino V/d Bolkerhoeve - 72.314 72.946 75.945 ---221.205
2 Ine Blommaert - Wise Guy - 72.000 72.081 74.370 ---218.451
3 Liezel Everars - Fs Capelli De Niro - 72.343 72.919 71.075 ---216.337
4 Emilie Herweyers - Don't Dream WE - 70.714 71.216 72.640 ---214.570
5 Julie Opsomer - Hilkens No Kidding - 70.114 68.324 70.390 ---208.828
6 Elisabeth Leduc - Baldato- 69.371 69.365 69.585 ---208.321
7 Maïté Colling - Donaldson - 69.086 67.324 68.430 ---204.840
8 Lisa Waverijn - Dornier - 68.657 67.946 66.845 ---203.448
9 Angelina Hermans - Djamila - 65.286 67.973 68.985 ---202.244
10 Anna Peeters - Contador - 66.829 65.919 68.165 ---200.913
11 Noa Joosen - Miss Miracle- 65.143 67.054 66.470 ---198.667
12 Lore Biermans - My Worry - 66.657 65.162 66.845 ---198.664
13 Ellen De Landtsheer - Zieso Hpb - 66.314 64.216 68.015 ---198.545
14 Kinley Boerewaart - Kimbel Charmeur - 65.171 63.405 67.750 ---196.326
15 Lien Rosiers - Beekzicht's Robbe - 65.400 64.838 64.345 ---194.583
16 Wenke Pelgrims - Parco - 63.286 65.324 65.555 ---194.165
17 Tove Vercauteren - Luca C - 64.943 62.514 65.135 ---192.592
18 Iliana Fancello - Abloom Dew-Drop - 64.171 66.135 56.125 ---186.431

Children

1 Amber Hennes - Allegro v/h Trichelhof- 69.482 73.250 73.160 --- 215.892
2 Brittany Clabots - Fluegel - 69.565 73.116 71.295 --- 213.976
3 Xyliana De Rover - G-star - 69.274 71.042 73.145 --- 213.461
4 Thieu Scheys - Ziedaan - 66.810 65.958 71.177 --- 203.945
5 Helena Colling - Demoiselle C.L.- 66.613 67.708 67.739 --- 202.060

Junior Riders

1 Jette De Jong - Heavenly Charming - 68.909 72.294 76.380 --- 217.583
2 Karoline Sofie Vestergaard - Junior Hit - 70.242 69.912 73.845 --- 213.999
3 Lisa Arcq - Double Twist G - 68.485 69.706 71.630 --- 209.821
4 Clara Collard - Escape - 69.212 67.559 72.345 --- 209.116
5 Michiel Nevelsteen - Lars Van Het Kristoffelhof- 68.121 69.118 71.340 --- 208.579
6 Emma Lowyck - Dior - 67.061 69.353 71.895 --- 208.309
7 Clara Mourlon Beernaert - Furst Dior - 66.939 66.706 70.050 --- 203.695
8 Louise Brauwers - Esprit - 67.242 67.000 68.885 --- 203.127
9 Liesl Van Evelghem - Faustland - 65.348 65.765 67.420 --- 198.533
10 Lisa Arcq - Quantum of Solace - 63.939 67.147 66.430 --- 197.516
11 Maxine Nicasi - Estival - 59.818 61.294 64.450 --- 185.562

Young Riders

1 Laura Luyten - J2l Lamborghini - 71.559 70.706 76.380 ---- 218.645
2 Suraya Hendrikx - Dear Friend - 70.676 71.618 74.615 ---- 216.909
3 Amber Van Den Steen - Fame - 70.059 72.147 71.000 ---- 213.206
4 Charlotte Richmond - Goliath van de Kempenhoeve - 70.029 67.012 71.315 ---- 208.356
5 Hanna Faymonville - Go Go Girl V.D.C - 68.147 66.971 68.635 ---- 203.753
6 Lauranne Lammens 411 Hilcara Van Het Vijverbos - 67.029 66.941 68.605 ---- 202.575
7 Arranka Adriaenssens - Garmeur G - 64.235 66.118 68.445 ---- 198.798
8 Yinthe Van De Ven - No-limit Cv - 67.265 62.147 67.325 ---- 196.737
9 Ann-sophie Goethals - Incognito - 62.971 64.471 66.155 ---- 193.597
10 Marion Geubel - Danica v/h Trichelhof - 63.000 63.441 65.320 ---- 191.761
11 Matthias Dieltjens - Kalahari - 61.118 64.618 61.950 ---- 187.686
12 Ann-sophie Goethals - Eldorado-A - 65.941 68.588 DNS ---- 134.529

Under 25

1 Nico Nyssen - Da Vinci - 67.029 67.487 71.545 ---- 206.061
2 Lore Vandeborne - Ikke-pia V/d Bergerhoeve - 67.559 66.262 70.345 ---- 204.166

Seniors

11 Laurence Roos - Fil Rouge - 71.978 73.511 76.955 ---- 222.444
2 Simon Missiaen - Charlie - 70.674 70.617 74.440 ---- 215.731
3 Laurence Vanommeslaghe - Edison - 67.804 69.702 74.855 ---- 212.361
4 Domien Michiels - Intermezzo Van Het Meerdaalhof - 67.478 69.192 74.410 ---- 211.080
5 Alexa Fairchild - Dabanos D'o4 - 68.522 68.511 73.675 ---- 210.708
6 Thibault Vandenberghe - Santiago Song - 69.000 68.170 73.035 ---- 210.205
7 Jorinde Verwimp - Cape Town - 66.500 68.426 68.575 ---- 203.501
8 Kevin Van Ham - Eros Van Ons Heem - 65.391 65.192 67.960 ---- 198.543