Rianta van de Kempenhoeve, Zonik Plus, Kumami ADQ, Boateng Win 2021 Belgian Young Horse Championships

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2021 Belgian Young Horse Championships

The 4-year old Rianta van de Kempenhoeve, the 5-year old Zonik Plus, the 6-year old Kumani ADQ, and the 7-year old Boateng became the winners of the 2021 Belgian Young Horse Championships which took place in Gesves, Belgium on 20 - 22 August 2021.

Ripples about the Timing

After the 2020 edition of the Belgian Young Horse Championships were cancelled due to covid, the Belgian equestrian federation decided to combine the jumping and dressage division for youngsters at one event for 2021.

The fact that the Nationals took place just three days before the World Young Horse Championship in Verden (GER) was not officially contested at the beginning of the year. However early August a small group of five out of six riders suddenly and belatedly realised the clash of dates with Verden and caused ripples. They submitted a formal objection to the KBRSF about the timing of the event and received exemption. Their Verden selected horses were automatically invited to the final round of the Belgian Young Horse championship, this to the frustration of some other combinations that competed on the national YH circuit this season in order to qualify. They would have to compete on unequal terms - in their opinion - with two rounds to go in Gesves.

In the end three of six Verden selected horses (Jack Daniels N, Boateng, Oblix van de Kempenhoeve) participated in Gesves. Their riders will drive their young horses straight from Gesves to Verden, where the competition starts on Wednesday 25 August. All four reserve combinations (Kumani, Zonik Plus, Liviah Diar, Vigo Gold) also took their chance for glory in Gesves and competed in both rounds.

The Championships

The Belgian Young Horse Championships consists of two rounds, a qualifier for the finals. The 10 highest scoring horses were invited to ride in the Finals test which counted for the medals.

In the 4-year old division former Belgian pony team rider Amber Heidbuchel steered the Belgian warmblood bred Rianta van de Kempenhoeve (by Indian Rock x Quaterback) to the title with a 83.20% score. The BWP mare is bred by Marc Dries and she sold for 8,500 euro at the 2017 Flanders Dressage Event foal auction. The runner up was Nils Debo aboard the Belgian bred Ruillee ter Dieschoot (by Sandro Hit x Florestan), bred by Peter Corty. The pair was on Heidbuchel's heels but placed second with 82.20%. The third place went to Cyriel de Cocker aboard Isabel Cool's Westfalian Ferrari (by For Romance x Jazz). Bred by M. van der Linden, the horse scored 80.00% for bronze.

In the 5-year old division two black horses were breathing down each other's neck for the victory. In the end it was Justin Verboomen aboard the Hanoverian bred Zonik Plus (by Zonik x Hohenstein) who surfaced at the tip of the board with 85.40%. Bred at Plus Dressage in Portugal, Verboomen purchased the AES licensed stallion in Portugal as a 2-year old. He bested German Lukas Fischer aboard Elisabeth Tepper's DSP registered stallion Bollinger (by Bon Coeur x Dimaggio), who finished second with 84.40%. The German duo qualified for the 2021 Bundeschampionate, but skipped Warendorf to compete at the Belgian Young Horse Championships, where the owner is based. Tepper acquired the premium licensed stallion, bred by Bernd Broghammer, at the 2018 Westfalian stallion licensing for 170,000 euro. The bronze medal went to Katrien Verreet and the KWPN mare Liviah Diar (by Johnson x Florestan) with 79.80%. The mare is bred by Dionne Willers and owned by Mr. Leflot.

In the 6-year old age category former Belgian young rider team member Tahnee Waelkens claimed glory on her home bred KWPN gelding Kumami ADQ (by Fidertanz x Riant x Flemmingh). Bred by Tahnee's father Philippe, the bay gelding scored 86.40% for the title. Kumami ADQ is out of Wensappel and descends directly from the same line as former Belgian WCYH participant Sierappel (Jeroen Devroe) who went on to be an international Grand Prix horse. The runners-up were Nick van Laer aboard the SBS registered Jack Daniels N (by Apache x Welt Hit II), who followed in Waelkens' wake with 82.80%. The bay stallion is bred and owned by Jean van Laer of Stoeterij de Nayakker in Zemst and was the 4-year old Belgian champion in 2019. Nils Debo collected his second medal of the weekend, a bronze, aboard the Oldenburg bred Escojuino Ballante (by Escolar x Diamond Hit) on a score of 78.80%. Bred by Stefaan Van den Elsen, the bay was previously ridden by Finnish Grand Prix rider Niina Nilosaari in the U.K. before returning back to Belgium.

In the 7-year old division, Jerome Schneiders aced the finals with the Oldenburg Boateng (by Bon Bravour x Diamond Hit) on a final score of 75,171%. Bred by Gestuet Zum Hagnhof in Germany, Boateng is owned by the Luxembourg Christophe Molitor. Flore de Winne finished second aboard the Hanoverian bred Flynn (by Fahrenheit x Sir Oldenburg), bred in Germany by Anton Muhr. The combination posted 74.436% and edged out Katrien Verreet and the Belgian warmblood Oblix van de Kempenhoeve (by Quaterback x Sungold) completed the top three with 74.357%. Bred by Marc Dries, Oblix was the winner of the Championships in 2019 as a 5-year old.

Photos © Houou Tomita

Results - 2021 Belgian Young Horse Championships - Gesves

4-year olds

1 Heidbuchel Amber - Rianta Van De Kempenhoeve - 83,200 %
2 Debo Nils - Ruillee Ter Dieschoot - 82,200 %
3 De Coker Cyriel - Ferrari - 80,000 %
4 Debo Nils - Rigoletto Ballante - 79,200 %
5 De Coker Cyriel - Machoman- 76,600 %
6 Schneiders Jerome - Escada - 75,600 %
7 Bosman Kara - Miss Fürstana - 75,200 %
8 Tonniges-schneiders Pia - Dandy - 75,000 %
9 Hambrouck Saskia - Fabiolo - 74,400 %
10 Vandeborne Lore - Reliv Van 't Amaryllishof - 73,200 %

5-year olds

1 Verboomen Justin - Zonik Plus - 85,400 %
2 Fischer Lukas - Bollinger - 84,400 %
3 Verreet Katrien - Liviah Diar - 79,800 %
4 Mourlon Beernaert Louise - Lucky - 79,200 %
4 Heylen Tom - Quberon Van Het Beukenhof - 79,200 %
6 Van Laer Nick - Ludo B - 77,000 %
7 Prevost Amandine - Roxanne - 75,400 %
8 Dorpmans Claudia - Bravo Benico - 75,000 %
9 Spleeters Aure - Qodzillo Vh Bloemenhof - 74,600 %
10 Halkett Kizzy - Let's Go V/d Wolfshoeve - 69,400 %

6-year olds

1 Waelkens Tahnee - Kumami Adq - 86,400 %
2 Van Laer Nick - Jack Daniels N - 82,800 %
3 Debo Nils- Escojuino Ballante - 78,800 %
4 D'hoore Brecht - Kings-dream Wh - 78,600 %
5 D'hoore-van Der Horst Dominique - Wolfshoeve's Kenzo G - 76,800 %
6 De Winne Fien - Dovizioso - 75,600 %
7 Schneiders Jerome - Fantasy Island - 71,600 %
8 Hendrikx Suraya - Vigo Gold Na - 71,200 %
9 Van Guyse Ariane - Panta Rei Ter Dolen - 70,400 %
10 Tepper Elisabeth - Dream Date - 69,400 %

7-year olds

not posted