Organizer Trio Highly Satisfied with 2023 European Children and Junior Riders Championships

After five European Children and Junior Riders Championship days, which succeeded another week of international dressage competition at the Schafhof International Dressage Festival on 13 - 16 July 2023,  the organizer family Linsenhoff-Rath draws a first conclusion.

It is the fourth European Junior Championships held at Schafhof - after the European Championships in 1981 and 1984, Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff and Klaus-Martin Rath were in charge of the competition for the first time in 2010, where Germans Charlott Maria Schurmann and Fabienne Lutkemeier took the junior and young rider title at the time. 

Team and Friendship Building

In 2023, the responsibility for the European Championship was in the hands of Matthias Alexander Rath. The 38-year old father of three was delighted with the achievements of the U18 and U14 riders, but enjoyed just as much - or even a little more - the cheerful togetherness among the riders from 28 nations.

"Particularly impressive are of course the super strong performances of the German junior riders, but we have also seen behind them many other nations that have shown great tests: Denmark, Great Britain, Austria, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland, France - quite a few nations had and have really good pairs competing here. This promotes our sport immensely. In addition, the contact between the nations is simply great. People meet in the stable tent for a joint cross-national barbecue in the truck parking lot and I have already seen one or the other creative Tik-Tok video," says Rath happily. "And the nations evening was an absolute highlight for me. The exuberant mood including a pool party in our fountain really pleased me and highlighted the spirit of a European Championship once again."

Of course, two tournament weeks in a row are exhausting, the set-up had already started three weeks ago, "but we really have a great team that has pulled together from the beginning. So the event is running really smoothly so far."

Unifying

Rath has full support in what he does in his own family. Stepmother Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff beams at the thought of the past days: "I am particularly pleased about the great cooperation between the nations. During the Nations' evening on Thursday 20 July, all the countries put on a little performance and brought along typical food and drinks. That was great. Actually, we hadn't planned a party after that, but in the end it turned into a very boisterous party (laughs)."

The handover of the baton had special significance, not least for father Klaus-Martin Rath.

"Of course, it's always difficult when the parents create a big event and then the children have to carry it on. You can't push your children to continue this lifelong dream. Fortunately, Matthias wanted to do this from the very beginning and the event is a complete success. And he also applied right away for the U21 and U25 European Championships in two years and got the nod. I think that's great."

Text by KiKim, edited by Eurodressage - Photos © Stefan Lafrentz and Astrid Appels

Related Link
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2023 European Children / Junior Riders Championships