Benedek Pachl Leaves Stable Hexagon for Enterprise in Belgium

Dressage

Hungary

Hungarian young professional dressage rider Benedek Pachl is leaving his employer of four years, Leunus van Lieren's stable Hexagon, to relocate to Belgium.

Pachl will be riding for Dutch Marieke Ponzo Dieu-de Pundert who is renovating the stable St. Hubert Horse and Country Club in Kapellen. As of 1 January 2024 they will be temporarily based at APG Stables in Wuustwezel until the renovations have completed.

Benedek Pachl

The 24-year old Pachl is the son of Hungarian dressage trainer Peter Pachl. He began his competition career on ponies in 2014 aboard the German pony Macciato (by The Breas My Mobility x Bogenschutze).

As a youth rider he competed at six European Youth Championships: the 2015 European Pony Championships on Macciato and then the horse Donna Friderika (by Don Frederico) became his career making mount. The pair showed at the 2017 European Junior Riders Championships (72nd in the individual test with 62.658%), the 2019 European Young Riders Championships (45th in the individual test with 66.618%), the 2020 European Under 25 Championships (13th on the Kur with 71.040%), the 2021 European Under 25 Championships (24th in the short Grand Prix with 67.435%).

Pachl on Macciato at the 2015 European
Pony Championships

For 2022 he saddled Hexagons Joelle and rode the European Under 25 Championships (15th in the Kur with 70.505%)

In 2023 he made the move into the senior division and represented Hungary on Donna Friderika at the European Championships in Riesenbeck, where they unfortunately got eliminated in the Grand Prix.

Stable Hexagon

In 2019 Pachl moved to Leunus van Lieren's stable Hexagon in The Netherlands where he started his professional career as a rider.

Aboard the Hexagon owned horses, he ride the World Young Horse Championships two times. In 2021 with Luxuriouzz (15th in the Final), in 2022 with Hexagons Gorgeous Black Art (21st in the consolation), and in 2023 with Miamanda (13th in the final) and Gorgeous Black Art (22nd in the consolation).

Move to Belgium

Pachl has now decided to leave Hexagon and start a new enterprise in Belgium with Dutch Marieke Ponzo Dieu - de Pundert. He has also switched trainers, currently getting coaching from Johan Rockx.

"I am really thankful for Hexagon for the 4 years I learned a lot and reached a lot what I never dreamed of but this opportunity came up with Marieke and it is just really a dream comes true," said Beni. "I would like to continue my way in dressage to reach the top level, with the main focus or goal that we keep the well being of the horses in the first place. And I can say happily that on this way now Johan Rockx will help me, who understands very good the horses and that how to reach our goals. I think we have a really nice click as well. Of course there is still a lot to work and learn."

Pachl on Joelle, Thamar Zweistra and Leunus
van Lieren watching

Marieke Ponzo Dieu - de Pundert is the founder of the IISAH foundation (Impact Investment to Support Acces to Health), a non-profit which aims to improve quality and accessibility of physical rehabilitation services. She is an avid dressage rider who competes at international small tour level and has been training with Thamar Zweistra for 15 years. Her top horses are Haliego (by Diego) and Kingsdale (by Everdale), both acquired at Van Olst.

Ponzo first considered herself an amateur, according to De Hoefslag, but has decided to go professional. She bought the new barn in Belgium, which is intended as a boutique sales and training stable, where Pachl will help in training the horses alongside Beni's girlfriend Demi Gisolf.