Jazmin Yom Tov and Konfucius Win the 2024 CDI-W World Cup Qualifier in Pilisjaszfalu

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2024 CDI-W Pilisjaszfalu

Hungarian Grand Prix rider Jazmin Yom Tov won the Central European League World Cup qualifier on home turf at the 2024 CDI-W Pilisjaszfalu on 15 - 19 May 2024.

The victory has boosted her confidence after she needed to re-align her short-term goals since Hungary lost an Olympic team spot at last year's Group C qualifier. However, a flicker of Olympic hope is on the horizon and if not, the European Under 25 Championships and hopefully World Cup Finals could be calling.

World Cup Win

In a pocket size field of four riders from three different nations, Yom Tov bested the Kur to Music with 73.740% and collected important World Cup points. She stayed ahead of Polish routinier Katarzyna Milczarek on the Lusitano Guapo with 72.135%.

"I was over the moon," said a thrilled Jazmin. "He really gave me such an amazing feeling, when I walked out I already felt that this was something different, and I really believe that we can build this upwards from here. The freestyle was just so much fun. I decided to switch up some lines, and improvise a bit, especially the last part, but boy was it a good decision. I was so so pleased and happy with Kay, he sure put a smile on my face. This was my first ever World Cup win, and he is only 9. I could not have wished for a better way to achieve it."

She continued, "I got a lot of positive feedback from the judges. They said I progressed a lot and that they saw the change. Of course he's a stallion and still likes looking at the pretty girls and sometimes boys," she joked. "His way of wanting to go into the arena has changed. I jump him now and he really likes that. He's good at it too."

Konfucius

Jazmin saddled the youngest horse in the group, the 9-year old KWPN bred Konfucius (by Charmeur x Flemmingh), which her father discovered in The Netherlands as a youngster.

Jazmin's partnership with the grey began in 2022, taking over the ride from assistant rider Dirk-Jan van de Water who had started the horse and introduced him to his first competitions, including the 4-year old challenge at the 2019 World Young Horse Championships in Ermelo.

Jazmin took over the ride at the start of 2022 and brought him to Grand Prix level. They won the 7-year old division at the 2022 Central European Young Horse Championship in Pilisjaszfalu and immediately lept into the Grand Prix division in 2023 when the horse was 8. They competed at the Group C Olympic Team Qualifier in June that year, where Poland beat Hungary to the punch and got the Olympic team slot. After that set-back they went to CDI's in Neu-Anspach, Achleiten and Fot.

Re-Aligning Target: Under 25 and World Cup

With the Olympic dream up into smoke, the 22-year old rider went back to the drawing board to re-align her short and mid-term goals. After having trained for years with Sjef Janssen in The Netherlands, she briefly worked with Rieky Young and then moved back home to Hungary to work by herself. She is now gradually moving more horses from their Dutch barn "Sport Pro Horses" in Uden (NED) back home to Hungary.

"We'll keep around 15 horses in Holland but the rest will come here," she added.

The goals for 2024 were set on the European Under 25 Championships, but the idea of the 2025 World Cup Finals in Basle (SUI) began growing on her. With For Joy she is currently campaigning at U25 level and with Konfucius she's aiming for the World Cup qualifiers.

A Flicker of Olympic Hope for Hungary

A flicker of hope for a Hungarian presence at the Olympics in Paris suddenly appeared on the horizon again when the Moldovan individual rider Alisa Glinka got suspended for forbidden medication. There a slim but not impossible chance that the second Moldovan rider, Tatiana Antonenco, will achieve 2 MER scores before 25 June.

If Antonenco fails in her last-minute attempt, Hungary will receive the individual Olympic slot for which only two Hungarian riders have fulfilled all MER requirements and documents: Jazmin Yom-Tov and peer Benedek Pachl, whose career began at Yom Tov's Stable Unikornis. It is up to the Hungarian equestrian federation to make a selection between the two based on scores, horse fitness and nerve resilience for this all important event.

"I was planning on going to the Under 25 Europeans, but of course the circumstances have changed," said Yom Tov with the Olympics in the back of her mind. "Originally I was going to wait until last minute to decide on which horse I will choose for the U25, which one would be in the best shape. I feel that both horses are doing super at the moment, so honestly I will leave it for the last second."

She continued, "now that Hungary might get a quota place of course the Olympics is what I will aim for, that’s also why this World Cup win came in the best possible time."

Jazmin is very close to her Benedek Pachl, the other Hungarian Olympic candidate, as they grew through the ranks together. "We both started with Beni’s father, Peter," said Jazmin. "Beni is a talented rider, and of course it’s not the nicest feeling to go up against someone who I consider a team mate. The results should talk, and I will fight for it until the last moment."