Germany on Top of the Team Podium at the 2024 European Young Riders / Under 25 Championships

Germany has been twice on top of the podium in the opening team competition of the 2024 European Young Riders / Under 25 Championships in St. Margarethen, Austria. 

These European Youth Championships at "Reiterhof Stückler" kicked off on Tuesday 16 July with the horse inspection. Two horses struggled in the trot-up and were held for re-inspection on Wednesday morning: Totally More (ITA) and Resuelto (ESP). Totally More did not pass the reinspection (he was listed as eliminated on the result sheet of the team test, suggesting he passed and then got eliminated). Resuelto passed the re-inspection and carried on to produce personal best scores later on in the week.

Young Riders: Germany - Holland - Great Britain

Germany ended up undefeated with a 4% overall point advantage (220.382) to the silver medal winning Dutch team (216.382 pts). Great Britain edged out  Denmark for bronze (210.324).

For the Young Riders the team championship test is the Prix St Georges and it was judged by Malgorzata Pawlowska, Lars Andersson, Ulrike Nivelle, Thomas Lang, and Hans Voser. The panel saw the winner of the class in Lucie-Anouk Baumgurtel, the 2021 European Junior Riders Championship, who took her 12-year old KWPN gelding Hugo (by Spielberg x San Remo) in the YR-ranks in the autumn of 2021 and rode one further EU-YR championship with him in Hartpury 2022 (silver, bronze). Hugo had a one-year break from international competition sport and returned only in late June 2024 in the CDI ring. In St. Margarethen the experienced pair posted a winning 74.000%, even though the judges had her between 71.324% and 76.324%!

Baumgurtel's team mate, routinier Valentina Pistner on the 16-year old Oldenburg QC Flamboyant (by Fidertanz x De Niro).  A partnership for already seven year, Pistner is riding her fifth Europeans on the horse and has picked up team and individual medals at every single edition.

In the team test she also finished on 74.000% but ranked second. The judges were again divided: 71.912% and 77.059%.

Germany's third contributing team score was 72.382% (see here for full results) while Allegra Schmitz-Morkramer's respectable 71.178% on her 12-year old Hanoverian Libertad (by Londontime x San Remo) was the country's scratch score.

"We had a very good preparation in Warendorf. All pairs are at an excellent level. With the level of performance, routine is crucial and we were able to present ourselves very well in front of the judges. The U21 and U25 riders are together in one stable here, the team spirit is incredibly great and that makes us strong as a team," said German YR team trainer Hans-Heinrich Meyer zu Strohen.

The Netherlands was good for silver in St. Margarethen. The Dutch push for the podium was led by Micky Schelstraete on her brand new ride, Carol Hweijan Lee's 8-year old Oldenburg mare Venicia OLD (by Vivaldi x Don Frederico). She landed third place with a personal best of 72.382% (70.735 - 74.412%).  Dutch team routinier Robin Heiden and her home bred Gasmonkey (by Tuschinski x Ferro) posted 72.030%, while team newcomer Tessa Kole on Hexagon's King Robert (by Capri Sonne JR x Rubiquil) also had a personal best of 71.970%. Holland's scratch result was from rookie Eline Anker on In Style (by Eye Catcher x Lorentin) with 69.118%. 

“We have worked hard with the Young Riders all winter. This gives them a huge boost. It is great that this results in a medal. I am very proud,” said Dutch team trainer and international judge Monique Peutz. “They won the medal with very good horse riding. And they also bred and trained the horses themselves (sic). I think that is an extra feather in their cap for this result. We had to start first and all four of them put down a good test. They did very well.”

Great Britain pushed Denmark off the podium with Isobel Lickley and Helmut von Fircks and Lodbergen's co-owned Hanoverian stallion First Ampere (by Ampere x Weltruhm). They contributed a personal best of 70.206% to Britain's team result. Oliver Gould also had his best PSG score so far with 70.059% on Virtue (by Vitalis x Krack C), while India Durman-Mills was right behind him on 70.059 with Escade (by Jazz x Wolfgang). The fourth scratch result was 65.206% (Hermione Tottman).

Under 25: Germany - Denmark - Holland

Germany continued its winning ways also in the Under 25 division in which the Intermediaire II served as the team competition test. Forty-two pairs travelled to hot Austria for the competition, although one pair (Siri Tonnesen - Bonifatius) withdrew. 

Judged by Kurt Christensen, Isabelle Judet, Clive Halsall, Maarten Van der Heijden, and Alice Schwab, the ground jury favoured British Annabella Pidgley aboard Charlotte Dujardin's Tokyo bronze medal winning horse Gio, a 13-year old KWPN gelding by Apache x Tango. The pair struggled a bit with fluency in the pi-pa transitions and the hands and leg aids were not very subtle in the trot and piaffe-passage part of the test, but the pair picked up many points in the canter work. They won the class with a personal best of 74.030%.

It was however team Germany that went for gold as its three team members placed second, third and fourth. Helen Erbe led the German campaign aboard her seasoned, 17-year old Rhinelander Carlos (by Carabas x Weltmeyer). They were second with 73.059%, while U25 team new comer Moritz Treffinger and Gestut Bonhomme's 14-year old Hanoverian stallion Cadeau Noir (by Christ x De Niro) were third with 72.588%, and Anna Schölermann slotted in fourth on a personal best of 72.383%. She saddled the 11-year old Hanoverian stallin Bon Scolari (by Bon Bravour x Scolari). Lia Welschof's 69.030% on GB Dolcino (by Don Index x De Niro) was Germany's scratch score.

Germany won team gold with 218.030 points and had Denmark following in silver place far behind them (211.353 points). The leading Danish ride came from brand new Danish U25 champion Sophie Ludvigsen on the 10-year old Hanoverian mare Blue Hors Quintana (by Quantensprung x Desperados). The pair had some clear contact issues with a gaping mouth in the trot tour, but she upped her points in canter and got a personal best of 71.941% although her scores ranged from 69.853 to 73.235%. Sara Aagaard Hyrm and the 10-year old Danish bred Atterupgaard Cooper (by Charmeur x Gribaldi) picked up 70.265%, while another long-time team rider, Karoline Rohmann and the 15-year old Danish Jakas Don Louvre (by Don Romantic x Lauries Crusador xx) added 69.147% to Denmark's team result. Former medal winner Thea Bech scored below par and was the scratch ride with 66.559%

Team The Netherlands landed on the bronze step of the podium with a total of 209.940 points. The highest score was given to another familiar face on the Dutch team: Marten Luiten and Willeke Bos' 14-year old KWPN mare Fynona (by Ampere x Gribald). This pair has been competing for Holland since 2018, starting at junior level. They were the 2021 European Young Riders Champions in Oliva Nova. In 2022 they moved to U25 level and there was silver and bronze at the 2023 Europeans. In the hot summer weather at St. Margarethen, Fynona looked tired in her hindlegs, particularly in the trot work, but her canter pirouettes were outstanding once again. A mistake in the tempi changes affected the score and they still placed sixth with 71.029%. Kim Noordijk and the 10-year old KWPN bred Joep (by Desperado x Ferro) followed in his tracks with 69.529%, while Milou Dees and her 14-year old KWPN gelding Francesco (by Florencio x Krack C) got 69.382%. German born Dutch rider Sophie Reef made her debut on the Dutch team and rode the drop score of 68.853% on the 17-year old KWPN mare Charming Lady (by Painted Black x Krack C).

Text © Eurodressage - Photos Lukasz Kowalski

Related Links
Scores: 2024 European Young Riders / Under 25 Championships
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2024 European Young Rider & Under 25 Championships