Gosmann, Billig, Von Borries, Casper Win 2024 German Youth Riders Championships

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2024 German Youth Riders Championships

Pony rider Leni-Sophie Gosmann, children rider Therese Billig, junior rider Alix von Borries, and young rider Pia Casper were the winners of the 2024 German Youth Riders Championships (DJM) in Riesenbeck on 12 - 15 September 2024.

Pony Riders: Leni-Sophie Gosmann

The pony division rallied 37 combinations of which the gold medal winning team riders in July's European Pony Championship ruled the roost.

Leni-Sophie Gosmann and the 8-year old buckskin stallion Diamantini (by Diamond Touch x FS Pavarotti) climbed towards the highest step of the podium for the title and the gold medal. She was beaten only in the first of three rounds by Madlin Tillmann who didn't bring team pony Chilly Morning but her long-time partner Mister Prime Time, an 8-year old by Movie Star x Hemmingway B. Tillmann won the team test with 75.410%, was third in the individual test (73.634%) and second in the Kur (75.975%) to end up with silver. Gosmann's gold medal winning scores were 74.103%, 75.024% and 77.525%. Third team mate Hanna Clauberg got the bronze on the 7-year old Dacapo B (by Dornik x Golden Dancer) with 73.592%, 73.659% and 75.575%.

Gosmann, who trains with Stefanie Wittmann, stated, "dancing to the music is the most fun for me and my pony, but I had the best feeling in the saddle in the second qualifying test - that was simply great."

Children: Therese Billig

The Children podium: Hohmann, Billig, Haverkamp

The German Children Championship runs under a different format than combining the scores of three rounds. The top three riders of the combined scores in the team and individual test are invited to a finals with horse change.

This year the three were Therese Billig, Jolina-Amrei Hohmann and Katharina Haverkamp. Billig rode her 14-year old Westfalian Faro Shen (by Furstenball x Laurentianer) to the high score after two rounds and then also claimed the win in the horse change finals, scoring 8.4 on Faro Shen, 8.7 on Feliciano and 90 even on Fi Delia H. Her horse Faro Shen was the best scoring horse overall with the three riders. Billig was member of the German gold medal team at the 2023 European Children Championship but did not make the cut this year.

The silver went to Hohmann, who brough the 6-year old Hanoverian Feliciano, who is also by Furstenball but out of a Foundation dam. The horse is owner by Thore Kockerols. Hohmann scored 9.4 on Faro Shen, 8.7 on her own Feliciano and 7.7 on Di Delia H. The bronze was for Haverkamp who scored 7.8 on her own 15-year old Oldenburg Fi Delia H (by For Compliment x Sandro Hit) and got 8.5 with Faro Shen and 8.8 on Feliciano.

"We saw an incredibly strong field of starters. The competition is always very well received by the audience. It is simply interesting to observe how the young dressage talents can adapt to the different types of horses," said German Children team trainer Hans-Heinrich Meyer zu Strohen.

Junior Riders: Alix von Borries

The biggest division in Riesenbeck was the junior riders one with 42 pairs, but the current European Junior Champion, Marie Sohler on Global Player, was absent from the Nationals.

The junior division was also the first to wrap up on the weekend and team rider Alix von Borries took highest honour aboard Gaby Heye-Hammerlage's 9-year old Hanoverian Feingefuhl (by Furstenball x Farewell III). Von Borries left no doubt about it as she won all three rounds with scores of 74.622%, 75.053%, and 77.405% for the gold.

"Feingefühl was a bit electric today (Kur) and was particularly impressed by the crowd here, but she stayed with me and I was able to ride her well," said Von Borries, who trains with Stefanie Wittmann.

Team mate Maria Teresa Pohl brought her second horse, the 8-year old Hanoverian Diaton (by Dimaggio x Benetton Dream) to Riesenbeck instead of her team gold medal horse Lennox U.S. and landed the silver. She was second in the team and individual test (72.784ù and 72.368%) and finished fourth in the Kur (73.460%) to place second overall. Pohl trains with Andrea Timpe.

The bronze went to Eve Catherine Bartels, who was not even considered for this year's German team for the European Championships. Aboard the 12-yera old Rhinelander stallion Villeneuve (by Vitalis x Dancier) she worked her way up to the podium. She was sixth in the team test (70.514%), third in the individual (71.605%), and second in the Kur (75.720%). Bartels trains with Semmieke Rothenberger.

Young Riders: Pia Casper

Twenty-eight riders lined up for the Young Riders Championship and all four German gold medal winning team riders at this year's Europeans were absent from this season finale.

The Championship was interestingly won by Pia Casper, a rider not even considered for the German Young Riders team this year as she does not compete internationally (her last and only CDI start ever was in June 2022). Casper's parents own Gestut Birkhof in Donzdorf and she brought the 11-year old Oldenburg stallion Fair Game (by Furst Wilhelm x Ron William) to Riesenbeck. They claimed the gold after going from a third place in the team test (70.316%), to winning the individual (72.158%) and Kur (76.800%).

"Pia Casper and the stallion Fair Game OLD were in the form of their lives here in Riesenbeck," said German JR/YR team trainer Hans-Heinrich Meyer zu Strohen. "We saw some really great pairs here among the young riders, who were neck and neck. I hope that we can build on the performances and that the top three will also be available for future major tasks at the Prize of the Best or for the European Championships."

The silver went to German team reserve Kenya Schwierking aboard the 11-year old Dutch bred Imani (by Totilas x Clavecimbel), who is bred by Totilas' former owner Cees Visser. This pair was second in all three rounds with 70.947%, 71.632%, and 76.500%

The bronze went to second team reserve Lana-Pinou Baumgürtel on the 10-year old Westfalian mare Emma (by Escolar x Laurentianer). They won the team test with 71.658%, were fifth in the individual (69.553%) and third in the Kur (74.150%).