Van Liere Restores "Order" While Verboomen Shines in 2024 CDI-W Mechelen Kur to Music

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2024 CDI-W Mechelen

-- FEI press release, edited by Eurodressage

The final World Cup™ qualifier of the year 2024 in Mechelen (BEL) turned into an exciting contest between Dutch and Belgian combinations. In the festive arena, the home crowd witnessed Belgian dressage performances of a calibre rarely seen before. Ultimately, it was Dinja van Liere (NED) and Hermès who "spoiled" the Belgian party by winning the freestyle with 83.240%.

The qualifier in Mechelen was the sixth leg of the season and gave the home audience much to cheer for. The excitement started early in the Grand Prix on Saturday, when Justin Verboomen (BEL), a World Cup-debutant and first combination of the day, delivered a sensational performance with the only 8-year-old Zonik Plus. They posted an impressive score of over 74%, which held up against even the most experienced athletes, including Olympians Dinja van Liere and Larissa Pauluis (BEL).

Van Liere bounces back in the Freestyle

Dinja van Liere brought her top horse, Joop van Uytert and Jan Anker's 12-year old KWPN stallion Hermès (by Easy Game x Flemmingh) to Mechelen. The pair achieved a fourth place at the Paris Olympics, but Hermès found the atmosphere in the Mechelen Grand Prix overwhelming, leading to costly mistakes and a fourth-place finish.

“In the Grand Prix, we really lost each other,” Van Liere explained. “He was scared and spooked, so it was a difficult ride.”

However, Van Liere restored order in the Kur to Music with her "Girl Power" freestyle, arranged by Joost Peeters. Despite minor errors in the two-tempis and one pirouette, Hermès appeared far more settled, delivering a more controlled performance with outstanding piaffe and passage-work, to claim victory. Their score, though impressive, remained approximately 5% below their Olympic high score.

A vibrant arena

Mechelen’s arena, with the crowd close to the action and a lively and noisy atmosphere, proved challenging for several horses. Among those who managed to excel was Camille Cheret Judet (FRA), who rode her own and Francoise Bourgeois' 12-year old energetic KWPN Herelja Higgins (by Johnson x Gribaldi) to a score of 76.295%, finishing eighth.

Borja Carrascosa (ESP), fifth in the Grand Prix, slipped down two places after the Freestyle to seventh place. Riding the 9-year old Hanoverian licensed stallion Frizzantino FRH (by Finest x quarterback) to wonderfully arranged music featuring Madonna's greatest hits, he earned 76.985%, with mistakes in the extended trot and some transitions affecting their score.

Belgian Olympian Domien Michiels raised the bar further with Marc Steeno's 16-year old Belgian warmblood Intermezzo van het Meerdaalhof (by Gribaldi x Balzflug). They got 77.305% for sixth place.

Dorothee Schneider (GER), the last athlete in the Freestyle, showed her skill riding the rather reserved looking Dayman, a Westfalian bred stallion by Daily Deal x Flovino, owned by Chinese company Lian-United.. After placing third in the Grand Prix, they had errors in the one-tempis and one piaffe to score 77.325% for fifth place.

Schneider was narrowly surpassed by Corentin Pottier (FRA) and the family owner's 13-year old KWPN bred Gotilas (by Totilas x Ferro), whose harmonious and error-free performance earned 77.340% and fourth place.

Belgian pride: Pauluis shines

Pauluis and Verboomen in the lap of honour
(Photo © Dirk Caremans)

Belgium’s Larissa Pauluis, riding her Olympic partner Flambeau, gave a near-flawless performance in the Freestyle. Their expressive freestyle with well-fitting rhythmical music earned them a score of 79.920%, securing third place.

Reflecting on her horse’s development, Pauluis said, “It’s taken me years to get where we are today, and he keeps improving. In the beginning of our career, he was very difficult to ride in the double bridle, but the contact keeps getting better. I’m so proud of him.”

A rising star: Verboomen and Zonik Plus

The most memorable moment of the weekend came from Justin Verboomen and his own 8-year old Hanoverian bred and licensed stallion Zonik Plus (by Zonik x Hohenstein). Competing in just their second international Grand Prix and their first World Cup competition, the pair delivered a standout performance. After winning the Grand Prix on Saturday, they scored a sensational 81.730% in the Freestyle for second place.

With this score, Verboomen broke Flore de Winne's one-year old Belgian Grand Prix Kur record score of 80.330% which she achieved in Mechelen in 2023. With Flynn sold to Switzerland, Belgium now has to look at its new stars as well as its current anchors for the future.

They rode to very serene, quiet music which was light and airy, befitting Zonik's movement mechanism. In the passage half pass right, the rider even raised his hand to the sound engineer to pump up the volume without losing a beat. Both Verboomen and Pauluis ride to music arranged by Dutch composer Stefan Buitenbos.

Verboomen discovered Zonik Plus as a 2.5-year-old in Portugal and has since produced him into a rising star. The stallion's first claim to fame was a sixth place in the 6-year-old finals at the 2022 World Championships for Young Horses. They only rode two national Grand Prix tests in November before heading to their first CDI in December in Kronenberg. Mechelen was their second international show as a pair.

Reflecting on his journey together with the talented stallion, Verboomen said, “It’s been an incredible journey, and his best years are still ahead of him. He’s such a generous horse, full of courage and always in a good mood.”

Looking ahead

With Van Liere now fourth in the World Cup™ standings after her Mechelen victory, she is eyeing a spot in the Finals but is yet to decide which horse she will take: Hartsuijker or Hermès.

The next leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ is scheduled for Basel (SUI), on 9 - 12 January 2025.

Eurodressage photographed all dressage riders competing at the 2024 CDI-W Mechelen. If you are want to use our photos for social media or prints, email us first.