Photo Report: Riders Finding Familiarity and Confidence at 2025 CDI Sint-Truiden

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2025 CDI Sint-Truiden

Photos © Eurodressage - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED / NO SCREEN SHOTS for social media

For the tenth consecutive time since 2017, Stal Gravenhof in Sint-Truiden (BEL) has been host to the CDI Sint-Truiden, a small one-ring international which provides a familiar atmosphere and early date on the outdoor season calendar.

Sint-Truiden is known for its low-key environment, making the show a magnet for horses and riders with low mileage from pony level to Grand Prix. The owners of the stable spare no effort to provide good catering throughout the weekend.

The 2025 edition took place during Easter weekend and while the numbers of entries was slightly lower compared to last year (an Olympic year is always busier and the CDI Tolbert the week before snagged entries) the programme still had classes running from 9 AM in the morning till 8 PM.

Eurodressage skipped Thursday as annoying rain showers spoiled the party, but Friday and Saturday it was full sunshine and spring was certainly in the air. The show is set in the middle of the apple and pear orchards in the renowned Haspengauw fruit district.

Scandinavian Affair in the Youth Divisions

Starting young: 12-year old French Blanche
Gallon Guillermou in her first CDI in Sint-Truiden

Swedes dominated the pony division. Swedish Wilma Holmgren piloted her gorgeous stallion Neverland (by FS Numero Uno x Champus K) to the win in the team test with 72.429%. Swedish pony team rider Josefine Lindstedt found her stride in the individual test and freestyle, taking the trophies aboard the 12-year old Dutch Welsh pony bred Falco (by Leuns Veld's Winston x Hagelkruis Valentijn). She scored 69.865% and 74.317% for the win.

In the children division Swedish Engla Svärd rode her new ride, 18-year old Hanoverian Lord Hamilton (by Lord Loxley x Don Primero), to the victory in the preliminary test with 71.857%. Svärd took over the ride on the black from Danish young rider Cornelia Munch Sinding. Belgian Elise Van Os and the 8-year old Belgian warmblood bred Reliv Van 't Amaryllishof (by Ferdeaux x D-Day) topped the board in the team and individual test with 80.925% and 78.634%, scores that would make her one of the top contenders for the European Children Championships in Le Mans in the summer.

At junior level Italian Matteo Borghesi debuted the recently acquired 9-year old Danish gelding Foldbergs Dantino (by Dante Weltino x Romanov) at international competition. Reaping the fruits of the horse's good training in Denmark, Borghesi was able to ride the horse in a light steady contact. He won the team test with 69.444% and the individual with 69.069%, but the family decided to go home early and not ride the freestyle. The Kur was won by Danish CDI debutant Ella Holm Rasmussen aboard the 17-year old Danish warmblood Sarkozy (by Hofrat x Don Schufro). With 71.375%, Ella edged out team mate Nicoline Krabbe Nielsen on Moellens Venice (by Veneziano x Hotline).

At Young Riders level it was also a Danish-Swedish affair with Swede Ellen Stymne acing the team test on the 11-year old KWPN bred Joyful STH (by Boston x Samba Hit). They scored a winning 70.147%. In the Individual test and Kur to Music it was another first, this time for Danish Anna Have Larsen-Ledet who rode her second CDI in her career, her first at junior level, with the 11-year old Danish bred Finnigan-Vitz (by Franklin x Ferro). They won the team test with 70.785% and the Kur with 76.133%

European Mix

Nine combinations contested the small tour classes, starting with the Prix St Georges that was won by Belgian Emily Lenaerts aboard Peter Jonckers' 10-year old Oldenburg gelding D'Accord van het Aegroschot (by De Niro x Tango) on 67.500%. Dutch Jessica Buying and the 10-year old KWPN gelding Klamoudale (by Glamourdale x Santano) took over the baton and won the Inter I (68.235%) and Kur (73.358%).

There were two Under 25 tests scheduled in Sint-Truiden. The Short Grand Prix was won by Danish Ida Kirstine Bjørn on the 11-year old Danish warmblood Hussmanns Jackson (by Johnson x Belissimo). Trained by Sanne Henningsen, Bjørn scored 69.257%. Swiss Milena Sulzer and the 10-year old Westfaliann mare Roksanda (by Rock For You x Show Star) bested the kur with 73.075% and had an almost five percent point advantage to second placed Bjørn.

At Grand Prix level Belgian routinier Jeroen Devroe has two new irons in the fire for the big tour: the 9-year old KWPN bred Lestor (by Ghandi x Painted Black) and the 11-year old KWPN bred Jackpot (by Everdale x Jazz). The youngest of the two, Lestor, ended up winning the Grand Prix with 69.913% and the Kur to Music with 74.285%. The Grand Prix Special was won by Luxembourg's Nicolas Wagner who rode his first CDI on his number one, 16-year old Hanoverian Quater Back Junior (by Quaterback x Bonheur), since the 2024 Olympics. They won the Special with 68.745%.

Jeroen Devroe on Lestor, posing with partner
Carmen de Bondt, while student Emily Lenaerts
takes the picture

Photos © Eurodressage - NO SCREENSHOTS!

Eurodressage took photos of all competitors in Sint-Truiden. If you are interested in photos for social media use or print, send us an email and you can BUY our photos. No reproduction allowed - NO SCREENSHOTS!

Long time no see: Danish rider and trainer Sanne Henningsen. She last competed internationally in 2016. She is best known for having trained Olympic horses Clearwater and Molberg.

German Marlene Zahnleiter on Lana Raumann's Feodor (by Farewell III x Dormello)

After a rainy day on Thursday, it was gorgeous weather the rest of the Easter weekend

Swedish children rider Engla Svard on Lord Hamilton

The ground jury at the 2025 CDI Sint-Truiden: Alban Tissot, Pia Fälth, Malgorzata Pawlowska, Linda Warren-Davey, Clive Halsall, Freddy Leyman, Omar Zayrik

Belgian Ella-June Briers on pony Der Kleine Prinz

Anna Have Ledet-Larsen on Finnigan-Vitz

Swedish Hildur Elfgren pats Anemon van S (by Dalwhinnie x Corrado WL)

judgment call. This passed the tack check

The French owned Sir Sandro

Emily Lenaerts on D'Accord van het Aegroschot

Yvette Schrijnemakers on Kwinzie's-Zymfony (by Everdale x Krack C)

Indian Divyakriti Singh on Improve (by Apache x Ferro). She trains with Coby van Baalen

Thai Larinda Nandhabiwat on Fonnery V (by Fahrenheit x Connery) Dog

Dog

Evergreens: 65-year old Dominique Mohimont made her return to the CDI ring after a 3-year break with Toureine du Meugon (by Donnerball x Wolkentanz II)

Belgian U25 rider Beaudine Pieters on Harmony Sporthorses' Diabolo (by Desperados x Rousseau), previously shown by Michael Klimke

Annabelle Steffens made her CDI debut on new Grand Prix horse Habouche (by Ampere x Sydney), previously shown by Anna Ross (GBR)

Judges Pia Fälth, Olivier Smeets, Malgorzata Pawlowska

Francesca Rapazzoli on Invershin (by Charmeur x Balzflug)

Jeroen Devroe on Jackpot (by Everdale x Jazz)

Nicolas Wagner on Quater Back Junior

Jessica Leijser on Kashmir (by Glamourdale x Vivaldi)

Simone Albeck on Haya (by Hochadel x Hofrat)

Tatiana Antonenco on Double Dutch (by Jazz x Wisconsin)

Jacco Doornwaard on It's Easy (by Everdale x Havel)

Tessa Frank aboard Marion Henkel's Lavaletta (by Casall.x Lavaletto). She was coached by Ingo Pape at the show

Italian based Irish James Connor on the talented Vanotti. Since Chiara Olper bought him from Martin Schaudt, the bay has been shown by Francesco Zaza, Tatiana Miloserdova; Enrico di Vico and now Connor.

Niklaas Feilzer on Madeleine Winter-Schulze's Leo Löwenherz (by Licosto x Rockwell)

Coach Norbert van Laak gives student Nicolas Wagner a pat on the leg

Judge Clive Halsall

Normal foam? Polos? fluff? you tell me