Lucie Anouk-Baumgürtel Wins 2026 Piaff Forderpreis Selection Trial, 19 Qualified for Show Circuit

Dressage

2026 Piaff Forderpreis

Lucie Anouk-Baumgürtel became the winner of the 2025 Piaff Forderpreis selection trial in Warendorf on 25 March 2025. Nineteen riders are now invited to compete on the circuit.

The Piaff Forderpeis is show circuit for German Under 25 riders consisting of four qualifiers (Mannheim, Balve, Elmlohe, and Pinneberg) and a finals, this year in Aachen on 2 - 6 December 2026.

Seminar in Warendorf

In order to be considered for the circuit, candidates had to go to Warendorf for the official selection event.

There the pairs were coached by team trainer Hans-Heinrich Meyer zu Strohen and Monica Theodorescu. The next day had to ride the Short Grand Prix as qualifier. This year's competition was judged by Evi Eisenhardt, Katrina Wüst, and Sven Rothenberger.

This year the 13 highest ranked combinations in the competition class directly qualified for the circuit (compared to 12 in 2025), and this alongside the U25 squad listed riders who are automatically eligible. This brings the total of 19 riders on 23 horses for this year's series.

Baumgürtel Wins

At the 2026 selection trial in Warendorf 21 pairs competed, which is one pair more than in 2025, while in 2024 there were 26 combinations at the trial.

The qualifier was won by Lucie-Anouk Baumgürtel aboard the 10-year old Hanoverian mare First Vienna (by Vitalis x First Dance). Three weeks after their international show debut in the U25 division at the CDI Lier, where they posted 64.745% in the Inter II for 10th place and did not ride the short Grand Prix, the duo was the high scorer in the field in Warendorf with a total of 71.008%.

The big revelation of the selection trial was the second placed pair, new duo Fiona Serafina Lukas aboard the 13-year old Oldenburg Aragorn T (by Antango x Rubin Royal), with a score of 70.155%. The Baden Wurttemberger based Lukas trains with her mom Sandra and Christoph Niemann. The family runs a riding school and "Activstall" for good horsekeeping at the Streck family's Lukashof in Schönfeld. Fiona has never competed internationally.

Sophia Gerlach and the 12-year old Westfalian Amaru F (by All at Once x Fiano) landed third place as the one of three pairs to crack the 70% barrier. A student of Katharina Hemmer, Gerlach posted 70.078%.

German young rider champion of 2025, Nele Klaus, moved up to Under 25 Grand Prix level with her long-time ride Van Tastic, a 11-year old Brandenburg by Van Vivaldi x De Niro, and placed fourth with 69.264%, edging out European Championship medal winning Anna Schölermann on a new horse, the 9-year old First Romance (by For Romance II x Bordeaux) with 67.907%. Her individual marks ranged from 65.00% to 69.767% Annabelle Steffens and former British international Grand Prix mare Habouche (by Ampere x Sydney) were sixth with 66.938% after costly mistakes.

Celestine Kindler took over the ride on Schölermann's German U25 team horse Springborgs Guardian (by Hotline x Furst Romancier) and placed 12th with 65.310%. Her scores from the three judges ranged between 63.256% to 68.256%.

European Junior and Young Riders medal winner Valentina Pistner made her Under 25 debut in Germany with Vincent van Gasselt's 14-year old KWPN bred Harley Khan (by Zjengis Khan x May Sherif) and placed 18th with 64.419%.

It was a surprising return after a 3.5-year absence from the arena for Young Horse World Champion Lordswood Dancing Diamond (by Dancier x Wolkenstein II). After selling to Tamara Rehnig and briefly being competed by Dorothee Schneider, the dark bay gelding is now leased to Henri Schamburg, who has not yet found his stride on the horse. They were 21st place with 61.667%. Schamburg left Rothenberger to now train with Klaus Martin Rath at Gestut Schafhof. He has leased the horse from Rehnig who quit competition sport in 2020.

Results - 2026 Piaff Förderpreis Qualifier in Warendorf

Judges: Dr. Evi Eisenhardt, Katrina Wüst, Sven Rothenberger

1. Lucie-Anouk Baumgürtel - First Vienna - 71.008%
2 Fiona Serafina Lukas - Aragorn T - 70.155%
3 Sophia Gerlach - Amaru F - 70.078%
4 Nele Klaus - Van Tastic - 69.264%
5 Anna Schölermann - First Romance - 67.907%
6 Annabelle Steffens - Habouche - 66.938%
7 Henriette Schmidt - Feengold - 66.628%
7 Lynn Suckow - Dun Dee - 66.628%
9 Henriette Schmidt - Freundschaft - 66.318%
10 Vanessa Sachs - Bright Diamond - 66.279%
11 Franziska Haase - Livorno - 65.698%
12 Celestine Kindler - Springborgs Guardian - 65.310%
13 Marie Sohler - Queolito - 65.116%
14 Isabelle Rüdiger - Florestino - 65.000%
15 Luca Gartmann - Just for fun - 64.612%
15 Emely van Loon - Bentley vL - 64.612%
15 Maike Springmeier - D'Avicci - 64.612%
18 Valentina Pistner - Harley Khan - 64.419%
19 Marie Bauer - High Woods - 63.682%
20 Frederik Appelhoff - 9 Detox OLD - 63.643%
21 Henri Schamburg - Lordswood Dancing Diamond - 61.667%

Complete scores here

Invited to compete on the 2026 Piaff Forderpreis show circuit are:

Lucie Anouk Baumgürtel - First Vienna FH
Fiona Serafina Lukas - Aragorn T
Sophia Gerlach - Amaru F
Nele Klaus - Van Tastic
Anna Schölermann - First Romance
Annabelle Steffens - Habouche
Henriette Schmidt - Feengold
Lynn Greta Sukow - Dun Dee
Vanessa Sachs - Bright Diamond
Franziska Haase - Livorno
Celestine Kindler - Springborgs Guardian
Marie Sohler - Queolito
Isabelle Rüdiger - Florestino

alongside the U25 squad riders

Luca Collin - Bonamour
Pia-Carlotta Gagel - Riccio
Anna Schölermann - Bon Scolari and Superstar
Katharina Schuster - Qence L
Moritz Treffinger - Cadeau Noir, Fiderdance and Morricone
Elisabeth von Wulffen - Triple A and Vis a Vis