-- FEI press release, edited by Eurodresssage - Photos © Dirk Caremans
Less than a week after riding the Top 12 competition in Frankfurt, Belgian Olympic duo Larissa Pauluis and Flambeau claimed their first World Cup victory in their career with a personal best score that cracked the 80% barrier on home turf at the 2025 CDI-W Mechelen.
The Western European League saw its last competition of 2025 being ridden in the Nekkerhallen expo center in Mechelen, Belgium, with the kur to music on Monday morning 29 December 2025.
Pauluis posted an impressive personal best on the board of 82.975% to lead the Belgian one-two at this show. Justin Verboomen (BEL) finished second with Djembe de Hus OLD on 82.450%. Third place went to Joao Pedro Moreira (POR) with the black Drosa Fürst Kennedy OLD on 79.280%.
Top three remains unchanged
The top three in the Kur to Music was identical to the warm-up Grand Prix class, which was held in a rather empty stadium on Sunay morning 28 December. For the freestylen the seats were completely filled and the same top three place-getters led the way.
Several combinations who had a less successful Grand Prix returned strongly in the Freestyle. That was certainly the case for first starter Ingrid Klimke (GER) with Gut Hülsen's 13-year old Hanoverian mare First Class (by Furstenball x Bergamon). After costly flying-change mistakes in the Grand Prix, the pair delivered a more polished Freestyle to finish ninth on 74.985%.
An even bigger climb in the rankings came from Emmelie Scholtens (NED) with Bruver & Rom Vermunt's 10-year old KWPN stallion Kyton (by Ferguson x Ferro). After a 15th place in the Grand Prix, the pair returned with greater focus in the Kur to finish seventh on 76.005%.
Emotional farewell for Botticelli
Following his retirement, Botticelli received a standing ovation, flowers and treats, and Defalque’s eighth-place finish on 75.475% earned her a place in the prize-giving as a fitting final chapter.
Consistent performances
For Luxembourg, European Championship finalist Nicolas Wagner produced a strong performance with 16-year old Hanoverian Quater Back Junior FRH (by Quaterback x Bonheur), finishing sixth on 76.150%.
Marieke van der Putten (NED) slipped from fourth in the Grand Prix to fifth in the Freestyle with 11-year old Oldenburg mare Zantana (by Zonik x Sir Donnerhall). The elegant mare impressed with her talent and expression, but a costly mistake in the right pirouette impacted the score, which settled at 76.605%.
Camille Judet Chéret (FRA) also delivered two solid tests in Mechelen with 13-year old KWPN bred Herelja Higgins (by Johnson x Gribaldi), placing fourth in the Kur with 76.625%.
Moreira and Kennedy and their special journey
Moreira has had Kennedy since he was just two and a half years old, and the pair share a deep bond. Their journey together has not been without challenges. One day before the Grand Prix at the Paris Olympic Games last year, Kennedy required emergency colic surgery.
“Last year at this time of the year we were only just able to trot lightly again under saddle. Kennedy has made an incredible recovery. To be here now and finish the 2025 season like this is a privilege. I am so proud of him, he is very special and he always tries his hardest for me,” Moreira states.
Home victory to remember
The Belgian stars from the Grand Prix appeared late in the starting order, with Larissa Pauluis entering the arena first. The Lepage family's 15-year-old KWPN bred Flambeau (by Ampere x Zeoliet) continues to develop, and their Freestyle score marked a convincing personal best.
“For me it has always been a dream to win in Mechelen," said Larissa. "The support from the crowd was incredible, the atmosphere during the Freestyle was wonderful. Flambeau keeps developing. He started his career as a jumping horse and only became a Dressage horse at nine, so we are still improving. It has not always been easy with him, but in terms of quality he has no limits. Today he was dancing with me. We are still finding new gears and dimensions.”
(editor's note: Flambeau started his career as a dressage horse, was then re-directed to show jumping and sold as a jumper, to be reconverted into a dressage horse. Read here.)
Verboomen delivers again
The revelation of Mechelen 2024 impressed once more. Justin Verboomen made his breakthrough at the 2024 CDI Kronenberg Indoor, and three weeks later repeated that feat in front of the home crowd in Mechelen with Zonik Plus. He then won the Grand Prix and finishing second in the Freestyle. This time he presented the French owned Grand Prix horse, Djembe de Hus OLD (by Damon Hill x Argentinus).
“It has been a crazy year,” said Verboomen. “What happened over the past year is unbelievable. Zonik Plus is having a bit of rest now, which is why I brought Djembe de Hus. My main goal here was to give him confidence. The indoor arena, the music, the applause, he found it all quite exciting. In the Freestyle he really tried to listen and we had a special connection during the test.”
World Cup standings
After the fifth World Cup qualifier in Mechelen, Raphael Netz (GER) remains in the lead of the World Cup standings with 48 points. Pauluis makes a significant move up the rankings and now sits second with 47 points.
The next FEI Dressage World Cup™ qualifier will take place in Basel (SUI) on 9 and 10 January 2026.
Eurodressage took photos of (almost) all dressage competitors in Mechelen. If you are interested to buy photo prints or digital files for social media, email us.
Related Links
Scores: 2025 CDI-W Mechelen
Larissa Pauluis Tops Early Bird Grand Prix at 2025 CDI-W Mechelen
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2025-2026 World Cup show circuit