Brauns, Verwimp and Brison Win 2011 Cup of Belgium

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2011 Cup of Belgium

Celine Brauns, Jorinde Verwimp and Saidja Brison were the winners of the 2011 Cup of Belgium, the final youth riders' championship and competition event of the 2011 Belgian outdoor show season. Held at equestrian centre Zilveren Spoor in Moorsele, Belgium, the Cup of Belgium is an inofficial championship which runs over two classes per division with the set of three medals to be won after the scores are tallied.

Pony Rider Brauns Bags the Gold

In the pony division the competition unfolded in a neck to neck race between Celine Brauns on 19-year old schoolmaster Neervelds Blamoer and Geoffrey de Roy on the Dutch bred Welsh pony Ivano (by Idzard). Both riders tied in first place in the freestyle with 70.15% but Brauns, who is trained by Larissa Pauluis, led in the individual test with 68.868% which earned her gold medal after all. De Roy received silver while Jamina Gysels and the French bred Oualidaluna were good for bronze.

"Blabla and I were very fit going into the Cup of Belgium," Brauns explained. "My results in Leudelange and Pompadour gave me confidence and Larissa, my new coach, has helped us improve. Blabla was very keen to give me everything he could. He was superb in the first round which we won, but more excited in the Kur because of the music, so we tied with Geoffrey.'

Brauns admits she felt much pressure to keep her first place in order to win her first FEI pony level gold medal. "The pressure was huge," Celine confessed. "I wanted to keep my first place. It seems weird but Blabla knew he had to stay focused on me in order to win."

Celine aims to continue her FEI pony career with Blamoer next year. "I hope I will not grow too fast so I can continue riding him as long as possible," she said. "He's such a personality and I'm scared I will never find this in a horse. He's a great teacher and so is Larissa. I'm very thankful to both of them."

Junior Jorinde Verwimp Prevails

Jorinde Verwimp and Tiamo In the absence of Belgian junior rider champion Julie van Olst, Jorinde Verwimp had free reign to steer for gold aboard her huge Dutch warmblood gelding Tiamo (by Lester x Hemmingway). She won the individual test with 69,947% and the Kur with 73,925%. Michel Muyters and the 14-year old Riverdance, formerly competed by Remy Bastings, were solid in both rounds and with 68,263% and 70.610% earning tests the pair landed the silver medal step on the podium. Arlette Holsters' student Carole Schepens followed in Muyters's wake aboard the bright bay Velvet Dream. She was third in the individual (67,789%) and second in the kur (71,010%).

"In the first test he was a bit tense because we had to ride outside and there was so much wind," Jorinde told Eurodressage. "In the kur he was very relaxed. The freestyle was indoors and I really felt he wanted to go for it. He made himself big and felt super relaxed. As soon as the music started everything went automatically. It was a great, fun moment."

The Wiekevorst based Verwimp is coached by her father Wim Verwimp, who is a trainer and has many horses of different levels in his yard. This gives junior Jorinde the opportunity to gain valuable experience riding and competing green horses and FEI level horses up to Grand Prix.

"I'm training Tiamo towards Prix St Georges level and might compete him in the PSG once to get the hang of it, but my plan is to continue international junior riders level for one more year until the Belgian Championships and then make the transition to Young Riders, either with Timmie or another horse."

Young Rider Brison On Top

Saidja Brison was on excellent form in Moorsele and freewheeled to victory in the Young Riders division with two winning rides aboard the Swedish bred Moliere (by De Niro x Amiral). With 71,579% and 75,500% in the two rounds, Brison stayed well ahead of silver medalist Laurence Roos on her father's Dutch gelding Ambaro Saturnus (by Montecristo). Newcomer to the scene, Eva de Roost and the Swedish warmblood First Wish (by Furst Heinrich) slotted in third to grab the bronze. Belgian Young Riders Champion Tahnee Waelkens and team member Mieke Mommen were not competing in Moorsele.

"Moliere was super," Brison told Eurodressage. "He really went for it. He felt loose and was swinging through the arena, which I noticed on my marks. One judge gave me a 9 for extended trot and I got lots of 7s and 8s. The judges were very positive that he went well and in the freestyle I got scores above 70% from each judge on both the technical and artistic part."

As 2012 will be Saidja's last year as a young rider she hopes to peak next season. "I want to continue this upward trend and keep improving next year in order to shine. I hope to qualify for the European Championships in Switzerland and I aspire a top three finish at the nationals and hopefully qualify for the Young Riders World Cup Finals."

Results 2011 Cup of Belgium

Pony Riders - Round 1 - Individual Test

1. Brauns Celine - Neervelds Blamoer - 68,868
2. De Roy Geoffrey - Ivano - 68,579
3. Gysels Jamina - Oualidaluna - 65,289
4. De Picker Charlotte - Falco - 65,105
5. Kemps Aline - Scampolo - 64,000
6. Zwertvaegher Hanne - Valentino - 63,842
6. Vanspringel Berre - Farinelli - 63,842
8. Verstappen Stefanie - Nielands Lucky - 63,053
9. Moermans Noa - Dempsy Smokey - 60,105
10. Peeters Evelien - Cupido van het Eikenhof - 60,079

Pony Riders - Round 2 - Kur to Music

1. De Roy Geoffrey - Ivano - 70,150
1. Brauns Celine - Neervelds Blamoer - 70,150
3. Gysels Jamina - Oualidaluna - 69,550
4. Vanspringel Berre - Farinelli - 65,775
5. De Picker Charlotte - Falco - 65,650
6. Kemps Aline - Scampolo - 65,100
7. Verstappen Stefanie - Nielands Lucky - 64,850
8. Zwertvaegher Hanne - Valentino - 64,350
9. Moermans Noa - Dempsy Smokey - 63,400
10. Peeters Evelien - Cupido van het Eikenhof - 57,725

Pony Riders - 2011 Cup of Belgium

1. Brauns Celine Neerveld S Blamoer
2. De Roy Geoffrey Ivano
3. Gysels Jamina Oualidaluna
4. De Picker Charlotte Falco
5. Vanspringel Berre Farinelli
6. Kemps Aline Scampolo
7. Zwertvaegher Hanne Valentino
8. Verstappen Stefanie Nielands Lucky
9. Moermans Noa Dempsy Smokey
10 . Peeters Evelien Cupido van het Eikenhof

Junior Riders - Round 1 - Individual Test

1. Verwimp Jorinde - Tiamo - 69,947
2. Muyters Michel - Riverdance - 68,263
3. Schepens Carole - Velvet Dream - 67,789
4. Fairchild Alexa - Wendor - 66,395
5. Muyters Michel - Rupert - 65,868
6. Debo Nils - Chopin Van De Kegelhoeve - 64,763
7. Van Riet Emilie - London V/d Roshoeve - 64,605
8. Bosschaerts Jitske - Whitney - 62,895
9. De Becker Thomas - Robin - 62,395
10. Rolus Sam - Zaphira - 62,132
11. D'hulster Rani - Don Weltstein - 60,868

Junior Riders - Round 2 - Kur to Music

1. Verwimp Jorinde - Tiamo - 73,925
2. Schepens Carole - Velvet Dream - 71,010
3. Muyters Michel - Riverdance - 70,610
4. Bosschaerts Jitske - Whitney - 67,890
5. Muyters Michel - Rupert - 67,295
6. Fairchild Alexa - Wendor - 67,060
7. Van Riet Emilie - London V/d Roshoeve - 66,890
8. Rolus Sam - Zaphira - 66,585
9. Debo Nils - Chopin Van De Kegelhoeve - 64,715
10. De Becker Thomas - Robin - 62,825
11. D'hulster Rani - Don Weltstein - 62,360

Junior Riders - 2011 Cup of Belgium

1. Verwimp Jorinde - Tiamo
2. Muyters Michel - Riverdance
3. Schepens Carole - Velvet Dream
4. Fairchild Alexa - Wendor
5. Muyters Michel - Rupert
6. Van Riet Emilie - London V/d Roshoeve
7. Bosschaerts Jitske - Whitney
8. Debo Nils - Chopin Van De Kegelhoeve
9. Rolus Sam - Zaphira
10. De Becker Thomas - Robin
11. D'hulster Rani - Don Weltstein

Young Riders - Round 1 - Individual Test

1. Brison Saidja - Moliere - 71,579
2. Roos Laurence - Ambaro Saturnus - 67,842
3. Deroost Eva -First Wish - 66,184
4. Helsen Gert- Wishing Well - 64,105
5. Appelmans Eefje -Hennessy Xo - 61,868
6. Michielsen Anneleen - Luis Seni - 61,316
7. Hens Dorien - Pantrox - 60,789
8. Van Keilegom Nina - Romeo Van T Pauwenhof - 60,711
9. Bonnet Diederik - Wolkeniro Van De Vogelzang - 59,947

Young Riders - Round 2 - Kur to Music

1. Brison Saidja - Moliere - 75,500
2. Roos Laurence - Ambaro Saturnus - 71,050
3. Helsen Gert - Wishing Well - 65,575
4. Deroost Eva - First Wish - 64,900
5. Appelmans Eefje - Hennessy Xo - 63,875
6. Bonnet Diederik - Wolkeniro Van De Vogelzang - 62,350
7. Hens Dorien - Pantrox - 59,775
8. Van Keilegom Nina - Romeo Van T Pauwenhof - 59,225
9. Michielsen Anneleen - Luis Seni - 57,575

Young Riders - 2011 Cup of Belgium

1. Brison Saidja - Moliere
2. Roos Laurence - Ambaro Saturnus
3. Deroost Eva- First Wish
4. Helsen Gert - Wishing Well
5. Appelmans Eefje - Hennessy Xo
6. Bonnet Diederik - Wolkeniro Van De Vogelzang
7. Hens Dorien - Pantrox
8. Van Keilegom Nina - Romeo Van T Pauwenhof
9. Michielsen Anneleen - Luis Seni