History Making Day for Belgium at 2025 CDIO Lier - Belgium's First Nations Cup Win

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2025 CDIO Lier

-- FEI press release, edited by Eurodressage
-- Photos © Eurodressage - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED

The motivation was high for the home nation on Saturday 17 May 2025 at CDIO4* Lier, as the country of Belgium hosted its first ever FEI Nations Cup event. Its athletes left their mark, securing a victory and denying Germany its third straight victory of the season.

Led by Chef d'Equipe Jeroen van Lent, the Belgium squad of Domien Michiels (Intermezzo van het Meerdaalhof), Charlotte Defalque (Botticelli), Justin Verboomen (Zonik Plus), and Larissa Pauluis (Flambeau) posted a winning total score of 220.825, less than two points ahead of Germany (218.892). The Netherlands finished third (212.131).

“Wow!” said Van Lent at the press conference. “This was something I could only dream of. A huge thank you to the organisers for making this event happen and putting Belgium on the map as a dressage nation. This was truly a dream for me and for the riders. Everyone was incredibly eager and motivated, but it still has to come together on the day. The riders and their horses really delivered a fantastic performance,” he added, clearly more than satisfied.

Verboomen Amazes

Verboomen, 37, had never before competed on a team, let alone a Nations Cup, but he made his debut unforgettable with the 9-year-old stallion, Zonik Plus (by Zonik x Hohenstain). In their first outdoor competition of the year, the duo shattered their personal best and posted a score for the Grand Prix test that was nearly four points higher than any other competitor (78.543%).

It was truly a breakout moment as they catapulted their team to the top of the leaderboard, receiving exceptional marks from the judges, particularly in the piaffe-passage and the transitions as well as in the right pirouette.

"I believe in [Zonik Plus]. He's the whole package. The potential for this kind of horse is amazing," said the shy Verboomen during the press conference.

Verboomen's super sonic rise on the dressage firmament only began half a year ago at the CDI Kronenberg Indoor at the start of December 2024. They posted 71.739% in their first international Grand Prix test and put 74.042% on the board the next day in the Special. Three weeks later at the 2024 CDI-W Mechelen they got 74.348% for their Grand Prix and at the CDI Lier in March 2025 they smashed the Belgian record (75.761%). At the CDI-W 's Hertogenbosch on 15 March they broke the Belgian freestyle record (84.160%).

With today's 78.543% the pair has now clearly put them on the radar for an individual podium place at the 2025 European Championships in Crozet. They have posted the third highest Grand Prix score so far this 2025 show season. Glamourdale's Grand Prix best score in 2025 is 79.500%, while only Mount St. John Freestyle has cracked the 80% market in the Grand Prix this season so far (83.369%).

The judges panel at the 2025 CDIO Lier included Maknami, Smeets, van der Heijden, Wust and Storr. They were unanimous in putting Verboomen first; 76.630% was the low score while Storr awarded the pair a whopping 83.404%

Building on Belgium's Meteoric Rise

Verboomen stood on the shoulders of a highly established Belgium team, including Michiels, Pauluis, and Defalque, the trio which secured the Paris Olympic team ticket at the 2023 Europeans in Riesenbeck. In Paris, Belgium rode itself to a fifth team place (Michiels, Pauluis, de Winne), but the final teal result might still be altered pending an IOC decision.

Pauluis and her Paris Olympic mount Flambeau (by Ampere x Zeoliet) were the penultimate pair to go and felt the pressure to keep Belgium in the lead. Her 15-year old gelding has matured tremendously but mistakes in the two tempi changes and a rhythm error in the extended trot, put their score a little lower than their medium, 72.478%. It was still enough to help Belgium to a historic victory in the Nations Cup.

Defalque produced the third score for the team, earning 69.804% with her longtime partner, the 19-year-old stallion Boticelli (by Vivaldi x Koss). Domien Michiels and the 17-year old Belgian bred Intermezzo van het Meerdaalhof (by Gribaldi x Balzflug) got 69.174%.

"I think everybody was very motivated, but they had to do it here, in this place. It was quite difficult, but we were prepared. We're really happy," said Van Lent. "It's very difficult to grow and come to this level. I hope we can stay here at this level a long time."

Van Lent has marked the CDIO's in Rotterdam and Aachen as the next two phases for team selection for the 2025 European Championships in Crozet (FRA).

Judge at C, Maarten van der Heijden, commented "it's very special for Belgium to win. The whole dressage world is watching him (Verboomen) but you can't rely on one rider. These riders all wrote history in Riesenbeck. The competition today was exciting until the very last rider. It was a high level here."

Germany Second

With just three riders comprising the German team, all of their scores counted toward the team total, with no drop score available as Carina Scholz and Soiree d'Amour dropped out last minute.

Team Germany with Hubertus Schmidt as captain,
Isabell Werth, Svenja Kämper-Meyer and Katharina Hemmer

Isabell Werth posted high marks with Andreas Helgstrand's inexperienced 10-year old Special Blend (by Sezuan x Hotline), but mistakes in both their entrance and the rein back brought their score down (71.739%). Katharina Hemmer rallied the group with her 74.857% aboard Denoix PCH (by Destano x Pik Noir), but there was a little too much ground to make up.

German team new comer Svenja Kämper-Meyer and her 12-year old home bred Amanyara M (by Ampere x Davignon) posted a personal best score of 72.196%

Holland Third

The Dutch team edged out Great Britain for a third spot on the podium.

Minderhoud high-fives the hard working gatekeeper Jos Struys

Dutch team anchor was the experienced Olympian Hans Peter Minderhoud on the 10-year old Hanoverian Taminiau (by Toto Jr. x Sandro Hit). He finished third overall in the class with 72.761%. The black stallion is a big, impressive mover, with tons of quality, but today needed quite a bit of motivation from the rider (leg aid) to keep going. Thamar Zweistra presented her 9-year old rising star Luxuriouzz (by Johnson x San Remo) and finished 10th with 70.348%. The sympathetic chestnut is quite the leg mover with tons of lift in piaffe and passage but was quite tight in the neck today.

Geert-Jan Raateland and Marie-Jose Calis came fresh off their team performance at the CDIO Compiegne two weeks ago and landed 17th and 18th place with 69.022% and 68.326%.

Nations Cup Ranking

Germany continues to lead the FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ standings, possessing 35 points. The Netherlands sits second with 20 points, followed by Belgium and Portugal, with 19 points apiece. CDIO5* Rotterdam (NED) hosts the next FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ event on 19 June 2025.

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