Double Team Gold for Germany at 2025 European Pony and Junior Riders Championships

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2025 European Pony, Children, Junior Riders Championships

Team Germany proved its dominance in the youh divisions once again by topping the leader board in the pony and junior rider team competition at the 2025 European Pony, Children, Junior Riders Championships in Le Mans, France.

The 2025 European Pony, Children, Junior Riders Championships are hosted at the Pole Europeen du Cheval from 30 July - 3 August and the team competition for pony and junior riders were the first leg of three medal deciding competitions. While the children warmed up with the preliminary test, for the pony and junior riders it was straight to business.

With 42 pony riders and 61 juniors, the divisions were split into two groups with the first two going on Wednesday 30 July while the second group showed today, 31 August, to decide the team medals.

Pony Riders: Germany Supreme

The team gold medal in the pony division went to Germany with a total of 220.886 points. The Dutch team was slightly behind with 2918.143 points while Denmark was far in the distance with 212.943 points. Denmark still stayed far ahead of fourth placed Belgium (206.943 pts), which edged out Sweden (204.600 pts) to complete the top five.

Germany's charge was led by team routinier Leni-Sophie Gosmann on the 9-year old Diamantini EA (by Diamond Touch x FS Pavarotti). Judges Olivier Smeets, Kurt Christensen, Francis Verbeek - Van Rooy, Jean-Michel Roudier, and Elisabeth Max-Theurer rewarded her with the high score of the day, 73.972%. Even though the buckskin pony did not halt squarely in either of the three halts, the pair scored high points with an outstanding walk. Overall Diamantini should stay a bit more steady in the poll (he softly bops his head) but he was obedient and fluently executed all the movements.

Germany's second best score was ridden by Maya Wächter aboard Hof Kasselmann's 14-year old PAV Nasdaq (by Nemax x FS Don't Worry), who landed third place with 73.571%. Nasdaq is the 2020 European Pony Champion and made his experience count for Wächter who is a team newcomer. The judges were fairly divided on her ride as 71.857% was the low score and 76.143% (!) the high score. Last year's individual silver medal winning Madlin Tillmann landed fourth place with her number one pony (of two), Chilly Morning (Calido G x Sandro Ace). She scored 73.343% but also her test had the judges frazzled. Was it a 70.571% (9th) or a 75.000% (1st). Germany's second team newcomer, Hannah Charlotte Isbruch and Dabia Dior (by D-Day x Validos Highlight) rode the drop score, a 70.971% that ranked her 9th.

The silver medal went to The Netherlands, whose top ride of the day came from experienced team rider Isabella Karajkovic on First Hummer (by FS Mr Right x Jarno). Riding her third consecutive pony Europeans in her last year on ponies, Karajkovic finished fifth with 73.257% but also her marks ranged from 70.571% to 75.286%. The sister duo Esmae and Feline Niessen were right on Isabella's heel, placing 6th and 7th with 72.943% and 71.943%. Esmae saddled the Danish bred Strandgaards Do It My Way (by Dr. Doolittl x Bonansa), while Feline rode the German bred palomino Diamond Blue (by FS Daddy Cool x FS Golden Moonlight). Holland's drop score was a strong 71.700% ridden by the newbie on the team, Fabienne Raijmakers on the buckskin 7-year old pony cross bred Wrong is Right (by FS Mr Right x Sir Lui).

In the past decade Denmark has been the only country to once snatch team gold away from Germany. It did so in 2019 and before that Great Britain was able to achieve a similar feat in 2015 while in 2010 it was Holland's turn. Denmark's highest score was given to Victoria Bang Zindorff on the 11-year old Del Classico (by D-Day x Classic Dancer). They got 73.629% for a second place and had the judges fairly in unison with only a 2% spread. Denmark's number two placed 11th: Filippa Jaeger Jensen with the 8-year old Top Vincento (by Top Vidal x Nantano) on 70.200%. Ingeborg Schou and her 17-year old pocket rocket FS Calimero (by FS Dior de Luxe x FS Challenger) followed in 14th place with 69.114%. Her marks ranged from 66.857% to 72.000%. The Danish scratch score was 68.114% from new comer Steffanie Horsted Dyrlund on 2023 European Pony Champion Cosmo Callidus (by Cosmopolitan x Cyriac), who took over the ride on the bay from German Lilly Collin.

Junior Riders: Germany in Gold

Also in the junior division, Germany found the golden touch. Judges Alban Tissot, Susanne Baarup, Sven Rothenberger, Knut Danzberg, and Alice Schwab assessed the 62 riders in the junior team test and gave Germany the win with 217.030 points. Silver was for The Netherland (214.092 points), while Great Britain (210.090 pts) edged out Denmark (209.092 pts) for bronze. Belgium completed the top five with 208.000 points.

Germany's top ride of the day was delivered by experienced team rider Maria Teresa Pohl, who competes at her third consecutive Euros with her third different ride. In 2023 she rode ponies, in 2024 she took Lennox US to Opglabbeek and for Le Mans her partner in crime is the 9-year old Hanoverian Diaton (by Dimaggio x Benetton Dream). She placed first in the team test with 73.394% but Rothenberger had her on 71.515% while Baarup rewarded her 75.152%. Team mate Ava Osing and the 8-year old Hanoverian Vitalos (by Vitalis x De Niro) rode a personal best score of 72.303% to finish second. Her mark were more level. Germany's third score was a personal best of 71.333% for Julie Schmitz-Heinen on the 8-year old Rhinelander gelding Attractive (by AC-DC x Ehrentusch). Team rookie Viktoria von Braunmühl and her 14-year old First Class (by Furst Romancier x Wind Dancer) had the drop score of 70.576%. It placed her 7th.

The Dutch push for silver was led by return team rider Dominique van Dalsen on the 11-year old KWPN bred Just Johnson (by Johnson x Florencio). She placed third with 71.970% and was immediately followed by team mate Sofie van Rooij in fourth place. Van Rooij and the 11-year old Juan Tango B (by Don Tango x Negro) posted a personal best of 71.576%. Jessica Nesselaar and the 12-year old Indigo (by Apache x Santano) also peaked with a PB of 70.546% for 8th place. Britt Kikkert-van der Linde and her home-bred 11-year old Jerenzo Texel (by Enzo Ferrari x Jazz) had the scratch score of 69.697% (15th).

Two years after being handed bronze by a strange twist of fate, Great Britain was back on the podium without some OC magic. The British team anchor was Isla Sulley who is riding her third, consecutive European Junior riders championships on the 16-year old Lusitano Vagabond de Massa (by Rieto x Xaqiero). The pair became the highest ranking British duo, finishing 6th with 71.242%. Her scores ranged from 68.939% to 73.333%.

Abigail Gray made a seamless transition from ponies on horses. After winning kur gold at the 2024 Pony Europeans, she is back on Team GB with Fenella Quinn's 16-year old KWPN gelding Empire B (by Sting x OO Seven). They placed 10th with 70.151%. Demi Howard-Cartwright and the 9-year old British bred Oldenburg Newton Astro Nascente (by Apache x Don Schufro) have been competing internationally since 2024 and captured a place on the team for the Europeans in Le Mans. She rode a personal best of 68.697% to place 21st. The drop score was from experienced team rider Myles Graham on a new horse, the 13-year old AES registered Nibeley Black Pearl (by Nibeley Union Jack x Conto). They were 24th with 68.364%

Abigail Gray gets a piggy-back ride from chef
d'equipe Tom Hobday for the lap of honour

The action in Le Mans continues tomorrow with the first group of riders contesting the individual test. The second group of riders goes on Saturday 2 August to decide a new set of medals. The 18 best riders (3 per nation) move to the Kur to Music final on Sunday 3 August 2025.