Reviewing Ermelo: Poetry in Motion in Grade II at the 2025 European Para Dressage Championships

Text and Photos © Silke Rottermann - No reproduction allowed
(this article expresses Rottermann's' eye-witness account and opinion about the competition)  

With Paris winner Fiona Howard (USA) logically absent from these continental championships, it was expected that Paris silver medalist Katrine Bjelke Kristensen from Denmark and title defender Heidemarie Dresing from Germany would battle for the European title 2025.

As usual Grade II turned out to be the grade with the smallest amount of participants, even though 7 riders were a little progress to Riesenbeck 2023 where only 5 riders competed. However a small field of participants did not automatically mean a drop in the level the riders performed, in contrary.

Ever since the FEI introduced the five grades in 2017 as we know them today, Grade II sees comparatively small fields at CPEDI shows and likewise at championships. Even at the Paralympics last year there were only 9 starters in the individual class whereas the other grades had between 13 and 22 starters in Paris.

Throughness to the Fore

Watching many CDI dressage and overall CCI 4- and 5-star dressage classes, I am sometimes surprised that at this high level of riding the horse’s throughness is not always what you would expect, resulting in clearly visible rider’s aids to compensate. Now the programs ridden at Grade II in para dressage are of course nowhere near the ones at CDIs or CCIs, but what makes them special is that they require a horse of which the throughness has to be excellent, even more so as it has to react to the slightest of aids.

Ridden in a 40x20 m arena, a constant change from medium walk to working trot, voltes and circles on both leads, leg yielding, a serpentine with three loops between A and C, two trot extensions over X and a stretch on a half circle are what Grade II are asked for. Just like in Grade I the sheer number of transitions and bent lines require a well ridden horse which easily shows correct lateral flexion and bend on both leads.

Depending on a remaining degree of leg function (or even a missing leg) most riders in Grade II one or two whips as a compensation aid, being used like a conductor uses his baton. It is obvious that to ride with restricted leg aids you need an absolutely forward thinking, yet very trainable horse of outstanding character and with smooth gaits.

When Riding Becomes Poesy 

Germany’s Heidemarie Dresing, not totally unexpected, became the most successful Grade II rider in  Ermelo, taking home all three possible gold medals, just like her team-mate Regine Mispelkamp in Grade V. Having turned 70 in June, she might be the oldest of all riders at this year’s Europeans, but this fact is of absolutely no relevance when it comes to her ability to ride extraordinary precise, courageous and beautiful rounds in a remarkable style.

One cannot help, but admire her skills and determination with which she tackles every single ride, no matter on which of her horses over the past years. Having won two gold medals at the 2023 European championships in Riesenbeck and a much cherished Paralympic bronze medal in the freestyle last year in Paris on the beautiful Oldenburger gelding Dooloop, for Ermelo she relied on her second ride, the 12-year-old Oldenburg mare Poesie.

Dresing debuted the compact dark brown Fürstenball-offspring at the end of 2023 at the CPEDI Genemuiden and focused mainly on her in the 2025 season. The pair was only beaten twice at the CPEDI Hagen by Paralympic champions Fiona Howard and Diamond Dunes, leaving her the hot favourite for Ermelo in her grade.

In Ermelo the name of Dresing's mare said it all: poetry. Whether in training or during the competition, she and her rider displayed simply beautiful riding. For example the way Poesie, whose dam is by the famous Trakehner Kostolany, extends in trot is so exemplary, with the mare truly lengthening her strides one wants to show it to some Grand Prix riders who mix up speed with extension.

One of the most enchanting para pairs of the past years came from Denmark and: the drop dead gorgeous DWB gelding Goerklintgaards Quarter and his sympathetic rider Katrine Kristensen. The 29-year-old Katrine already had a remarkable international career with the now retired Weltmeyer-son Welcome Dallas, but now her real breakthrough came with the 17-year-old Quarter (by Quarterback x Blue Hors Don Schufro). This compact light-footed dark bay gelding and his rider first debuted at CPEDI Randbøl in the spring of 2022 and went straight to two individual gold medals at the World championships in Herning the same year, when Grade II saw an extraordinary big field of 14 riders.
After Katrine’s baby break in 2023 she took individual silver in Paris and was bang on form in Ermelo, even though riding with a little baby belly as child number two is on the way. They already looked good in training before the first competition kicked off on Wednesday and even heavy rain showers in the individual class couldn’t take away the elegance and grace with which this pair literally flowed from movement to movement; the horse always listening and Katrine giving almost invisible aids, creating the impression Quarter does it all on his own accord.
The high degree of throughness and rideability this horse with its big dark eyes and thoroughbred-like head showed was exemplary.
Taking away two silver and one bronze medal with the Danish team made both to one of the most successful riders in the days of Ermelo.

Perhaps the newcomer of the Europeans who couldn’t stop beaming was Great Britain’s team rookie Jemima Green with one of the youngest horses, the 7-year-old Oldenburger Fantabulous (by Foundation x Fürst Romancier). It has paid off having bought the horse as a 4-year old youngster and trained him up the levels after her specific needs. Despite their common lack of experience both excelled and seemed to grow in confidence the longer the show went. The bright chestnut gelding is a horse who can develop quite some expression and it’ll be interesting to see how he develops over the next years. With two individual bronze medals Jemima Green and her horse had made a very good job of their championships debut.

The Netherlands’ team included three team newcomers and one of them, Loes Cevaal, rode the oldest horse of the championships, the 20-year 'young' Happy Hero. The very sympathetic black Hanoverian gelding by Hohenstein x Weltmeyer (who already had been competed internationally in para dressage by fellow Dutch rider Yvette Overgoor before) defied his years by presenting himself nicely muscled and likewise in form. Two fourth places and the silver medal with the Dutch team were a well deserved reward.

-- Text and Photos © Silke Rottermann for Eurodressage  - No Reproduction allowed

Related Links
Scores: 2025 European Para Dressage Championships
Reviewing Ermelo: Grade I at the 2025 European Para Dressage Championships
Blog Report: Here We Go To Ermelo for the 2025 European Para Dressage Championships

Press Releases
Snikus, Dresing, Van der Horst, Pittier, Mispelkamp Win Kur Gold at 2025 European Para Dressage Championships
Germany Wins Team Gold at 2025 European Para Dressage Championships
Snikus, Dresing, Van der Horst, Etzner, Mispelkamp Win Individual Gold at 2025 European Para Dressage Championships