Germany Finds Double Team Gold Glory at 2026 European Young Riders / Under 25 Championships

Text © Eurodressage - Photos © Lily Forado

Germany found double team gold glory at 2026 European Young Riders / Under 25 Championships in Pilisjaszfalu, Hungary, on Thursday 9 July as the German gold in both the young riders and U25 Grand Prix division edged out the competition to secure the title and highest step on the podium.

Young Riders:  Germany has the Edge

On the second day of competition to decide the team medals, the German Young Riders team felt the heat in their neck from their biggest rivals from The Netherlands and Denmark. In the end they led the team ranking with only a 1.5 percentage point advantage for gold. They finished on a team total of 216.029 points.

Team routinier Julie Schmitz-Heinen led the charge of the German golden girls and topped the leaderboard in the Team test (Prix St Georges). Abvoard her 9-year old Rhinelander registered Attractive (by AC-DC x Ehrentusch) she rode a personal best score and high score of the day of 73.588%.  The ground jury, including Sandy Phillips, Eva-Maria Vint-Warmington, Sven Rothenberger, Nicole Nockemann, and Carlos Lopes had a small spread in scores, going from a "low" score from the Dutch judge 72.794 (Rothenberger) to a high score from the German judge 74.706 % (Nockemann).

Germany's push for gold was assisted by Marie Sohler aboard the 14-year old Danish bred Askehavens Beau Sancy (by  Don Olymbrio x Sandro Hit) with 71.500% for fifth place. Her low score was 69.853 (Dutch judge Rothenberger - 11th place) and high score was 73.088 (German judge Nockemann).  Germany's third score came from Lana-Pinou Baumgurtel on the 11-year old Oldenburg mare Escalla (by Escolar x Dimaggio) with 70.941% (the judges were fairly in unison about her ride on Wednesday), while team new comer Nele Klaus and Bonfire (by Belissimo M x Diamond Hit) had the drop score of 70.735% which was an international personal best for the rider. 

'We saw a very strong performance from our team and are delighted with the narrow victory at the European Championships," was the non-descript statement of the German team captain Cornelia Albrecht.

The Dutch team finished with in silver medal position with a team total of 214.500 points. Their campaign to the podium was led by young professional Lara van Nek aboard the home-bred 12-year old KWPN mare Jatilinda (by All at Once x Negr) on a personal best of 72.971%. Her low score was 71.471% from Vint-Warmington, while Carlos Lopes rewarded her the high score of 73.971%. It ranked her second in the Prix St Georges. 

Dutch team mate Anniek van Dulst finished fourth aboard her 9-year old KWPN gelding My First Choice - Dutopia (by First Choice x Sir Sinclair) with 71.588%. Her marks ranged from 70.147% to 73.088%. Wednesday rider Esmee Boers and the 9-year old Montreux (by Ferdeaux x San Remo) ended up in 12th place with 69.941% and scratch score rider Dominique van Dalsen on Just Johnson (by Johnson x Florencio) just behind them in 13th place with 69.412%.

"I am extremely happy with the Young Riders team. I knew I had a strong team, and if they all did what they were capable of, this was possible. They all rode superbly, and the difference with Germany, which took Gold, was only 1.5%.” All four riders rode to the best of their ability, according to Dutch youth team trainer and international judge Monique Peutz.

The Danish team landed bronze with a team total of 214.206 points with their biggest score coming from Michella Skovsager on the 9-year old Swedish mare Zimillione Pt2 (by Gammelenggards Zappa x Furst Nymphenburg) with 72.059%. It ranked them third in the class. Her marks ranged quite a bit with 69.706% (Lopes) as low score and 73.824% (Vint) as high score. Denmark's second result was from overnight leader Anna Have Larsen-Ledet on the 12-year old Danish bred Finnigan-Vitz (by Franklin x Ferro) with 71.088% that ranked them sixth. Right behind her was 2022 European Junior Rider champion Sophia Boje Obel Jørgensen on the 9-year old Danish bred Atterupgaards Delahaye (by Foundation x Bon Bravour) with 71.059%, while the drop score was 68.529% achieved by Andrea Hamann Sand on  the 10-year old Hanoverian Blue Hors Victor (by Vivaldi x Stedinger).

Last year's team medal winner Austria dropped to 8th place after their key rider, Fanny Jöbstl on Grand Prix horse Elastico, had to retire from the test. The black stallion was too impressed by tent that rattled because of the strong wind. Last year's team bronze medal winners Great Britain were now fourth. 

Under 25: Germany Strikes Gold for 10th Time

The team competition in the Under 25 division came to a conclusion on Thursday afternoon with the final group contesting the Intermediaire II. Germany was back to gold with a team total of 215.412 points but this time had Denmark closest on their heels with 213.235 points while, The Netherlands got bronze with a total of 210.412 points.

Germany's leading rider was the very experienced Rose Oatley on yet another new team horse, this time Charlotte Dujardin's internationally competed Grand Prix horse Alive and Kicking which the Oatley family bought in April. The new duo gelled instantly and seems a solid pair with consistent results throughout the spring. They confirmed their form also at the Europeans and won the Intermediaire II with 72.118%. Judges Hans-Christian Matthiesen, Patricia Wolters, Katrina Wüst, Elisabeth Max-Theurer, and Raphaël Saleh were not particularly in unison about the ride though. Saleh was the high score with a whopping 74.265% while Max-Theurer gave the low score of 69.853%.

Germany's second best rider was European pony, junior and young rider champion Lucie-Anouk Baumgürtel, who is a professional rider and now also shows that she can handle the Grand Prix work on the 10-year old Hanoverian mare First Vienna (by Vitalis x First Dance). They were second with 72.088%. The overnight leader, Katharina Schuster and the 12-year old Hanoverian Qence L (by Quantensprung x Laudabilis) posted 71.206% for fifth plae while Germany's drop score was 70.941% from Pia Gagel and the 16-year old Oldenburg bred Riccio (by Rock Forever x Argentinus).

Since the inception of the European Under 25 Championships in 2016 Germany has won team gold for the tenth time.

Denmark got onto the silver step of the podium with professional Alexander Yde Helgstrand leading the way on his 13-year old KPWN bred Inspiration PF (by Everdale x Calid). With 71.912% he was third in the Inter II. His marks fluctuated betwee 80.000 (Max-Theurer) and 74.265% (Wolters). Young professional  Frederikke Gram Jacobsen, who rides for Olympian Anna Kasprzak, piloted the 11-year old Oldenburg mare RGS Finest Alegra (by Finest x Ampere) to 70.735% and a 7th place, while Ida Kirstine Bjørn and 13-year old Danish bred Hotson (by Hotline x Zack) posted a third seventy percentage + score for Denmark. With 70.588% she was 8th. Laura Jarlkvist Rasmussen and Rikke Munk's 12-year old Danish bred Seventeen JR (by Sezuan x De Noir) achieved a personal best of 68.617% but that was the drop score.

For the Dutch team these Europeans were certainly a roller coaster ride as they could have been on course for gold, if their anchor rider, Elise Anker on Dutch Olympic team horse Hermes (by Easy Game x Flemmingh) had completed the mission. However, the 14-year old KWPN stallion, known for his occasional 'refusals' also under previous rider, top professional Dinja van Liere, said "no go" in Pilisjaszfalu. The corner at H was a hill he didn't want to climb and after much tension entering the arena, he went down the centerline but refused to turn left and went into full resistance when asked to take a left. He was excused from the test. Hermes was then walked round the arena on a long rein in a quiet disposition on the right lead, but careful attempts made to turn left were refused. Anker rode him in some light posting trot on the right lead around the arena without problems but he spooked once more in the corner. He then quietly walked out of the ring on a long rein.

Team coach Monique Peutz said a speck in Hermes' eye was the issue. "Hermes had something in his eye today. In training, he was very nice every day, but today he was hard to convince. Eline kept trying hard and attempted to convince Hermes in the right way, and even received compliments from the judges for how she handled it, but unfortunately, she was unable to finish her test.”

This meant that Marten Luiten took over the baton to lead the way for Holland. Aboard the 13-year old KWPN bred Johnny (by Johnson x World Magic) he held the favour of the judges and received a 71.706% with scores going from 70.588% frm Saleh, while the Dutch judge was ecstatic and rewarded it with 74.118% (Wolters), far above the other four. Tessa Kole rode Hexagon's King Robert (by Capri Sonne Jr x Rubiquil) to a PB with  70.265% while Micky Schelstraete made her debut on the U25 team on Karim, an 11-year old Dutch warmblood by Charmeur x Sir Sinclair, and got the drop score of 68.441% to place.

Text © Eurodressage - Photos © Lily Forado

Related Links
Scores: 2026 European Young Riders / Under 25 Championships
Eurodressage Coverage of the European Young Rider & Under 25 Championships