Clara Kohoutek Wins Individual Gold at 2026 European Junior Riders Championships

Shows

2026 European Junior Riders Championships

German Clara Kohoutek continued her winning ways in the individual test and claimed the gold medal at the 2026 European Junior Riders Championships held at Equine Center Olomouc in the Czech Republic.

The individual test was the first round for a set of individual medal after Germany won team gold earlier on Thursday. The Championships conclude tomorrow with the Kur to Music for another set of medals.

Kohoutek on a Winning Streak

German Clara Kohoutek already led the charge in the team test, winning the class with 74.545% and leading Germany to a team victory. Also in the individual test the 16-year old Clara and her 11-year old Oldenburg bred Dark Dancer (by Danone x Furst Romancier) reigned supreme with a personal best of 74.647%. Four out of five judges placed the pair first with scores between 74 and 76.324% (from the German judge). The Portuguese judge was considerably lower at 72.647%/

The ground jury, which included Henning Lehrmann (GER), Mariette Sanders-van Gansewinkel (NED), Christine Prip (DEN), Marlena Gruca Rucinska (POL), and Frederico Pinteus (POR) were in a generous mood today rewarding 8 of the top 10 ranked riders a personal best score; or all 8 happen to have their best performance in their career in that test.

Kohoutek is riding her first European Championship since debuting internationally as a junior in 2024 and trains with Julia Kühn. Dark Dancer is bred by Katja Schiele and owned by Clara's mom Christine Berghaus. The black gelding was first shown by Michael Bühl and trianer Kühn before Clara took on the ride in 2023. Clara's second gold medal of the week has put her on cloud nine.

"Dander you are incredible," Clara posted on Instagram joined by tear emojis.

Silver for Danish Team Rookie Ida Bøllingtoft Asmussen

Danish team rookie Ida Bøllingtoft Asmussen was breathing down Kohoutek's neck as she finished second for the silver medal with a minimal point difference of 74.265%.

Asmussen marked herself as a medal favourite after placing second in the team championship test on Thursday and repeated that feat today with her 11-year old Danish warmblood mare Gozzip (by Sezuan x De Noir). She placed second with all five judges who were unanimous in their scoring.

Asmussen only made her international debut in April 2025 on Frida Gold before riding Gozzip into the CDI ring two months later. The black mare came out of Susanne Barnow's barn. She rode two internationals this year (Lier, Falsterbo) and won all six classes entered. Her score led Denmark to team silver on Thursday and she collected her second silver today

"I had the most amazing feeling with Gozzip in the arena this morning," said Asmussen, who trains with Nadja Aaboe Sloth.

Bronze for Substitute Greta Wagner

The individual test podium was a German sandwich with Germans in 1st and 3rd place. Second reserve rider Greta Wagner was called up to take her spot on the German team after two originally nominated team riders dropped out (Eva Bartels and Ava Osing).

After representing her country at the 2024 European Children Championships in Opglabbeek, she now made her return on the team count. Aboard the 10-year old Hanoverian mare Vanessa H (by Vivaldi x Le Rouge), she won team gold earlier in the week and added an individual bronze medal to her tally. She scored a personal best of 72.765% for a third place in a field of 71 riders in total. Wagner trains with Nicole Rex.

In Their Wake

Missing out on a medal by a hair was Italian Matteo Borghesi aboard the 13-year old KWPN bred gelding Incognito (by Desperado x Sandro Hit) with 72.550% which ranked them fourh. Four judges had the pair round 73%, but Pinteus was lower at 70.735%. Borghesi recently began training with Dr. Ulf Möller, while Ulf's wife Eva is riding Borghesi's newly acquired stallion Globall. Incognito came from The Netherlands, where Dominique Filion trained him and first competed the horse internationally at small tour level at the CDI Hagen in September 2024.

Germany's first reserve, Birte Niessing on the 14-year old Oldenburg bred Destino (by Destano x Rohdiamant), placed fifth with 72.441%, while Denmark's Isabella Struntze Torp and the Danish team routinier Vestervangs Garson (by De Noir x Ragazzo) were sixth with 72.029%. Portuguese judge Pinteus saw the winning ride in Torp's performance. He scored it 74.853% while theother judges were between 70.1 and 72.0%.

The European Junior Riders Championships conclude on Sunday with the Kur to Music. The top 18 ranked riders (but only 3 per nation) are eligible to ride the freestyle.

Related Links
Scores: 2026 European Children and Junior Riders Championships
Eurodressage Coverage of the European Children and Junior Riders Championships