Filippa Jaeger Jensen Claims Kur Gold at 2026 European Pony Championships

--- Text © Eurodressage / Photos © Digishots - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED 

The 2026 European Pony Championships in Le Mans (FRA) came to a conclusion on Sunday afternoon 2 August 2026 with Denmark's Filippa Jaeger Jensen winning the gold medal in the Kur to Music finals. She was joined on the podium by German Leni-Sophie Gosmann and fellow Danish team mate Steffanie Horsted Dyrlund. 

The 2026 edition of the Pony Euros took place at the Pole Europeen du Cheval equestrian center which also played host in 2023 and 2025.

Golden Freestyle Finish for Filippa Jaeger Jensen

After an exciting team competition on 28 - 29 July and a tough battle for individual glory on 31 July and 1 August, the 18 best scoring riders of the Individual Test (maximum three per nations) moved on to the freestyle final for another go at a new set of medals.  The winner of the individual test, Leni Gosmann, was unable to make it a hattrick as Jaeger Jensen outscored.

Filippa Jaeger Jensen and Sir Sansibar scored the winning mark of79,960% to top the leader board with a personal best and claim freestyle gold. Three judges ranked her first, two had her second, but the score difficerences were minimal.

The 15-year old Filippa Jaeger Jensen is riding her third consecutive European Championships on a third, different pony. and still has one year to go on ponies. This year she partnered with the 10-year old Dutch bred palomino Sir Sansibar (by Jonker's Socrates x High Flown's Oxford), who is officially listed as owned by Katharina Göhler and Winfried Liesenfeld, but is in fact owned by Danish Olympian Daniel Bachmann Andersen. The palomino has been the ride for Daniel's daughter Filippa (same name), in 2025 but the gelding got handed to Jaeger Jensen this year while Daniel's Filippa (13) focused on  riding Lykkesholms Cyperb. 

Jaeger still has one year to go on ponies, but the very tall rider is already used to riding horses, sharing riding duties with her mom and trainer, Danish Grand Prix professional Betina Jaeger Jensen. Last Filippa Jaeger showed Mytrichta van de Westen at international junior level, before Bachmann sold that horse to his client. This year Jaeger has kept herself very busy with showing four horses in total: two ponies (Sir Sanisibar and HJK Catani) and two horses at national level in Denmark: licensed stallion Gørklintgårds Million  as well as Bailey Højris, previously shown by Caroline Hansen.

Silver for Gosmann

Germany's Leni-Sophie Gosmann is also competing at her third consecutive Europeans, but stayed loyal to one pony: her 10-year old buckskin Diamantini (by Diamond Touch x FS Pavarotti).  After winning team and individual test gold earlier in the week, the 16-year old Gosmann added a silver kur medal to her tally.

The pair scored a personal best of 78,845% for second place. Two judges had her first and three sevond. Leni, who trains with Stefanie Wittmann, is in her last year on ponies and getting ready for junior level with  First Class. 

Steffanie Horsted Moves to Bronze

Not individual test bronze medal winner Lilly Kasselmann but the fourth placed rider in that class, Denmark's Steffanie Horsted Dyrlund, now moved herself onto the podium for a bronze freestyle medal.  The 14-year old Horsted and the 11-year old German stallion Cosmo Callidus (by Cosmopolitan x Cyriac) scored 76,215% for a third place finish. 

Steffanie took over the ride on the bay stallion in the summer of 2024. The triple Bundeschampion became German Lilly Collin's key in her pony career as the pair went on to win team and individual test gold at the 2022 European Pony Championships. A year later at the 2023 Europeans they scored triple gold. After the sale of her pony, Lilly competed Famous K at international junior level and in 2025 McQueen (by Morricone x San Amour) at international Young Riders level. This year Collin only showed nationally with McQueen and Happy Days di Fonteabeti (by Valverde x Wup).

Aside from Cosmo Callidus, Horsted has been busy showing nationally this year with two further ponies Vognmandgardens Bentley (by Kantjes Valentijn x Zwavo's Surprise) and  Basti.

Top Five

Sweden's 16-year old Wilma Holmgren and the  the 10-year old German stallion Neverland (by FS Numero Uno x Champus K) landed fourth place with a personal best of 75,735%. She peaked in the final round of championship, going from 7th place in the team test, 8th in the individual test to 4th in the Kur. Holmgren has a long career on ponies down her belt, making her CDI debut in 2022 on HB Dancing Daylight and Casino Royale K and taking over the ride on Neverland in 2025. This is her last year on ponies as she has reached the age limit.

Germany's Victoria Winkmann is finished her career on ponies by finishing fifth in the freestyle. Riding her 15-year old palomino Peach (by Pilatus x Parino B)  she went from a sixth place in the team test to twice fifth in the individual and Kur. 

Photos © Digishots   - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED

Related Links
Scores: 2026 European Pony Championships
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2026 European Pony Championships