Gosmann, Von Helldorff, Kohoutek, Schmitz-Heinen Win 2026 German Youth Riders Championships

Shows

2026 German Youth Riders Championships

Pony rider Leni-Sophie Gosmann, children rider Antonia Hansmeyer, junior rider Clara Kohoutek, and young rider Julie Sofie Schmitz-Heinen became the winners of the 2026 German Youth Riders Championships, which were held in Zeiskam this year.

The event took place on 10 - 13 September 2026.

Pony Riders: Leni-Sophie Gosmann

The first German champion of the weekend came forward in the pony division with last year's silver medal winner and current European pony kur champion Leni-Sophie Gosmann and the 10-year old Weser Ems bred Diamantini (by Diamond Touch x FS Pavarotti) taking gold. It was a fierce battle with silver medal winner and European individual test gold medal Lilly Kasselmann, who led after the first two rounds but lost the winning streak in the kur to music. Gosmann scored 76.26% and 75.78%, and then went on to win the freestyle with 79.70% to make the difference for gold.

Lilly Kasselmann and the 15-year old Hanoverian bred Nasdaq (by Nemax x FS Don't Worry) were the strongest in the first two rounds with 76.59% and 77.07% but finished on 73.58% in the kur for silver overall.

The bronze went to last year's German Children Champion Lilli von Helldorff who this year has made her way on ponies. A member of the German team at the Europeans, Von Helldorff rode her 8-year old Nabucco HW (by FS Numero Uno x Don Davidoff) to bronze with 73.08%, 74.90%, and 75.30%.

Children: Antonia Hansmeyer

The German Children Championship does not follow the traditional format of three rounds. Instead two qualification rounds are ridden and the top three gets invited to a final with horse change.

Antonia Hansmeyer won the gold medal after being the high scoring rider in the finals with horse change. Aboard her own 15-year old KWPN bred Gentle van Wittenstein (by Wittenstein x Krack C) she was second twice in the two qualification rounds (83,825% and 81,470%) but rode the highest marks on all three horses in the finals.

The silver went to Anna Schmieder aboard the 15-year old Freispiel (by Feuerspiel x Dream of Glory), while the bronze was for Jasper Rasche who brought along his own 15-year old Hanoverian Limoncelli (by Lord Loxley x Graphitano).

Junior Riders: Clara Kohoutek

In the junior rider division last year's gold medalist Clara Kohoutek was again golden, but this time on a different horse, the 10-year old Hanoverian mare Belinda (by Bon Coeur x Royal Blend). The pair won all three rounds with strong scores of 75.00 % in the team test, 75.37% in the individual test, and a whopping 80.10% in the kur to music.

The silver medal went to pony rider Leni-Sophie Gosmann, who also proved her mettle on horses in the junior division. Aboard the seasons German youth team horse First Class, a 15-year old Brandenburg bred Furst Romancier x Wind Dancer offspring, she was third 71.46% in the team test and second in the next two rounds with 73.08% and 77.73%.

It was back to bronze for Eve Catherine Bartels, who was forced to give up her team spot for the Europeans this year when Villeneuve was not fit to compete. On her newer, second horse Ibiza Dream, a 9-year old Ibiza x Dimaggio stallion, she was fourth in the team test with 71.19%, and then third twice with 72.82% and 77.30% for a third place overall.

Young Riders: Julie Schmitz-Heinen

Reigning European Young Riders Champion Julie Schmitz-Heinen showed herself to be resilient in the face of pressure also on the national scene. With her 9-year old Rhinelander Attractive (by AC-DC x Ehrentusch) she won the gold after her biggest rival, Pauline Kesting, could not bring it home in the freestyle final. It was also a roller coaster weekend for Julie as she won the team test with 73.92%, but then dropped to seventh place in the individual test 69.29%, while climbing back to the top of the board in the Kur with 77.33%. Her overall total of 220.540 points put her first for the gold.

Pauline Kesting and the 10-year old Westfalian gelding Earl of Nymphenburg (by Escolar x Vitalis) could taste the gold after placing second in the team test (72.316%) and winning the individual (72.610%) but in the Kur they dropped to the bottom of the board with 67.200% and ended up with an overall total of 212.12 points for a sixth place.

This opened up plenty of room for last year's silver medal winner Josephine Ruppert on her 13-year old DSP registered Bella Donna (by Belissimo x Dimaggio) to return to the silver step of the podium with 71.21%, 70.74%, and 74.13% (total of 216.07 points).

A rather new face worked his way onto the podium: Fabian Klatt and the 9-year old Hanoverian gelding First Secco K (by Furstenball x Londonderry). Their form and scores improved throughout the weekend, starting with 69.90%, then 71.76% and with 73.25% in the Kur his total was 214.910 points for bronze.

Three of four German team riders at the 2026 Europeans chose not to compete in Zeiskam (Sohler, Baumgurtel, and last year's DJM champion Klaus).