Champions from three Grades decided on day one
The FEI Para Dressage European Championship started today with the individual competition in Grade II, I and III. Germany’s Heidemarie Dresing clinched the gold in Grade II, where Rihards Snikus from Latvia and the home crowd favourite Rixt van der Horst could celebrate in Grade I and III.
The Europeans commenced this morning with the Grade II individual medals decided. Germany’s team stalwart Heidemarie Dresing won the gold after a classy performance riding the 10-year-old Poesie 143 (see picture above) for a score of 77.267. This was the horse’s first Championship, and Heidemarie was thrilled with their result. “I’m very happy with her performance, especially because she is not that experienced. She started off the test a bit tense, but she did so well and she produced some great trot work.”
Competing while pregnant
Many athletes have decided to take the opportunity this year to present their younger horses and give them some much needed experience of a Championship atmosphere, Heidemarie being one of them. The silver medal went to Katrine Kristensen of Denmark with her partner from the Paralympic Games in Paris 2024, Goerklintgaards Quater, finishing on a score of 74.586. “I’m so satisfied with Quater today, he really tried to stay focused in the arena and I took a very cautious approach,” Katrine said of the 17-year-old gelding. The Danish rider also announced that she is competing while 21 weeks pregnant with her second child at this event. “I could feel the baby kick as I went up the centre line, as if they were saying ‘come on!’,” she beamed.
Taking the bronze medal was Great Britain’s Jemima Green with the expressive and exciting Fantabulous, scoring 73.000 at the first Championship for both.
Latvia’s Snikus crowned champion once more
Retaining their Grade I individual Champion title, Latvia’s Rihards Snikus and King of the Dance posted the highest score of the day of 78.792. The pair performed a graceful and accurate test, but ever the competitor – speaking through his sister Elene Brigman – Rihards felt there was more to improve upon for the team test, on Friday. “Of course, Rihards is happy with first place, but he knows some little things that could be improved which we will try to get on point and even better for the next start,” Elene said of the result.
Making it a battle for the title was Italian world number one, Sara Morganti riding Mariebelle, finishing on a score of 77.414 to claim the silver. “The test felt beautiful because the mare was really listening to me,” Sara said of her partner from the Paralympic Games in Paris 2024. For the second time today, bronze was claimed by Great Britain, this time Mari Durward-Akhurst took the accolade with the ever-dependable Grade I expert, Athene Lindebjerg on a score of 75.958.
Battle for the Grade III medals
Finishing up the first day was the hotly contested Grade III individual competition, which saw the home nation claim two of the three medals on offer. Gold went to Rixt van der Horst with the impressive young horse Eisma’s Royal Fonq N.O.P. The Westphalian chestnut gelding and the team steadfast that is Rixt entered the arena as the first combination to go and held onto their lead throughout with an unbeatable score of 77.100. “It’s always exciting to be the first one into the arena and Fonq was a little tense, but I think we did a proper test with no big mistakes so I’m very happy”, Rixt said. “I think the picture was really harmonious and he settled in, but I was also pleased with the level of activity. It’s really nice to be here on home soil and I feel a little bit of pressure with everyone expecting results after having such a good result in Paris, but it’s really nice to be here.”
Final competition
Team compatriot, Tessa Baaijens-van de Vrie took the bronze medal with a score of 73.000 at what is her mare’s first ever Championship. “I am very happy with Happy,” Tessa smiled, speaking of her and J.P. Baaijens’ Dutch warmblood. “At first she was scared of all the flowers, but her trot was very nice, so she is a drama queen but a lovely one.”
Interrupting the Dutch duo was Denmark’s Tobias Thorning Joergensen, who took the silver medal with Jolene Hill to score 76.400. “I’m just happy to have her back in the arena and with the level of fluency I got in the test. The transitions are our strength and going back and forward between the strides, but to be honest, I just enjoyed the moment,” he said, clearly pleased with the result. Tobias also announced that this Championship is to be the 17-year-old mare’s final competition.
More medals to come at Ermelo
Thursday sees the culmination of the individual Championship titles with the battle for the Grade IV and V medals being contested, leading with Grade IV at 10:00, followed by the Grade V competition starting at 13:30.