Germany claim Team Gold in Ermelo

In a thrilling day of competition, it was down to the final athlete of the day to determine the team medals at the FEI Para Dressage European Championships 2025 in Ermelo. Germany succeeded in their mission and won their first team gold in history. Second place was for the home nation where the Danish clinched the bronze.

The morning session saw the Grade V competition culminate with the final scores for the German and Dutch teams, completing on 224.454 and 223.362 respectively. Thus, throwing down the gauntlet and leaving only room for the Danish and British teams to try and catch them, when their team scores were being calculated at the end of the Grade IV competition this afternoon. 

Ones to beat

The Netherlands’ Britney de Jong rode into the arena today with a point to prove after a slightly disappointing test with Caramba N.O.P on Thursday. The pair produced a dynamic and active test, laying down a score of 74.395, and bringing a team medal closer into sight. “As soon as I entered that arena, I knew what I needed to do. I am really happy about our test, as it was more forward and we got more expression into it,” she said of her ride with the 18-year-old gelding whom she has partnered for seven years. 

It was then down to the individual Grave V champion, Regine Mispelkamp riding Pramwaldhof’s Bayala. When the combination finished their test and Mispelkamp beamed a winning smile as her final score of 74.105 was announced, it was clear that the German team were the ones to beat. Gold was all but secured.
“She felt so great. She was so light in the hand and really concentrated more on me, which is what makes me so happy, she is beginning to talk with me in the arena, and we are communicating so well,” Regine spoke proudly of the 10-year-old Oldenburg mare. 

Suspense until the last minute

It was a long wait until Denmark’s Pia Wulff Jelstrup entered the arena with Zafia this afternoon for the Grade IV competition, to see if they could shake up the leaderboard. With a couple of small errors in their test, it just wasn’t quite enough to top the team rankings, scoring 72.108 to give a final team tally of 221.974. This left them more than two points adrift from the top, and over a mark behind the Dutch. But all was not lost, the bronze medal was still within their grasp. “I’m pleased with my horse, but I had a few not-so-good moments myself, which let her down. It was me who was at fault, not the horse, she was great as always,” Pia said of her test with the 11-year-old Danish warmblood mare.

It was then down to the final athlete to enter the arena after two days of stiff competition, Great Britain’s Nicola Naylor, to determine the medals. Riding with the pressure of a possible team bronze medal on her shoulders with Humberto L, Nicola did remarkably well to settle the sudden nerves of the 13-year-old gelding. Ultimatley, the combination fell just short of the required score to secure a medal, finishing on a mark of 71.406 which put the team on a total of 221.267, less than a mark off a podium finish. It wasn’t to be for the Brits. 

 German team make Para Dressage history

And so, for the first time in Para Dressage history a new team are being crowned European champions, and it is Melanie Wienand with Lemony’s Loverboy, Heidemarie Dresing and Poesie 143, Isabell Nowak and Siracusa OLD, and Regine Mispelkamp with Pramwaldhof’s Bayala taking the gold for Germany in yet another extremely close competition at this year’s Championship. 

Time to put on their dancing shoes

Tomorrow sees the culmination of the Championship with the Freestyle competition, where the top eight combinations from the Grand Prix B test in Grades I, III, IV and V, and the top six in Grade II, choreograph their own floorplans and perform them with their equine partners set to music they have designed to accompany their test.

 First in the arena at 08:30 is Grade III, followed by Grade II at 10:00, Grade I at 11:15. After the lunch break it will be the turn of the Grade V competitors at 13:45 and finishing up, Grade IV competitors will be the last to dance from 15:15.

Look here for full results.