28 July 2024

Flyinge European Championship: New champions are known

It was already clear after the marathon that in most classes the competition could still go either way in Flyinge, Sweden. The European youth drivers were in a close match in almost all classes and the cones was the decisive factor.

Lotte Letteboer European Champion in the Children's class

The cards in the Children category were far from shuffled after the dressage and marathon, which meant that technique, speed and nerves of steel would determine who would take the skill class. The course in combination with time proved to be well within reach in this class, as no fewer than nine combinations kept the ‘double zero’: clear and crossing the finish line within time.

Lotte Letteboer proved to have those nerves of steel, riding clear and setting the second fastest time. Her direct opponent, Germany’s Sophia Ihnen, failed to do so and a ball rolled. The other German, Tamara Faber, could only win if she herself stayed clear and within time and Sophia and Lotte dropped a stitch. But Tamara also dropped a ball, making Lotte Letteboer European Champion!

The cones was won by Belgium’s Hannelore Timmerman, who had also won the marathon. Unfortunately, too low a dressage score kept her away from the podium. Best Belgian was Loic Timmerman, who climbed to fifth place at this European Championships with a faultless skill.

Xenia Marie Christian wins Juniors Pony Single

Lotte Zaaijer has grown tremendously in this European week. After the dressage and marathon she was in seventh position in the intermediate rankings, but as said, it could still go either way in this class. And it did! It turned out to be much more difficult to drive clear in this class and no one succeeded. Many riders left all the balls, but combined with the time, the course became a bit more difficult. In the top three in the results in the cones class, none of the podium contenders in the intermediate rankings were in, but Frenchwoman Perlane Fassel, Italian Giulie Ranzetti Bricchetti and British Ruby Gray. Lotte Zaaijer, however, drove herself to a creditable fifth place, moving up very handsomely to bronze in the final ranking.

European Champion was Xenia Marie Christian of Germany who had built up a solid base in the dressage for a high ranking, while Hungarian Agnes Blanka Jámbor dropped one place to silver with only 3.27 penalty points of time (seventh in the skill) and Lotte Zaaijer to bronze. Best Belgian in the cones was Kay Goossenaerts in 8th place, which also made him the best Belgian in the final ranking.

Gold and silver for The Netherlands in the Juniors Pony Pair class

The Juniors with pony pairs also had a tough time in the cones. Nobody stayed double clear and nobody drove the course within the time limit. Karlijne Ramaker won the final section with a small time penalty, but with two balls thrown down. The only one who left all the balls on top was Germany’s Max Andrew, but he gained too many penalties due to time overrun.

Liza Beekhuiszen retained her leading position by finishing the skill with a second rating and became the rightful European Champion. She led the standings from the first moment and managed to maintain focus despite the family drama that took place at home on the night after her stunning victory in dressage. Lisa KleinJan unfortunately incurred too many penalties in the course for a podium place. She did move up one position and finished fourth in the final ranking. Belgium’s Niels Ver Eecke did, sliding from fourth to bronze, leaving Britain’s Phoebe Grace Matthews next to the podium.

Dirk Bastiaansen European Champion U25 Pony Single

The championship was also within reach for Dirk Bastiaansen, but so was the entire top 4 after the dressage and marathon. Maximum one ball difference between numbers 1 and 4 before the cones. In this large class, it proved possible to drive clear and within time. Three drivers succeeded; Rikke Ruus, Dirk Bastiaansen and Belgium’s Ellen Vangoidsenhoven. However, Dirk’s fellow competitors for the championship all made too many mistakes and Dirk eventually took the gold with a wide lead and can call himself European Champion! Portuguese Vilarinho Bernardo Losa came second and German Erik Wolters took bronze. Océane Naniot was the best Belgian, just off the podium in fourth place.

Maria Buchwald European Champion U25 Pony Pairs

The cones also proved tricky for the five U25 pony pair drivers. Ischa Vink did best and put this part to his name. He finished fourth in the final ranking. The intermediate classification after two events did not change: Denmark’s Maria Buchwald had laid a solid foundation for the championship in the dressage and could afford some penalties compared to number two, Leon Zaccharias Reinhard. The bronze went to Hungarian Dániel Saru.

U25 Horse Single: No golden medal for Victoria Persson

It was unfortunately not the day of the only Dutch competitor in the U25 Horse Single class, Kim de Groot. With five dropped balls and a few penalties for time, she made a dip in the standings to 11th place. Finnish Eveliina Koivula proved that it was possible to drive clear and within time. Too bad her dressage score was not so high, because despite also having an excellent, second place in the marathon, she does not make it onto the podium in the final standings.

Sweden’s Victoria Persson still had to settle for silver in the final standings at the last minute. She was four points ahead of Come Boisteau, but she lost out to the Frenchman, who drove almost six penalty points less than Victoria. This makes Come European Champion. Silver is for Victoria and bronze for Swiss Tim Kramer who had only 1.23 penalty points for time in the cones, finishing second behind the Finnish.

Come Boisteau
Photo: Karolina Swärdh

Gold team medal for The Netherlands

The Dutch national team has become European Champion! After the dressage and marathon, the Dutch team was only 5.5 points ahead of number two, Hungary. Thanks to the fantastic performances of the Dutch youth drivers, including Lotte Letteboer, Lotte Zaaijer and Dirk Bastiaansen, the team achieved 350.02 penalty points and managed to extend the lead over Hungary (366.18) to over 16 points difference. The German team took bronze (367.64) with just one and a half points difference to Hungary.

Hoefnet congratulates all the European Champions and the Dutch Team!

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