| | Gold for German Juniors and Dutch Young Riders
By Claartje van Andel dressagedirect The team competitions medal contest for Juniors (up to 18 years of age) at the FEI European Championships Dressage for Juniors and Young Riders at the beautiful show grounds of the Royal Dutch Equestrian Federation in Ermelo, The Netherlands, was exciting until the very end. At the end of the day Germany had won the gold medal nearly four points ahead of the silver Dutch team. 
The gold medal for German Juniors with Nicola Krause, Sanneke Rothenberger, Charlott-Maria Schürmann and Louisa Lüttgen
All pictures by Claartje van Andel dressagedirect
The bronze medal went to Denmark and history repeated itself as the share of the team medals for the young dressage riders was exactly the same as last year at the European Championships in Portugal;: Germany gold in the Juniors team competition and
The Netherlands second while the Dutch Young Riders won the gold team medal followed by the Germans. For the German Juniors it was the 24th gold team medal in the history of the European Championships.
The bronze medal went to Denmark and history repeated itself as the share of the team medals for the young dressage riders was exactly the same as last year at the European Championships in Portugal;: Germany gold in the Juniors team competition and
The Netherlands second while the Dutch Young Riders won the gold team medal followed by the Germans. For the German Juniors it was the 24th gold team medal in the history of the European Championships.
German Sanneke Rothenberger, daughter of ex-international dressage riders Gonnelien Rothenberger-Gordijn and Sven Rothenberger, both competing for The Netherlands, rode a fantastic test yesterday in the afternoon on her beautiful black gelding Deveraux. The horse showed great lightness in the trot, beautifully accompanied by the elegant rider. She was awarded 74.919%. At the end, this turned out to be the decisive test in the individual Juniors’ competition and for 16 year old Sanneke it was her fifth and second consecutive team gold medal.
Sanneke Rothenberger on Deveraux passing the leading board of the Juniors after her test
Placed second individually in the team trials with 71,946% was 16 year old Dutch Sanne van Grotel, a student of Janneke van Riet. She rode Melvin, a horse that was schooled by Imke Schellekens-Bartels, She beat two German riders, Charlott-Maria Schürmann on World of Dreams on71,892% and Louisa Lüttgen on Habitus 71,568%. To her surprise World of Dreams was recognised by the American chair of the judges, Jeanne McDonald. She knew the son of World Cup I from showing under American Michelle Gibson in the young horse classes. Judge Mc Donald also complimented Louisa Luttgen on her capable handling of the horse’s spookiness in the warm up ring shortly before her test. Her horse became frightened of the a moving flag shade in the sand.
The fourth member of the golden German juniors was Nicola Krause. She showed Mitchell, daughter of KWPN-stallion Inspekteur, previously showed by German Verena van der Linde.
Dutch dominance at YR
The Dutch Young Riders (aged 16 to 21) won team gold ahead of the Germans and the Danes. It was the seventh gold medal for the Dutch Young Riders in the history of these European Championships and the third consecutive gold medal.
The Dutch Young Riders (aged 16 to 21) won team gold ahead of the Germans and the Danes. It was the seventh gold medal for the Dutch Young Riders in the history of these European Championships and the third consecutive gold medal.
The predominance of the Dutch team was overwhelming. Prior to the team’s fourth rider the gold had already been guaranteed. Number four, Lotje Schoots, performed as a skilled professional, watching the results on the scoreboard while riding and noticed she could use some more points to win the test. Therefore she decided to take more risk in the tempi changes and rode these more expressively and with more impulsion which gave her higher marks in the four tempi changes despite a mistake at the start of the three tempi changes. In the end, as the cherry on the cake, Lotje Schoots riding Torricelli earned 73.316%. and triumphed over Germany’s Fabienne Lütkemeier on D’Agostino, who scored 73,000%. The Dutch team obtained a total score of 215.737%, beating the eternal rival Germany 208.368% by more than 7%.
Lotje Schoots took some risks to reach the top of the leader board at the Young Riders showing Torricelli
Marrigje van Baalen on BMC Don Cardinale ranked third individually (71.579%). They probably did their best test ever showing much cadence and rhythm. Marrigje and her trainer and coach Coby van Baalen were very happy. 
Marrigje van Baalen on BMC Don Cardinale ranked third individually (71.579%) and did their best test ever
Marjolein Cho Chia Yuen, student of Anky van Grunsven, ranked fourth individually on Cho’s Pepper (70,842%). Last year’s European Freestyle champion, Dutch Diederik van Silfhout had left his expressive mare Ruby at home as she lacked form and showed his reserve horse Davidoff instead. He did a good job ranking seventh individually (69,158%).
Trainer Alex van Silfhout had trained half of the golden team, coaching both his son and girlfriend, Lotje Schoots.
The Dutch coach, Tineke Bartels said proudly: “Having watched our four riders, we have seen four highlights. I’m so proud of each of them! Together with their own merits, their individual trainers and the Rabobank Talents Development project, our young riders have improved tremendously over the last decade. This gold medal has been the result of all these efforts. Now, we all know so much more than we did ten years ago. Our solid basics and system makes a huge difference as we can focus on details only.”
The gold winning Dutch YR team with from left to right Marrigje van Baalen, Marjolein Cho Chia Yuen, Lotje Schoots and Diederik van Silfhout who had a special hair colour for the occasion
Great venue
The organisers received many compliments for the great venue and well handled details. “It’s the best Europeans ever”, according to almost all foreign delegates. The individual competitions are scheduled for today and tomorrow. On Saturday Incredible, the 19-year old stallion ridden by Michelle van Lanen will be honoured. This is the horse’s eighth European championships and he has won more medals for The Netherlands than any other horse. The Championships individual Freestyle will be on Sunday.
Great venue
The organisers received many compliments for the great venue and well handled details. “It’s the best Europeans ever”, according to almost all foreign delegates. The individual competitions are scheduled for today and tomorrow. On Saturday Incredible, the 19-year old stallion ridden by Michelle van Lanen will be honoured. This is the horse’s eighth European championships and he has won more medals for The Netherlands than any other horse. The Championships individual Freestyle will be on Sunday. 
Compliments for the great venue at the Royal Dutch Equestrian Federation grounds in Ermelo from all foreign delegates as the best ever
Starting lists and more detailed results published on www.ecdressage2009.com
All information about the pedigrees of the competing horses of the Young Riders and Juniors on http://www.equestrian-database.com/serve/startlist/event_10950.html (Young Riders) and http://www.equestrian-database.com/serve/startlist/event_10949.html (Juniors)
Results Juniors:
1. Germany 218,379%
(Nicola Krause/Mitchell (69,135%; 8); Charlott-Maria Schürmann/World of Dreams 71,892% (3); Sanneke Rothenberger/Deveraux 74,919% (1); Louise Lüttgen/Habitus 71,568% (4))
2. The Netherlands 214,702%
(Brigit van der Drift/Twister 71,351% (6); Sanne van Grotel/Melvin 71,946% (2); Michelle van Lanen/Incredible (68,757% (10), Marrigje van Baalen/BMC Don Cardinale 71,405% (3))
3. Denmark 202,541%
Cecilie S. Madsen/Laurentius 67.081% (13); Simone Ahlers Pedersen/Cavaler (63,514% (39)); Marie-Louise Larsen//Romar 65,622% (22); Cathrine Dufour/Aithon 69,838% (7))
4. Belgium 198,486%
5. Italy 196,703%
6. Russia 196,433%
7. Spain 194,540%
8. Great Britain 194,540%
9. Sweden 192,595%
10. Switzerland 192,541%
11. France 191,892%
12. Norway 188,107% Results Young Riders:
1. The Netherlands 215,737
(Van Silfhout /Davidoff (69,158%); Cho Chia Yuen/Cho’s Pepper 70,842%; Van Baalen /BMC Don Cardinale 71,579%; Schoots/Torricelli 73,316%)
2. Germany 208,368%
(Friederike Hahn/Richard Löwenherz 66,368% (14); Fabienne Lütkemeier/d’Agostino 73,000% (2); Thea Felicitas Müller/Highway (65,053% (21)); Kirsten Sieber//Charly 69,000% (8))
3. Denmark 204,263%
(Camilla Plough Larsen/Königs Kronos KS (64,053% (27)); Camilla Orloff/Utah 69,842% (6); Anne Kathrine Elkjaer-Holm/Bernstein 64,053% (27); Anna Kasprzak/Blue Horse Future Cup 70,368% (5)) 4. Sweden 200,00%
5. Belgium 197,790%
6. Great Britain 195,841%
7. Italy 195,052%
8. Spain 192,001%
9. France 191,316%
10. Austria 190,632%
11. Switzerland 189,158%
12. Russia 188,632 |
