23 July '24
European gold for Oliver Fletcher and Hello William!
© Sportfot
The Peelbergen Equestrian Centre of Kronenberg in the Netherlands was the setting for the European Junior Championships last week, where spread over six days, Europe's best Children, Juniors and Young Riders competed against each other. Several Zangersheide horses also competed and managed to create some great moments, exciting sport and, above all, some medals!
With individual gold in the Young Riders' class, the star performer was undoubtedly British rider Oliver Fletcher and the 12-year-old stallion Hello William, a son of Waldo van Dungen and Stakkato, who was born Willie Wonka LVS Z at Lissava Stud Farm. Fletcher and Hello William started their championship on Wednesday with 13th place in the first qualifier, but then systematically moved up the rankings. At the start of the big denouement on Sunday afternoon, they were still in2nd place with score of 2.71 penalty points, but due to 2 fantastic clear rounds and the competition going wrong, Fletcher eventually crowned himself the new European champion.
However, Hello William was not the only Zangersheide horse that managed to jump into the picture among the Young Riders. With a score of 6.98 penalties, 4th place went to Monegasque rider Anastasia Nielsen and the chestnut mare Beau Van De Hagenhorst Z, a daughter of Big Star Jr K Z and Coronado, bred in the Netherlands by H.C. Verhagen. Niels and Beau Van De Hagenhorst Z suffered a jumping fault in the first round during the final and these 4 points ultimately kept them from silver.
Children
Earlier on Sunday, the final for the Children's took place and in this event, too, a medal went to one of the Zangersheide horses. The bronze went to German rider Brianne Beerbaum and the 12-year-old chestnut gelding Carrero T Z, a son of Carrera VDL and Cero from the breeding of Anna Illetorp. In the Children's class, a jump-off among seven combinations with a final total of four penalty points had to decide on the medals and in it Beerbaum and her Carrero T Z thus managed to secure a place on the podium after a clear round in 31.19 seconds.
Also in the top five in the Children's class, we saw Dutch rider Liv Linssen and her 9-year-old mare Cini W Z, a daughter of Comme Il Faut and Ginus bred in the Netherlands by W. Van Stam. Linssen and Cini W Z were also among the group that managed to qualify for the decisive jump-off and a clear round in 32.86 seconds earned her 5th place in the standings.
Juniors
The final for the Juniors was already on the programme on Saturday afternoon in Kronenberg and in it there was another silver medal for one of the Zangersheide horses. Dutch rider Thijmen Vos took care of that with the 9-year-old gelding Cadillac Z, also a son of Carrera VDL and in combination with Quasimodo vd Molendreef. Vos and the breeding product of G. Weggemans were still in 14th place after the first qualifier on Tuesday, but by subsequently ensuring a completely flawless course they also secured an individual medal!
