Latest from Horse & Hound in Justin-verboomen

‘I just sent Carl Hester a message’: Justin Verboomen on the British legend who inspired him, making history – and what came next

Oscar Williams — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:45:17 +0000

When Justin Verboomen made European Championship history last summer – double gold, Belgium’s first-ever dressage medals – the messages flooded in. But there was one he sent himself, to the person who had inspired him since he was a child watching dressage. He messaged Carl Hester.

“For me – rider, teacher – he’s really the example I have had since I was a kid,” Justin says. After the European Dressage Championships, he reached out to ask whether Carl might occasionally be able to help him. “He answered me,” Justin adds, “but we haven’t planned anything specific yet.”

So while we might not see Justin and Zonik Plus coming down the lane at Oaklebrook Mill just yet, it tells you everything about the man that his first instinct after making history was to reach out and ask how he could be better.

Raised in a household shaped by horses – his father was a riding instructor, his early education rooted in classical dressage and Lusitano breeding – Justin spent years building quietly, developing a philosophy he still lives by today.

“My goal – and I don’t say I succeed all the time – is always to find the way in which the horse will be able to do the exercises in a beautiful but comfortable way,” he says.

Read the full interview in this week’s Horse & Hound, get your copy here

Last summer’s breakthrough arrived, in his own words, “naturally.”

“There was really no plan,” he says. “It was one competition after another because we were invited.”

Staying grounded through it all was, he admits, the hardest part – and working with a mental coach helped.

“I try to stay focused just on my horse and what I have to do in the arena,” he says. “When I enter the arena, I just want to do something good. I was not expecting to be first. So after, it’s like a kind of surprise when you hear the scores, and you are first.”

He’s carrying the same approach into this summer’s World Championships. “If I start thinking about the placings, it really puts a different pressure on things. It has a negative impact on the training.”

Away from competition, life is built around the horses, his husband Jonathan, four dogs, and plans for his own stables – a childhood dream inching closer to reality.

On a normal day, he rides 10 horses, starting when the first groom arrives at half past seven. “I prefer to be alone with the horses,” he says, “and not surrounded by too many humans.”

The Europeans, for all their glory, were in that sense the hardest part. After the test came the media, then the doping test – and by the time he got back to the stable, two hours had passed.

“Nobody is there anymore, and you’ve missed all the nice parts,” he says. “When you do something like that – a good test – the only thing you want is to spend time with your horse and go back to the stable.”

Read the full Justin Verboomen interview, including life on the yard, his riding philosophy, and the European Championships moment that changed everything, in this week’s Horse & Hound, in shops from 23 April.

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‘Zonik Plus is not for sale’: why top dressage rider Justin Verboomen will never let him go

Oscar Williams — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:05:32 +0000

There was nothing inevitable about Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus – known on the yard as Zozo. The partnership that delivered Belgium’s first-ever dressage medals at last summer’s European Championships – double gold for the quietly spoken 38-year-old from Wauthier-Braine – could easily have been broken up before it ever truly began.

After his first grand prix outings on his Lusitano, Tamino, Justin knew he needed a horse capable of taking him higher. “I was always struggling – always searching for a horse that could put me at a higher level,” he says.

The search took him through Belgium, Germany and Ireland, trying horse after horse, none of which worked out. In the end, it was a conversation over dinner in Portugal that changed everything.

“At the end of the day, we were eating at a restaurant and there was a breeder there,” Justin recalls. “He told me, ‘Maybe I have a horse for you, just come and see him.’ So just before we took the plane, we went to see him – and I directly fell in love.”

Read the full interview in this week’s Horse & Hound, get your copy here

Zonik was not quite two and a half years old, a little wild, but there was something there Justin couldn’t ignore. “He had the capacity to focus on me after five or 10 minutes, and that was there from the beginning,” he says.

“Even now, it’s really incredible how he can focus on his rider, even when a lot is going on around him.”

He laughs, recalling how he tried to keep his cool as they haggled over the price. “I said, ‘OK… maybe I can buy him if the vet check is OK.’ But really, I was astonished that they wanted to sell him to me!”

But as the partnership developed and the bills mounted, Justin came close to making the most painful decision of his career.

“To reach my goals, I had to spend money that I just didn’t have,” he says. When Zonik was six – talented but still unproven – Justin came close to selling him.

It was the yard’s previous owner who pulled him back from the edge. “She really saved me,” he says. “Thanks to her, I was able to keep Zonik, because at one point I was in trouble and almost obliged to sell him.”

Two years ago, with success finally arriving, Justin made himself a promise. “I decided: it’s finished. I will keep him until the end of his life. Even if people propose whatever they want, I will say no. He is not for sale.”

Watching them together, it’s difficult to imagine one without the other.

“He’s really part of my family,” says Justin. “I don’t see my life without him. I don’t have kids, but I have four dogs and a lot of horses.”

He pauses, laughs. “Well, my husband, too – not at the bottom of the list, of course. But yeah, they are my family: four dogs, my husband, and Zonik.”

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‘The two best routines of our career’: Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus raise the bar again at Fontainebleau

Oscar Williams — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:02:46 +0000

Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus posted back-to-back personal bests at the Fontainebleau CDIO5*, winning Saturday’s Nations Cup grand prix (18 April) on 83.5% then lifting the mark again to 91.86% in Sunday’s freestyle to underline their status as the pair to beat in 2026.

First of the three anchor riders to go in a closely contested team competition, the European champions set a benchmark the rest of the field could not reach.

The test drew 10s for the canter pirouettes and earned the highest individual score of the weekend, built on ground-covering tempi changes, seamless transitions into passage and the kind of near-invisible riding judges are increasingly rewarding at the top of the sport.

“Zonik was absolutely fantastic. I haven’t quite grasped the progress yet,” said Justin. “I’m not quite able to do everything I truly want to do yet, but he showed tremendous progress today.

“In my dream, the horse is even more independent in the arena, with a sense of ease.”

Sunday’s freestyle pushed the benchmark higher still. Returning to the arena to a packed grandstand, the pair scored 91.86% – their second personal best of the weekend – with what Justin described as the strongest two routines of their career.

“Fontainebleau is an absolutely exceptional setting,” he said. “I was really looking forward to riding Zonik in an outdoor event because I felt that he would want to put on a show in this environment.

“For our return to outdoor action this week, we performed the two best routines of our career. I’m just so happy. At the end of the test, when you leave the arena and during the prize ceremony, it’s great to see all the people supporting you.”

Lottie Fry and Glamourdale were runners-up in both tests – and look on top form ahead of this summer’s World Championships – scoring 80.85% in the grand prix and 88.23% in the freestyle. Germany’s Frederic Wandres and Bluetooth OLD took third in the freestyle on 81.09%.

The strong British team finished second in the Nations Cup behind Germany.

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‘It was like a championships’: Britain second in Nations Cup opener as Carl Hester returns to team duty

Oscar Williams — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:44:39 +0000

While the Winter Dressage Championships were in full swing at home, a strong British team finished second in the opening European leg of the FEI Dressage Nations Cup at the inaugural Fontainebleau CDIO5* (16–19 April).

The German squad won, in a competition that went down to the final ride and offered the first meaningful measure of form ahead of the World Championships in Aachen this summer.

The lead changed hands repeatedly between Germany, Britain, and Belgium throughout the grand prix, and all three nations were still in contention going into the anchor rides.

Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus set the bar first, posting a personal best of 83.5% – the individual win of the day, with 10s for their canter pirouette – to secure third for Belgium.

Lottie Fry and Glamourdale followed with a fault-free 80.85%, briefly putting Britain into the lead and leaving Isabell Werth needing 79.15% or better on Queenparks Wendy to deliver for Germany. Isabell found 80.59%, so Germany finished on 230.065 to Britain’s 228.630 and Belgium’s 224.761.

For the British team, Lottie’s second-place individual finish led the way in one of her strongest outings with the now 15-year-old stallion to date.

Carl Hester came fifth with Fiona Bigwood and Mette Dahl’s Fame with 76.15% – his first win since a dominant double at Doha CDI5* in February – and Fiona contributed a 71.63% aboard home-bred mare Donna Bella for 10th. Lewis Carrier’s 67.67% with the veteran Diego V was the drop score.

Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale were second individually as Britain finished second in the FEI Dressage Nations Cup at Fontainebleau. (Image credit: FEI/Evan Oudin)

The grand prix special again went Isabell’s way, but Carl and Fame were second on 77.32% and Fiona and Donna Bella third on 72.28%. Lottie took another runner-up finish in the freestyle with Glamourdale; Justin and Zonik were again unbeatable.

Carl, who had stepped back from Nations Cup duty in recent seasons to free up team spots for younger riders, returned with Sadie Smith and Laura Tomlinson’s up-and-coming horses heading to Hagen CDI4*.

“I always say, look, give those spaces to the kids who want to be on teams,” Carl said. “But they asked me to do it, and it worked out perfectly. The special finished at 11.30am Sunday morning, so I got home in time for dinner!”

The 16-year-old stallion Fame continues to reward the lighter campaign Carl has planned for him this year. “He was amazing in both tests – so good to ride and so up for it,” Carl said. “A really good mix of keenness and relaxation.

“His pirouettes scored really high, his changes scored really high, and I think his outline’s improved again this year. He was just cool. That’s what he was.”

The result in the special was built on a test Carl rated among his best on Fame. “It was mistake-free, full of power. They were very complimentary about him and gave him some very big scores.

“He’s possibly the most incredible horse – I’m running out of nice things to say about him. There’s always something to improve, we know that – but it’s a very good start to the season, and he’s still as fresh as ever.”

He was quick to credit the calibre of the field. “That was the leading group there. The only one really missing is Cathrine [Laudrup-Dufour]. Everyone kept saying it felt like the championships are here now – that’s how strong it was.

“Especially at this time of year, to get them out and have a good strong showing like that is good. You can imagine, if you added Becky [Moody] to the mix, you’d have near enough the top team.”

“She’s an exciting horse, that one”

Fiona’s third-place finish in the special was another bright spot. Her 10-year-old home-bred Donna Bella (Don Juan de Hus x Gribaldi) is the daughter of Atterupgaards Orthilia, who, with Fiona, was a member of the British team that won silver at both the 2015 European Championships in Aachen and the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio – a family connection that clearly shows.

“That’s a very exciting mare she’s bred,” Carl said. “What you could really see is how much trust she had in her, because the mare is very like her mother.

“She’s got so much temperament and talent, and she just needs some easy rides to give her confidence. Fiona knows the mother so well, the family so well – she’s so tactful in her way of riding with her, and she just guided her around to do some really lovely tests. She’s an exciting horse, that one.”

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Who is Djembe de Hus? Meet Justin Verboomen’s striking new grand prix partner

Oscar Williams — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:05:06 +0000

Double European dressage champion Justin Verboomen, caught the eye at the recent World Cup qualifier in Mechelen, Belgium, where he finished second on 82.45%.

But this time it wasn’t riding the horse he’s most associated with, the current world number one Zonik Plus. Rather, it was his stablemate, the 11-year-old chestnut stallion Djembe de Hus OLD.

“It has been a crazy year,” Justin said after his tests. “What happened over the past year is unbelievable.

“Zonik Plus is having a bit of rest now, which is why I brought Djembe de Hus. My main goal here was to give him confidence. The indoor arena, the music, the applause, he found it all quite exciting. In the freestyle, he really tried to listen, and we had a special connection during the test.”

So who is Djembe de Hus?

Bred by Xavier Marie’s Haras de Hus via embryo transfer, Djembe de Hus is by Damon Hill – Olympic silver medallist, World Cup winner and one of only a handful of horses to break the 90% barrier – out of the Argentinus mare Elfe.

He was produced from a young age by French Olympic dressage rider Jessica Michel-Botton, progressing steadily through the age classes.

The pair enjoyed notable success in France, winning the national young horse titles in both 2019 and 2020 and finishing fourth the following year. In 2021, they represented France at the Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in Verden, where they placed 12th in the six-year-old final, won by Lottie Fry and Kjento (Negro x Jazz).

Following that season, the stallion was sent to Germany to continue his development under Marcus Hermes. During his time there, Djembe was shown sparingly at advanced national level, consistently scoring in the low-to-mid 70s. Marcus described him as “a world-class horse” during that period.

Djembe de Hus later returned to Michel, and the pair made their international grand prix debut in spring 2024. They competed at several major European fixtures, including Aachen, Hagen and Exloo, and later represented France at the FEI Nations Cup in Falsterbo. While Olympic selection for Paris 2024 was a long-term aim, their scores were not high enough for team inclusion, averaging just under 67% in the grand prix in the build-up to the Games.

Partnering with Justin Verboomen

Shortly before the Olympics, Xavier Marie announced that Haras de Hus would be closing its doors. Its horse stock, along with its semen and embryo collection – more than 300 lots in total – was offered in a clearance sale on 11 June 2024.

Djembe de Hus, however, was one of three horses, alongside Dorian Grey de Hus and Riwera de Hus, not included in the sale.

Instead, the stallion was briefly sent to Belgium with a view to sale, though he remained unsold. The ride then passed to Justin Verboomen, who made his public debut with Djembe in May 2025, riding hors concours in the grand prix and scoring 72%.

Later that month, the pair finished third at the Belgian National Championships, scoring 70.22% in the grand prix and 73.38% in the freestyle.

After a summer of training, Justin and Djembe made their international debut at Troisdorf CDI3*, showing marked improvement by scoring over 73% in both the grand prix and the special.

It was at Mechelen last month, however, that the pair made their real breakthrough, scoring 73.07% in the grand prix before climbing to 82.45% in the freestyle – more than nine percentage points up on their result at the Belgian National Championships.

It was a poignant moment for Justin, coming at the same competition where, a year earlier, Zonik Plus had announced himself on the world stage – and, for those keeping count, with strikingly similar scores.

The two horses’ backgrounds could hardly be more different. Justin has produced Zonik from the age of three, while Djembe arrived as an already established top-level horse. Yet he rides them in a similarly open frame, with Djembe’s standout movement the piaffe, while Zonik’s highest-scoring work comes in the canter pirouettes.

Different horses, different journeys – but the early signs with Djembe de Hus make him well worth watching.

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‘He’s still improving’: European champions go two for two at Lyon World Cup

Oscar Williams — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 16:51:05 +0000

In front of packed crowds at the Eurexpo Arena, Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus made it two from two in Lyon, winning the freestyle – and with it, this leg of FEI Dressage World Cup Western European League – a day after their grand prix win.

That grand prix performance was exceptional, delivering a personal best of 81.2%. They couldn’t quite match those heights in the freestyle; although the pirouettes, punctuated by transitions between piaffe and canter, were a highlight, mistakes in the changes kept their score below their career high of 89.96%, set at this summer’s European Championships, and they finished on 87.08%.

“In the grand prix, Zonik Plus gave me an amazing feeling; it was our best test ever,” Justin said. “But in the freestyle, it was a little more difficult, and I had some mistakes; Zonik was perfect.

“The arena was suddenly full and quite warm, and Zonik Plus was a bit overwhelmed by the whole atmosphere, so I prayed he would stay connected to me. I wasn’t up to scratch in the flying changes. But he’s only nine and he’s growing so much show after show – I’m really proud of him.”

Watch Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus’ winning freestyle in the video below

Justin and Zonik Plus were among the early riders in the final group, and those small errors left the door open for Becky Moody and Jagerbomb to cause an upset – and potentially reel in the world number ones.

They’d managed to outscore Justin’s mark once before – with an 87.55% at the World Cup qualifier in ’s-Hertogenbosch in March – so it was possible, but they would need to be near-perfect to do it.

And they went close, their test was mistake-free and harmonious, scoring 85.18% – Becky perhaps needing just a little more in the extended walk and the piaffe to close the gap further.

It was enough, though, to secure consecutive runner-up finishes for Becky and Jagerbomb, in the grand prix and the freestyle.

Becky Moody and Jagerbomb during the freestyle at the FEI Dressage World Cup qualifier in Lyon. (Image credit: FEI/Lukasz Kowalski)

“I was smiling all the time!” Becky said. “The crowd here was amazing. I’m so lucky to ride Jagerbomb; I always enjoy riding him.

“He is very consistent, has an incredible temperament and is very trainable. He makes my life easy, but you can always have a good or bad day. In the grand prix, I was a bit frustrated with myself, not with Bomb. But today everything felt super.”

Belgium’s Larissa Pauluis completed the podium with Flambeau on 79.56%. Two other Belgians also finished inside the top 10 – Domien Michiels and Intermezzo van het Meerdaalhof placed ninth on 73.59%, Wim Verwimp and Jedai de Massa were close behind in tenth on 73.56%.

They may have narrowly missed out on a historic team medal at the European Championships, but Belgium’s strength in depth was clear – and they look certain to be a force at future championships.

Justin’s Lyon victory, his first of the World Cup season, moves him up to ninth in the Western European League standings. Denmark’s Fie Christine Skarsoe leads the series, ahead of the Netherlands’ Thamar Zweistra and Germany’s Raphael Netz. Becky, who, like Justin, has so far attended just one qualifier, sits joint 16th in the table.

The top nine riders in the standings will qualify for the final in Fort Worth, Texas, in April 2026. As only two legs have been completed – Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Mount St John Freestyle won the opener in Herning – and eight are to come, the race for places remains wide open.

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You may also be interested in:

(Image credit: FEI/Lukasz Kowalski)

Unstoppable Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus dance to personal best at World Cup qualifier in Lyon

(Image credit: FEI/Lukasz Kowalski)

Into orbit: dressage’s new superstar lands second gold medal at the European Championships

(Image credit: FEI/Lukasz Kowalski)

Wow! Belgium win their first-ever gold medal at the European Dressage Championships thanks to new superstars

(Image credit: FEI/Lukasz Kowalski)

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Unstoppable Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus dance to personal best at World Cup qualifier in Lyon

Oscar Williams — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 18:56:28 +0000

Reigning European champions and current world number ones Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus extended their extraordinary run of form with a commanding win in the FEI Dressage World Cup qualifier grand prix at Equita Lyon – breaking the 80% barrier for the first time with a personal best of 81.2%. The result smashes their previous mark of 79.08%, set at the European Dressage Championships in Crozet just two months ago.

It’s the sixth consecutive personal best for the Belgian pair, whose grand prix scores have risen by almost seven percentage points since the start of 2025 – an astonishing rate of progress at this level.

For context, Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro’s world record of 87.46%, set at the London World Cup qualifier in 2014, still stands as the sport’s benchmark.

Whether Justin and Zonik Plus can eventually reach that territory remains to be seen – particularly in an era of more conservative scoring – but at just nine years old, the stallion’s trajectory suggests there’s still plenty more to come. On current form, they look every bit the best combination in the world right now.

“Every time he goes out in a competition, he matures, and I feel he’s still improving,” Justin said. “After the European Championships, I tried to work a bit more with Zonik at home, in really peaceful conditions.

“As much as possible, I tried to release the tension and pressure that had built up over previous events. I think it paid off in the grand prix, because he was super relaxed.”

Zonik’s piaffe and passage were soft, uphill, and beautifully balanced, earning several nines and even a 10 from the Dutch judge at C, Francis Verbeek-van Rooy, for the final piaffe on the centre line.

But it was his pirouettes that stole the show – perfectly centred and controlled – with two more 10s awarded across the board. A slight hesitation in the one-time changes and a brief loss of rhythm in the transition from walk to passage were the only blemishes in an otherwise flowing, expressive test. Even then, those moments still scored sevens – the lowest mark on their sheet.

“Pride is the overwhelming feeling I have after this class, above and beyond the personal record,” Justin added. “I’m really proud of my horse. He is very sensitive and gives a lot. He’s always had this ability to really focus on me and my encouragements. So, we’ve tried to build on that over the years.

“Last year, on the indoor circuits, he got very hot and was affected by the atmosphere. But here the arena is wide and open, so it’s really nice to ride here.”

Britain’s Becky Moody and Jagerbomb were next into the arena, and would have needed to beat their own personal best by more than 4% to win. Jagerbomb impressed with some massive changes, scoring 8.5s, and his movements from the extended trot into the final centre line helped lift their mark – Becky always finishes strong.

Catching Justin and Zonik Plus was always going to be a stretch, but Becky’s polished round saw them into second on 76.2%, almost exactly matching their season average. Poland’s Sandra Sysojeva completed the podium with Maxima Bella, scoring 72.63%.

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Into orbit: dressage’s new superstar lands second gold medal at the European Championships

Martha Terry — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 13:50:15 +0000

Belgium’s Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus laid on the wow factor to win gold in the European Dressage Championships freestyle medals at Jiva Hill Stables in France. Under cloudless skies, at the foot of the Jura Mountains, this pair danced their way to the top of the podium with 89.96%.

Justin, 38, is a man who lets his performance do the talking and he was almost speechless in trying to describe the enormity of what he had achieved with the horse he found as a two-year-old.

“I can’t believe it at all!” he said. “This second victory is really a surprise for me. I’m so proud of my horse – he’s so young.”

As in the grand prix special, it was a three-way fight for the medals, between Justin, silver medallist Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Isabell Werth in bronze, but the placings remained unaltered. Zonik is dressage’s new king.

Justin and the nine-year-old had already made history on their championship debut by winning Belgium’s first gold in the special. But as Cathrine and Isabell had both put plus-88% scores on the board before his turn, this young stallion would need to conjure something extra special. A personal best in a rapidly soaring career was required – and that’s exactly what Zonik produced.

Breathtaking though the test was, it was not flawless, as Zonik broke into canter during his trot half-pass, but the rest was spellbinding.

“I made a big mistake – of course it was my fault,” Justin said. “But I could feel that test by test he is becoming more mature, able to listen to all my very small aids, always attentive to me – that’s his greatest quality.”

European Dressage Championships freestyle: silver and bronze medals

Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour had Isabell’s target of 88.05% to hit when she went in, third from the end. She nailed an extremely technical floorplan, climaxing with an impressive walk into canter pirouette, to piaffe and then halt to score 89.82%.

“The choreography is very special, I hand-picked things from old freestyles and felt emotional riding it,” said Cathrine. “It’s really technical, but Freestyle is a horse who can take it.”

There were so many tremendous highlights from this harmonious partnership – their smoothness and frame throughout were exemplary and the way they made such a difficult sequence of exercises look so easy.

In common with several others, the pair made a mistake in the two-time tempi changes, which they were able to repeat but perhaps it made the tiny impact that made the difference in such a tight tussle for gold.

“I thought she was amazing again, she’s been great all week performing three great tests,” said Cathrine, who watched Justin’s test from the mixed zone alongside her trainer Kyra Kyrklund. “I needed that last bit of luck today as it was so damn close!

“So it comes with a little bit of disappointment but this is what the sport is all about, and it has been amazing sport all week at Jiva Hill.”

Bronze for Isabell Werth

Isabell Werth said after the special that she would go for broke in Wendy De Fontaine’s freestyle, and she conjured a massive performance, certainly their most harmonious of the week.

Her piaffe pirouettes were exquisite, but the whole test was immaculate, balanced and powerful. Although Wendy’s previous tests had looked a little short of her Paris brilliance, the pair looked in perfect harmony in this freestyle, Isabell riding for every single mark. Every movement looked more fluent and expressive, and the scores soared accordingly.

Becky Moody finished just outside the medals in fourth with Jagerbomb for Britain on 86.98%.

European Dressage Championships freestyle medals

Gold: Justin Verboomen (BEL), Zonik Plus – 89.96%

Silver: Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour (DEN), Mount St John Freestyle – 89.82%

Bronze: Isabell Werth (GER), Wendy De Fontaine – 88.05%

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Watch history in the making: Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus’ breathtaking test for European dressage gold

Oscar Williams — Sat, 30 Aug 2025 13:03:27 +0000

Belgium’s Justin Verboomen produced the test of his life at the 2025 European Dressage Championships in Crozet, scoring a personal best of 82.37% with his own nine-year-old stallion Zonik Plus to clinch individual gold in the grand prix special – and secure Belgium’s first-ever championship medal.

It was always set to be a nail-biting contest against Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour (Mount St John Freestyle) and Isabell Werth (Wendy De Fontaine), but in the end, the tiniest of mistakes proved decisive.

Drawn first of the leading trio, Justin set the bar with a phenomenal, fault-free performance. His test was filled with nines for the trotwork, piaffe and passage, and no fewer than four 10s for his double-marked pirouettes.

Watch the pair’s +82% special in the video below

“I’m really struggling to take it all in,” said a visibly emotional Justin after his historic victory. “My horse is still young, and I didn’t expect this to happen so soon. But I’m very happy.

“I bought Zonik Plus when he was just two-and-a-half years old, and we’ve done everything together. From the beginning, he showed exceptional qualities – great balance and a very good temperament. He still has all that, so we try to protect it. He’s an incredible horse.”

Soft-spoken and modest in front of the cameras, Justin added: “To win here with him is just incredible. It took me a few minutes to realise what we’d done.”

The triumph marks the latest milestone in a remarkable breakout season for the 37-year-old Belgian. Until late last year, Justin and Zonik Plus were barely on the international radar, with the stallion only making his grand prix debut at Kronenberg CDI3* in November 2024.

Everything changed at Aachen in July, where the pair stunned the dressage world by winning the grand prix special with 80.75% – beating Isabell Werth and Wendy (80.11%) and Britain’s Becky Moody and Jagerbomb (78.4%).

“I want to make it smooth and harmonious so people can feel the emotions,” Justin said at Aachen. “I want them to get goosebumps.”

Now crowned a European champion, Justin and Zonik Plus will return to the Crozet arena on Sunday (31 August) for the freestyle, aiming to add another medal to their already trailblazing season.

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Wow! Belgium win their first-ever gold medal at the European Dressage Championships thanks to new superstars

Oscar Williams — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 16:44:51 +0000

Belgium’s Justin Verboomen made history at the 2025 European Dressage Championships in Crozet, clinching individual gold in the grand prix special with Zonik Plus – the nation’s first-ever championship medal.

Their spectacular performance earned a personal best of 82.37%, leaving the crowd on its feet and an emotional Justin almost lost for words.

It was always set to be a three-way battle with Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour (Mount St John Freestyle) and Isabell Werth (Wendy De Fontaine), and in the end, it was the tiniest of mistakes that proved decisive.

Drawn first of the leading trio, Justin delivered a phenomenal test. His ride was littered with nines for the trotwork, piaffe and passage, and he received four 10s for his double-marked pirouettes.

The judges were split – Germany’s Katrina Würst at C was more than 4% below the average with 78.94%, while Peter Storr at M awarded 85.64%, the highest of all. But with a fault-free performance, there was no doubt the Belgian combination were deserving winners.

“To win here with him is just incredible – it took me a few minutes to realise what we’d done,” said Justin. Softly spoken and almost shy of the limelight, he prefers to let his riding do the talking – but he’ll have to get used to the attention, because there’s surely much more to come.

He added: “I bought my horse when he was only two and a half years old, so we’ve done everything together. From the start, he showed such quality and such a good mentality. ”

Isabell digs deep

Isabell, chasing yet another European title, followed Justin but had uncharacteristic errors in the collected walk and both sets of changes.

For much of the test, she was trending behind Germany’s rising star Katharina Hemmer (Denoix PCH), who finished fourth on a personal best 78.68%, and at one point was also behind Britain’s Becky Moody (Jagerbomb), fifth on 77.8%.

But Isabell once again showed why she is the most decorated rider in the sport. She brought Wendy home with a flawless final centre line, scoring a run of eights and nines, and her general impression mark averaged just under nine – enough to secure bronze on 79.22%.

“I’m really happy with Wendy today,” Isabell said afterwards. “It was a tough, close competition, which makes it exciting for all of us.

“Of course, I wanted to win, but I lost a little of the quick energy in the changes. We started the season late because of a small injury, so she’s not yet at her very best. With two mistakes, it was too much – but I’m realistic, and I know we’re on the right path.”

Cathrine pushes Justin to the wire

The final word went to Cathrine and Freestyle. Their opening half was exceptional, with their trademark piaffe-passage picking up 10s. But a mistake in the one-time changes proved costly, leaving them less than 0.6% behind Justin to claim the silver medal.

“I know it was with a glimpse of gold at some point,” Cathrine admitted. “But I didn’t expect it today – honestly, I could just as well have ended up with bronze or even fourth or fifth.

“That’s why I’m so happy. I had everything I wanted in there – the power, the balance, the piaffe and passage just how I like them. The mistake in the one-times came out of nowhere, because she had been perfect on the centre line before. But it’s horses, and sometimes a tiny blip happens. Overall, I had a super, super feeling.”

Cathrine was among the first to congratulate Justin after his historic win, embracing him in the mixed zone as they waited for the prizegiving.

“It’s great that the sport is bringing up new combinations like Justin and Zonik Plus, and that really motivates me,” she said. “I’m also so happy for him. He’s writing history today, and that’s amazing for the sport. It’s top sport – anyone could have won, and he went and got it.”

Carl Hester was the next best of the Brit’s finishing sixth on Fame 76.38%. Lottie Fry and Glamourdale, meanwhile, were held back by a couple of costly errors, leaving them ninth on 75.3%.

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‘I want to give people goosebumps’: new superstar’s electrifying performances stunned the dressage world at Aachen

Oscar Williams — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 10:20:24 +0000

Dressage has a new name lighting up the international stage: Justin Verboomen.

The 37-year-old Belgian rider and his own electrifying nine-year-old stallion Zonik Plus delivered a breakout performance at the 2025 CHIO Aachen, announcing themselves as serious contenders for individual championship honours – and as Belgium’s first true dressage superstars.

Justin and Zonik Plus captured the spotlight by winning the MEGGLE-Prize grand prix special with 80.75%.

They edged out Olympic team gold medallists Isabell Werth and Wendy, who scored 80.11%, and Britain’s Becky Moody and Jagerbomb in third on 78.4% – all personal bests for the riders.

“What a horse, I’m so happy to have him in my life,” said Justin, who looked almost embarrassed by the attention at the press conference. “It wasn’t an easy ride. Some parts he supported me, some parts I supported him.”

Even more remarkable is how new this partnership is to the world stage. Zonik Plus was discovered by Justin as a two-year-old and developed quietly through the levels.

Until late last year, they were barely on the radar. That changed dramatically when they exploded on to the scene at Kronenberg CDI3* in November, delivering a grand prix debut that set social media buzzing. Aachen, however, took things to an entirely new level.

The barefoot Zonik Plus looked every inch a natural performer – unflappable, with an elegant outline, and all the qualities of a modern dressage star.

Justin appeared calm and focused as he guided the stallion with subtle aids and a loose rein. It was a performance that left you wondering: where has Belgium been hiding this guy?

Justin Verboomen on Zonik Plus: “He can be so much more”

Justin believes Zonik Plus still has much more to give – a warning to his rivals. “He can be so much more relaxed and smooth,” he said.

And he’s right: there were glimpses of tension in the one-time changes and pirouettes, and the horse’s walk tour hints at becoming one of the best in the sport.

After his grand prix special triumph, Justin and Zonik Plus returned to win the prestigious Lindt-Prize freestyle with another personal best – this time a huge 89.4%. Justin is the first Belgian rider ever to claim the title.

The pair entered the arena into a cauldron of German noise, following Isabell, who had scored 88.44% and left to a standing ovation, punching the air in triumph.

The atmosphere crackled with echoes of Totilas’ legendary Windsor freestyle in 2009, as the Belgian duo performed to an evocative, dramatic soundtrack. They earned three 10s for their opening halt and received high marks for harmony between horse and rider.

“I had a super connection with him, and that is the most important thing for me,” Justin said. “I wanted to make it smooth and harmonious so people could feel the emotions. I want them to get goosebumps.”

Asked if she was disappointed to finish second, Isabell said:

“No! As I said, I love to have competition. We all do. Sometimes you have a percentage more, sometimes a percentage less. This is the challenge.”

She added with a rueful laugh: “I saw Justin in Lier and knew he wouldn’t try to be a gentleman!”

Becky, who finished fourth in the freestyle on 83.38%, was also full of praise.

“They were amazing,” she said. “The horse is only nine, and the special was just the second either of them had ever done, so to score over 80% is truly something else. And to beat Isabell on home territory twice in a row – it’s a brave man who does that!”

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