Germany dominated in the team competition in the Under-25 European Dressage Championships in Hagen, Germany today (8 September). Semmieke Rothenberger, Raphael Netz, Ann-Kathrin Lindner and Ellen Richter – who finished first, second, fourth and sixth respectively in the individual rankings – won gold with over 7% to spare over the Netherlands, who took team silver.
“It’s an amazing experience to be at such a great event and to compete alongside the seniors – we learn so much from it,” said Raphael.
Ann-Kathrin added: “It’s an honour to be on an amazing team and with all of us on great horses.”
The Swedish team claimed bronze, with Denmark snapping at their heels in fourth, just 1.12% behind.
The British team of Lucy Jane Amy (Rudy), Lewis Carrier (Diego V), Alex Harrison (Diamond Hill) and Ellie McCarthy (Gb Londero Von Worrenburg) were fifth, only a whisker behind the Danes and the Swedes.
First to go for the British team, Lucy Jane Amy, said after her test: “We started really well, I was really pleased going in and the trot felt really good. But he’s only recently moved up to this level and when we went into passage, he just started to get a bit green and he got a bit wobbly. Then we broke into canter and there were just a few mistakes in the one-time changes. But altogether I was really pleased him, because he just needs to gain more confidence.”
Lucy and Rudy scored 66.91%, while Lewis and Diego notched up a strong score of 70.41%, good enough to put them 12th in the individual rankings.
“I was really pleased – there were very few minor mistakes, but I’m really happy that he got all of the changes and he pretty much did everything that I wanted to do in there,” Lewis said after his test. “The atmosphere was really good and I was thrilled to get 70%, a nice clean test and an international personal best.”
Third team rider for Britain, Alex said: “My horse wasn’t quite like the horse I would normally have in a test, as the journey over here took a lot longer than expected due to Brexit and lengthy delays at Calais – he’s usually a bit spooky and I have to say, ‘Woah, come back a bit’, whereas today I had to say, ‘Come on’. But he tried really hard. The bits we thought were going to be weak were weak and the bits we know are good were good.”
While Ellie McCarthy was disappointed with her performance with her father’s 12-year-old son of Londontime, which earned them a score of 64.35%. Their most recent international result in the under-25 grand prix at Wellington in May saw them earn over 70%.
“Obviously I’m really disappointed,” Ellie said after her test. “It’s been going really well in training and even in the warm-up he felt great – I was pretty much hoping for 10% more than the score we got. But I think a bit of tension crept in. I knew that we needed to do a mistake-free test to get a medal, so I think that was very much in my mind. I didn’t want to go for too much because I just wanted a nice safe, clean round, which would have secured us the medal – unfortunately that didn’t happen today.”
You may also be interested in…
‘We’ve done it and I’m over the moon’ says Charlotte Dujardin – Britain secures silver at European Dressage Championships
H&H’s Hagen Europeans horse of the day: Nine-year-old Marshall-Bell – ‘I was so proud of him’
How to watch the European Dressage Championships live – your full guide
Subscribe to Horse & Hound this spring for great savings
Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.
