The Freestyle finale of the Jiva Hill Stables FEI Dressage European Championship 2025 in Crozet was a true nail-biter. The top three combinations all delivered tests of exceptional quality, yet none escaped without errors. In the end it was Justin Verboomen of Belgium who, after taking gold in Friday’s Grand Prix Special, also claimed the Freestyle title aboard his own stallion Zonik Plus. With Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour of Denmark in silver and Isabell Werth for Germany in bronze, the podium mirrored that of the Special.
Verboomen will be welcomed home as a hero: never before had Belgium won a medal at a major Dressage Championship. By collecting two golds in one weekend, he has written history for his nation. Scoring a new personal best of 89.964%, the modest Belgian could hardly believe what he had achieved.
“This result is a surprise for me. I am so proud, Zonik is still so young. Test after test I feel him becoming more mature. He is always attentive to me,” said Verboomen.
Early thrills in the opening groups
From the very first group the competition delivered excitement. Patrik Kittel of Sweden completed his best test of the Championship with Touchdown (owned by Sommarkvarn AB), dancing perfectly to his rhythmic music for 81.139%, which was in the end good enough for sixth.
His compatriot Maria von Essen also impressed, showing the piaffe and passage strengths of Invoice (owned by Alexanders Hovslageri) to score 80.193% for seventh place. The black gelding may not be the biggest in size, but he showed great ability to switch gears. A small hesitation at the end of the two-tempi changes kept Von Essen just below Kittel.
Great Britain’s Carl Hester presented Fame (owned by Fiona Bigwood, Mette Dahl and Hester) with masterful technical skill. Despite a mistake in the two-tempis, the 58-year-old laughed afterwards: “Yes, I had a few old-man mistakes. The atmosphere here is fantastic, the crowd is very close which makes it quite exciting.”
Charlotte Fry of Great Britian entered next with Glamourdale (owned by the athlete and Van Olst Horses), aiming to defend her 2023 European Freestyle silver. However, tension crept in from the very start. Despite the stallion’s extraordinary uphill canter, their 79.573% kept them out of medal contention.
Emotion and farewell moments
The Netherlands Dinja van Liere experienced an emotional test with Hermes (owned by Joop van Uytert), finishing on 77.782% in what she revealed would be their last performance together. Tearfully she shared:
“Hermes has been great the whole week. We wanted to give it all today. It was a difficult ride, because it was our final one. I can’t say much more now, but I am sure he will have a great future ahead of him,” said van Liere.
Norway’s Isabell Freese and the expressive Total Hope OLD (owned by Lone Boegh Hendriksen, Oivind Bache and Paul Schockemöhle) powered their way to 80.593% and eighth place.
Werth raises the bar
The tension built in the final group. First up, team gold medallist Frederic Wandres of Germany and Bluetooth OLD (owned by Hof Kasselmann) produced a flowing ‘love’-themed Freestyle for 81.771% and fifth place.
Dressage queen Isabell Werth then took to the arena for her 17th European Championship. With Wendy de Fontaine (owned by Chateau de Fontaine and Madeleine Winter-Schulze), she delivered absolute class, hitting every beat of the music with spot-on piaffe, passage, pirouettes and extended paces. Her 88.046% earned bronze: her third medal of this Championship, her 29th at a European Championship and an incredible 55th medal across all major championships.
“Wendy was fantastic. I think no one was without mistakes today, it was a tough competition between us. Today I was getting closer to the form I want to have with Wendy: being able to present her in the very best way. She gave her heart for me today,” said Werth.
Just off the podium was Britain’s Becky Moody with her home-bred Jagerbomb (owned by Moody and Jo Cooper). Their cheerful Beatles Freestyle put a smile on everyone’s face. With a high degree of difficulty, they earned 86.982% and fourth place.
Laudrup-Dufour piles on the pressure
The crowd held its breath as Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Mount St. John Freestyle (owned by Laudrup-Dufour ApS and Mount St John Freestyle) entered. Focused and expressive, the mare danced through her test with just one error in the two tempis. With 89.821% she moved ahead of Werth, leaving only Verboomen to go.
“I was very pleased with our test, but a little disappointed we just missed out on the gold. It was so close, between our rides, but also with the scores. One thing is certain: Justin and I will be battling for medals many more times in the future,” said Laudrup-Dufour with a smile.
Belgian history made
The arena fell silent as the Special gold-medallists returned: Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus. Their harmonious, emotional test captured the audience. A bold moment came when Zonik Plus transitioned into canter out of a half-pass in trot, and the crowd exploded as they finished. Their 89.964% secured gold by the slimmest of margins.
Explaining his choice of Freestyle, Verboomen said: “I wanted everyone to feel the emotion, and to keep the connection with my horse. His strength is that he always wants to show his very best. If I don’t make mistakes, he doesn’t either.”
Germany’s Katharina Hemmer, participating at her first senior Championship with Denoix PCH (owned by Nancy Gooding and Hubertus Schmidt), closed the show as the last combination to go on 78.882%.
With sold-out crowds for both the Special and the Freestyle, the Jiva Hill stables FEI Dressage European Championship in Crozet ended on the highest of notes, and with a new star rising to the very top: Belgium’s Justin Verboomen with Zonik Plus.
Source: FEI press release by Bettine van Harselaar (edited by EQ Life)
