Release date: 28/08/2020

The opening day of the Global Future Champions at Tops International Arena in Valkenswaard was busy and entertaining with no less than 13 classes for U25 riders, Young Riders, Juniors, Children and the smallest of them all, the pony riders.

Young Riders
The Young Riders were offered two classes in the morning. The first, a 1.45m Two Phases course with the second phase had to be jumped against the clock, was won by Britain’s William Fletcher with Persimmon (2005, AES, Salute RP x Indorado). The 21-year-old Fletcher is riding this special horse since September 2017. Then Persimmon already had an impressive career as eventer with Britain’s Kitty King. They won the silver team medal at the European Eventing Championships in Blair Castle in 2015. Persimmon has also successfully jumped at European level with Fletcher. The pair won team silver with the British team at the European Championships for Young Riders in Fontainebleau in 2018.
Germany’s Celine Friess won the other Young Riders competition (1.30/1.35m) with her 10-year-old Westphalian gelding Toenne 3 (Stakkato Gold x Contender). The 21-year-old rider had the fastest clear round of the 29 combinations in this class.

Juniors
Belgium’s Malin Bollen defeated her opponents in the 1.20m class for Juniors. She saddled her black SF mare Serieuse du Rouet (Allegreto x Vondreen) with whom she also won two classes in Vilamoura (POR) in July. The 1.35m class was won by the Italian rider Gloria Curzola with Nico Chicco van de Padenborre (2013, BWP, Diamant de Semilly x Quidam de Revel). The pair has been very successful in Young Horse competitions in the past few years.

Children and Ponies
13-year-old Naomi Himmelreich won the Children class with her seven-year-old An-Ton (ZfDP, Alant 5 x Spice Island) for Germany. A successful combination who won numerous classes in 2019 and 2020.
Holland’s Emily van Seumeren was the convincing winner of the 1.10m class for pony riders. She had a clear round with her NRPS pony Kyro Stayerhof’s Benjamin, aka ‘Ben’, in just 26.25 seconds. A bit later it was Jef Peeters who had the fastest ound in the 1.15m class. The 14-year-old stayed clear with Qatar Optimus. Denmark’s Leonora Sandberg Nielsen won the 1.25m class with MHS Kilkenny All Star.

U25
Anastasiya Bondarieva won the first class (1.35m) for U25 combinations with Quickborn (2011, OLD, Quintender 2 x Cardino 5). The 17-year-old represented the Ukraine at four European Championships: 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Sweden’s Stella Röhlcke won the 1.45m with the 12-year-old KWPN mare Delina (Verdi TN x Cantos). This talented mare was formerly ridden by Maikel van der Vleuten.