Gold and silver for German children
First European Championship medal for Turkey
The individual medals at the FEI Children's European Dressage Championships, the HKM Sports Equipment GmbH Prize, have been awarded. Marie Bernhard (Iggingen/BAW) and the eleven-year-old Franziskus son For Rock are the European Children's Dressage Champions. With a new personal best score of 83.195 percent, the pair came top of the 18 finalists. Silver went to 13-year-old Therese Billig (Taucha/SAC) on Faro Shen. The pair also achieved a new 'personal best' today at the Schafhof with 80.797 percent. Lal Mira Gürgen picked up the first ever medal for Turkey at the Children's European Championships: bronze in the individual classification with 79.364 percent. The 14-year-old Lal was in the saddle on the just seven-year-old KWPN gelding Lowland by Bordeaux.
Marie Bernhard comes from a horse-loving family. Her father Alfred runs the family-owned Schönhardter Pferdehof in Iggingen, Baden-Württemberg, her mother Yvonne also trains horses and riders and it was she who discovered For Rock at the age of five and trained him up to advanced level. Marie actually wanted to compete with her mare Kiandra at the qualifier for the European Championships, but Kiandra was unable to compete due to health reasons. Without further ado, Marie got into the saddle of For Rock for the first time on Friday and rode her way into the European Championship team the following weekend. “Rocky is just such a great horse, you can't put it into words,” beamed the European champion. “He always fights for you, it's really amazing. I never expected it to work so well and for us to get this far.” And with a broad grin, the gold medal winner adds: “Mom already knows that unfortunately she won't get him back.” (laughs).
Therese is at least as surprised to have won individual silver after team gold. Ten days earlier, she was still on the reserve list for the European Championships and only slipped into the team on the Friday before the start of the Euros. “I can't quite believe that I'm now runner-up at the European Championships. I'm incredibly happy about this success. You always have to motivate Faro a bit before and during the test, but I managed that well today. It's amazing.” Therese's home trainer Kathrin Müller was also beaming: “Therese rode really well on all days, but that's all the children. I really have to say, respect and admiration.”
Lal lives in Turkey and trains in the Netherlands with trainer Lina Uzunhasan. During the vacations, on some weekends, practically every free minute, Lal travels to her horse to train. “She really does a great job all year round,” praises Uzunhasan. “We came here with the aim of finishing in the top 18, but it was much better than that. To be completely honest: We were even happier with the team test than we were today with the individual task, but Lal and her horse are growing together more and more. We are simply happy. Lal is the only rider for Turkey competing here, which of course makes us proud.” Lal has been riding since she was a child: “I started riding at the age of six at a pony club in Turkey, I've always loved horses. After I switched to another club and bought my first horse there, Lina's father discovered me.” That was the beginning of her journey to success.
Vivianne Mercker (Munich/BAY) and the only seven-year-old Djamalla, who had delivered the best result of all European Championship participants in both the preparation test and the team test, were a little unlucky today. The pair made two costly mistakes in the canter tour, meaning that they ended up in fourth place.
Official words - in a triple function
“As a representative of the FN, I am overwhelmed by the success of the German riders. But we have seen great riding across the board. It's really fantastic to see how the sport has developed in this age group over the last ten years,” explained Sönke Lauterbach, who was on site in three different roles - as Secretary General of the German Equestrian Federation (FN), but also as a representative of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and the European Equestrian Federation (EEF). “I'm really excited to see what the whole thing will look like in a year or two. It's also great that we have a rider from Turkey on the podium today, which is relatively rare in equestrian sport. It's great for the development of the sport throughout Europe.” On the other hand, he wanted to emphasize the first-class organization of this tournament. “It's incredible what has been created here. The conditions for riders, horses, grooms and fans are simply outstanding, it doesn't get any better than this.”
Tournament director Matthias Alexander Rath was pleased with the high praise and explained: “Of course we tried to create the very best conditions for horse and rider. But it was also a great pleasure for us to be able to welcome the different riders and nations here. It's great that another nation, Turkey, won a medal today. Ten different nations in the Children’s final, that alone speaks for a real European Championship.”
“The best job in the world”
Pony national coach Caroline Roost, who supports national coach Hans-Heinrich Meyer zu Strohen at the European Championships in Kronberg, drew a personal conclusion after two team gold medals, three individual medals for the juniors and two individual medals for the children - the junior freestyle is still pending: “I am overwhelmed and moved. Our hearts open every morning and we are just so grateful that we have such great families here and such great children who take part in this and make it possible to go on this long journey. Those who take on this effort. I really have the best job in the world.”
(KiK/pe&pa)