Liezel Everars claims Belgian title in the Young Riders

The first championship of the day has been decided. In a competitive battle for the Young Riders title, Liezel Everars ultimately came out on top. With her horse Venere (Vitalis), she delivered an impressive score of 75.415%, putting her ahead of Jette de Jong.

Being the last rider to enter the arena brought it’s share of pressure. “I was really stressed before the test, which usually doesn’t happen to me”, Liezel admits honestly. Nevertheless, she managed to perform under pressure and delivered a beautiful test. “Today went super well. The first two days I was a bit unsure, which led to some mistakes. But today, everything just came together perfectly. I’m so happy”, she says proudly about her title.

A special victory with a meaningful horse
Liezel achieved this remarkable result with Venere, a horse with a very special story. “It’s actually quite a special story for me. My previous horse sadly passed away at a competition in June 2024”, she shares. “So we started looking for a new horse and, by coincidence, we came across Venere, the full sister of my late horse. That makes this win even more special,” says the new champion, who has only been riding Venere for a short time. “I’ve only been riding her since winter, so we’re still a fairly new combination. That makes this achievement even more meaningful.”

Liezel is no stranger to the Belgian Championship. She was crowned national champion three times before in the pony category. “It’s such a beautiful event, and there’s always a great atmosphere at the Belgian Championship. Every year, it’s a real pleasure to ride here”, says the brand-new Belgian Young Riders Champion, Liezel Everars.

Results – Young Riders

1. Liezel Everars – Venere | 214.327%
2. Jette de Jong – Indini | 213.061%
3. Jef Sutherland – Thorgal Biolley | 207.326%