Emotional Clara Collard honoured as Belgian Junior Champion

She was visibly emotional when she realized she was the new Belgian Junior Champion. Clara Collard performed very well this week with her Escape, in the final freestyle today they were also way ahead of the competition with a score of 76.785%. Just like the other days, Anna Peeters finished in the second place with Harlekin with 74.630% and she received the well-deserved silver medal. The third prize (72.845%) and the bronze medal went to Xyliana De Rover and Hamlet.

We spoke to Clara just before the prize-giving ceremony: “I can’t put into words how happy I am, what a great week this has been. It’s the first time I’ve set a personal best in all three tests and I’m so happy I managed to get a gold medal with Eclipse at my last Belgian Junior Championship.”

Very grateful for Eclipse
When she talks about her horse Eclipse, Clara immediately gets emotional again: “Eclipse is a really great horse, he does everything for me and I am so grateful to be able to do this with him. He is my first horse after the ponies and he makes all my dreams come true. I really hope that I can go to the European Championships with him this year and then I want to start Young Riders. I also have a six-year-old horse that we are training at the moment, and I am also looking forward to the future with him.”

Exceptional performance Jette de Jong
Jette de Jong had a very special Belgian Championship with two of her horses from her parents’ own breeding. She competed Heavenly Charming (by Charmeur) and Indini (by Chippendale) at the Young Riders class and she managed to finish as number one and two in both ranking and the final Freestyle. She chose Heavenly Charming as her final horse and with him she was honored as Belgian Champion Young Riders. Zoe Niessen and her black beauty Felitia received the silver medal and the bronze went to Louise Brauwers and Jerveaux de Baian.

Laura Luyten champion U25
Laura Luyten became Belgian Champion at the U25. She competed in this championship with three own bred horses, all out of the same mare. Lamborghini J2L (by Bravour B) was her trump card for the U25 and after winning the Freestyle with 74.310%, Laura received the gold medal. The silver medal in the U25 competition went to Lauranne Lammens with Hilcara Van het Vijverbos and bronze went to Suraya Hendrikx with Dear Friend 2.

For the riders
Our photographer Leanjo de Koster of Digishots is here to capture all the thrills and spills. You can check out and order the pictures via www.digishots.nl.

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Photo: Digishots