Belgium’s leading lady in dressage, Larissa Pauluis, has claimed her fourth national Grand Prix title this afternoon. “I was really happy with Flambeau today,” Pauluis said after her winning freestyle performance. Scoring 76.275%, she took the victory in the freestyle to music and secured the gold medal.

Silver went to Wim Verwimp, who rode Jedai de Massa to a strong 74.150%. Since returning to international Grand Prix last September, Verwimp has consistently delivered top results. That hard work paid off today with a silver medal at the Belgian Championships. “Incredible, isn’t it?”, he said afterward. Verwimp didn’t just ride at both CDIO Lier and the Belgian Championships in the past two weeks, he also served as director of both events. “Who would’ve thought!”, he laughed, clearly enjoying his spot on the podium.

Bronze for Verboomen
Third place went to Justin Verboomen and Djembé de Hus, a highly talented horse that only joined Verboomen’s stable a month ago. Riding to music of Zonik Plus with a high-difficulty freestyle, the duo scored 73.375%. “This horse is incredible. I just hoped I could present him without mistakes, he has so much more to give,” said Verboomen. It was only their third test together, and their first ever freestyle.

Building confidence
“He’s so talented that I dared to dream big before this weekend. But I can’t work miracles, I’ve only been riding him for a month,” Verboomen said realistically. “I’ve spent the last few weeks getting to know him and learning how to understand him. After this weekend, especially with the tough weather, I’ve learned even more.” The strong wind created tension for Djembé de Hus. “He’s quite introverted, and the wind gets to him. I hope to give him more confidence in the coming months.” With Zonik Plus and now Djembé de Hus, Verboomen has two highly promising Grand Prix horses in his stable.

Historic weeks for Belgian dressage
Pauluis and her 15-year-old Flambeau were unbeatable this weekend. “Last week was a huge moment for Belgium,” she said, referring to the historic Nations Cup victory. “But I wasn’t fully happy with my rides. Flambeau was very hot and not listening like he can. That’s why I made a last-minute decision to compete him again this weekend. Despite his age, he could use a bit more work,” Pauluis added with a laugh.

Road to the European Championships
The European Championships this summer are the next big goal for the Belgian team. “I truly believe we can achieve something really special there as a team. That’s why it was important for me to ride Flambeau this weekend.” What’s next? “I’m planning to ride in Rotterdam and then we’ll compete in Aachen as a team. After that, the horses will get some rest so we can peak at the Europeans.” Asked what her hopes are, Pauluis beams: “We really want to do something historic for Belgian dressage.”

Dreaming of more
The past two weeks have been memorable for Belgian dressage, and Pauluis certainly agrees. “Last week, I was ranked above Isabell Werth, who would’ve thought?”, she laughed. Flambeau has already taken her to the Olympics, a Nations Cup victory, and now a third Belgian Championship title. Where does she still dream of?  “More. To become even better. As a top athlete, you always want more,” Pauluis concluded.

Verboomen takes Belgian Small Tour title
In the Small Tour, the Belgian title went to Justin Verboomen and Bollinger, just ahead of Suraya Hendrikx and Benicia, who claimed silver by a narrow margin. Bronze went to Tommie Visser and Quinten Begijnhoeve. “I was really happy with Bollinger. Yesterday, I truly enjoyed our test. Today he was a bit tired, but still performed beautifully,” said Verboomen. “I hope to move him up to the Medium Tour soon. I’ll give him all the time he needs, I have a lot of trust in his future.”

Results

Photos: Digishots

After last week’s success in the Nations Cup, it’s time for another Belgian dressage celebration this week: the Belgian Championships. Nearly 700 horses and 400 riders will compete over five days. As proven last week, dressage in Belgium is thriving.

Today, the first finals were held: the Diamond Cup (ZZ-Zwaar), Brilliant Cup (Prix St. Georges), and Platinum Cup (Inter A/B). The future looks bright for Domien Michiels and Panthero van de Vogelzang. After two previous wins in the Platinum Cup this week, they added another victory today in the freestyle to music. The freestyle was awarded a score of 73.150%. Second place went to Justin Verboomen with Da Vinci (72.060%), followed by Tom Heylen and Quberon van het Beukenhof (71.960%).

On to the Grand Prix
“Simply fantastic,” was Domien Michiels’ first reaction. “It’s our first time at this level, and then to win three days in a row, that’s just an incredible feeling. He kept working so hard for me, he’s a fantastic horse with an amazing attitude.” Michiels has been working with the ten-year-old BWP-approved stallion Panthero van de Vogelzang (by Belantis) since he was three. “He was approved as a three-year-old, and he’s been with me ever since. I’m hoping for a great future together.” The pair has progressed through all levels, from young horses to the Small Tour, and now the Medium Tour. “And hopefully, the Grand Prix next.”

Goosebumps last week
“I took my time with Panthero, and now it’s starting to pay off. You can see his talent emerging, and he’s become stronger. Once Intermezzo retires, Panthero can take over,” Michiels laughs. Asked if he had a chance to enjoy last week’s success, he bursts out laughing. “Uh, no. I was home for one day and had a lot of washing and prep to do. But it was amazing, last week really gave me goosebumps.”

Four rides, four wins
Belgian dressage is in the spotlight after last week’s Nations Cup win on home soil. “I’ve had a fantastic two weeks, and Lier is becoming my second home,” the top Belgian rider says with a smile. “I absolutely love it, and then to win again today.” The success didn’t stop with the Platinum Cup. “I also rode Sunny Boy van de Kempenhoeve in the seven-year-olds today, and he won too. So I’ve had four rides and four wins. It couldn’t get any better, I’m done for the day, I’m calling it. It’s been amazing,” Domien adds with a laugh.

Sixteen students
He’s not entirely done though. Tomorrow, he’ll be coaching sixteen students. “I have a lot of pupils competing in the Belgian Championships, so I’ll definitely still be around.” Tomorrow’s program includes the finals for Ponies, Children, and Juniors. The Big Tour riders will also enter the arena for the first time, including Olympic horse Flambeau with Larissa Pauluis.

Results

Once again, the Belgian national anthem echoed through Lier today. Justin Verboomen and his horse Zonik Plus continue to put Belgian dressage on the map, and themselves in the spotlight. This successful duo consistently surpasses their own performances, and today was no exception. With an impressive score of 86.155%, they won the Grand Prix Freestyle presented by VGP Group, setting a new personal record in the process.

Larissa Pauluis completed the Belgian celebration by taking third place with Flambeau, earning 77.085%. German rider Svenja Kämper-Meyer managed to break up the Belgian dominance, finishing second aboard Amanyara M FRH with 77.300%. These past few days have been an outstanding showcase of Belgian dressage.

“Still feels unreal”
It was at the Belgian Championships in Lier, one year ago, that the meteoric rise of Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus began. Back then, they were crowned national champions in the Medium Tour. This weekend, Verboomen made his debut as part of the Belgian Nations Cup team. What does that mean to the modest Belgian rider? “It still feels unreal. I always believed in Zonik Plus, and if I ever dared to expect something this big from a horse, it was from him.” Following the Nations Cup, Verboomen couldn’t hold back his emotions. “The team competition was incredibly emotional for me. The whole team was so motivated, so many people were there supporting us, and then the sunshine on top of that. It was just really special.”

A happy horse
How does Justin Verboomen reflect on CDIO Lier? “This weekend was truly fantastic. I really enjoyed the Grand Prix. Today, I felt I needed to be even more focused to support Zonik as best I could. He’s still not completely used to these big competitions, and today he seemed a little more tired, but he stayed super focused and was so responsive. I’m incredibly proud of him.” And rightly so, the stallion once again delivered a test filled with harmony and ease. What’s their secret? “Zonik is just naturally such a happy horse. I just have to keep him fit, healthy, and happy,” Verboomen says with a smile.

A well-earned break
For now, the stallion will get a break from competition. “We’re not competing at all in June. If everything goes well, I hope to ride in Aachen. Until then, I’ll train him at home, and he’ll do some breeding.” Verboomen is clear about what matters most: “Keeping him healthy is the most important thing. And of course, I hope we can achieve many more sporting successes together.” The European Championships this summer seem well within reach. “I really love Zonik Plus, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

Off to the Belgian Championships with Djembe de Hus
Zonik Plus will enjoy a day off tomorrow, but not Justin Verboomen. “Next week is the Belgian Championships, and I’m competing with five horses, so not much rest for me,” he laughs. Which horses will he bring? “I think I’ve got a few very promising ones. I don’t have a lot of show experience with them yet, but the feeling is good.” One of those promising talents is Djembe de Hus (by Damon Hill). The Belgian Championships begin on Wednesday, with nearly 700 horses set to compete.

Dreams came true
Four incredible days of CDIO Lier have come to an end, and the organizers look back on this first edition with great pride. The Belgian team’s success certainly played a major role. This weekend, dreams came true, and new ones were born. With these Belgian combinations, the European Dressage Championships this summer hold a world of potential. Could they make history once again?

Results

Photo: Digishots

What a beautiful way to close the second day of CDIO Lier. The 3* Grand Prix Freestyle to Music was convincingly won by Charlotte Fry and Everdale. Scoring 79.325%, they left Marieke van der Putten and Wim Verwimp behind. For the latter, it was a particularly special third place, Wim Verwimp is one of the event’s organizers.

“This is just incredible! It’s always a joy to ride Everdale, and it was really special to be back in the ring with him,” said Charlotte Fry after the test. With a score just shy of 80%, she showed that the 16-year-old stallion is in peak form. “In yesterday’s Grand Prix he was fantastic and super relaxed. Today, in the freestyle, he got a little excited,” she laughed. “But I had a great time, and so did Everdale.” That was clear after the prize giving, as Everdale (by Lord Leatherdale) proudly posed like royalty with his fans.

Happy to be in Lier
Charlotte Fry has become a familiar face at CDI Lier, which is a regular stop on her competition calendar in March. “I’m really happy to be back here in Lier. We love coming to the indoor edition, and I’m glad the organizers are now hosting an outdoor edition as well.”

A surprise podium finish
Yesterday, Marieke van der Putten placed third in the Grand Prix with the Glamourdale son Kuvasz RS2 N.O.P. Today, she rode her very first international Grand Prix Freestyle with Kuvasz and delivered a top score of 74.080%, earning a well-deserved second place.
The third spot on the podium went to Belgium’s Wim Verwimp and Jedai de Massa, scoring 73.475%. Did the co-organizer of CDIO Lier expect to end up among the top three? “Absolutely not,” he said with a smile, a wonderful reward for the hard work behind organizing this event.

“Looking forward to tomorrow”
Tomorrow at 2.00PM, the very first FEI Nations Cup Dressage on Belgian soil will take place. Alongside Isabell Werth, Charlotte Fry will also compete. “I’m really looking forward to the Nations Cup tomorrow, I think we’ve got a strong team here,” said the fresh freestyle winner.

Tickets are available online and at the door.

Results

Photo: Digishots

Dutch dressage rider Marieke van der Putten made her international Grand Prix debut yesterday, not with one, but two horses, and she did so in style. Both horses impressed with scores above 71%. With Zantana RS2 OLD, she claimed an excellent second place, while Kuvasz RS2 N.O.P. followed closely in third. “Both horses really performed fantastically,” said a proud Van der Putten after her test.

Alongside Torveslettens Titanium RS2, Van der Putten now has two more Grand Prix horses under her saddle. “This isn’t just something ordinary,” she said, referring to the rare privilege of having three Grand Prix horses. “I know how special this really is. I’ve worked incredibly hard for it, years of time and effort, and then it’s just so rewarding to see it all come together.”

A good feeling going in
“I already had both horses going really well at home, so I travelled to Lier with a good feeling. Still, I didn’t know how they’d react in a fully dressed-up arena. Especially with Zantana, I found it a bit nerve-wracking, she used to be quite spooky.”

“Just wait, he’s the one”
Van der Putten has been riding the ten-year-old Glamourdale gelding Kuvasz RS2 N.O.P. since he was three years old. “I’ve ridden Kuvasz since he was just saddle-broken. From day one, I believed he’d make it to Grand Prix, although not everyone agreed with me,” she says with a laugh. Her belief has now been proven right. “As a young horse he was a bit weak behind. But I always said, ‘Just wait, he’s the one.’ And now it’s finally starting to show.”
Their bond has grown deep over the years. “We’re really a team. He’s a horse that always gives 200 percent. He’d never let me down, and that gives me so much confidence. I used to have to lunge him at home all the time,otherwise, I’d be on the ground within ten seconds. At competitions, I still need to lunge him quickly, let him get a few bucks out, and then he’s ready to go. It’s just part of who he is, and honestly, I find it kind of funny.”

A true mare
Van der Putten only started riding Zantana RS2 OLD later on, but they’ve also developed into a solid combination. “It took a while for us to become a real team. She needed to gain confidence in the ring, but it’s so special to feel that she now fully trusts me. She’s such a hardworking mare. Yesterday in the ring, she was incredibly focused.”

Excited for today
Today, Van der Putten will ride Kuvasz RS2 N.O.P. in the Freestyle to Music, and she’s chosen Zantana RS2 for the Grand Prix Special. “I’m really curious to see how it goes, neither horse has ever done this before. Zantana is really strong in piaffe and passage, and I felt that might still be a bit too much for Kuvasz at this stage,” she explained.

A promising future
These two new Grand Prix horses are a very welcome addition to the Dutch dressage scene. What are her plans for the summer season? “Both horses are still very green at this level, but I’m going to try to ride the observation trials for the European Championships. We’ll see how far we get, but I really believe both of them are top horses for the future.”

Enjoying the moment
Van der Putten is clearly aware of how rare her current position is. “I really do feel privileged to have three Grand Prix horses. That hardly ever happens, so I’m very grateful. But we also know things can change in an instant, so for now, I’m just enjoying every minute.” She’s also full of praise for the event in Lier: “It’s a fantastic show, beautifully organized, calm, friendly and just really well done.”

All results and starting lists

Photos: Digishots