2005 FEI European Pony Championship

Young riders of 18 countries gathered at Pratoni Del Vivaro, 60 km from the Italian capital, for the 2005 FEI European Pony Championships.

The following countries were represented: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Individual and team competitions in the three FEI Olympic disciplines of Jumping Dressage and Eventing were organised.

Dressage
With a total of 221,684, Germany (Anna von Negri – Deinhard B; Sanneke Rothenberger – Konrad 15; Kaja Schaefer – Golden Derano C; Louisa Luttgen – Dornik B) were the undisputed winner of team Dressage. They are followed by The Netherlands (216.421%) and Great Britain (205.000%). Individually, the magnificent performance of Anna von Negri earned her 76.105%, a good 3% ahead of runner up and fellow German Sanneke Rothenberger (73.053%). Astrid Langeberg on Hertenhof’s Sunlight is in bronze with 72.053%. Interestingly, while daughter Sanneke was taking home the team gold and individual silver, father Sven, competing for The Netherlands, was rewarded by team silver at the European Championship for Seniors held concurrently in Hagen (GER).

Eventing
The British team (Emily Llewellyn – Bally Duff Rusty; Davis Tor – Miami Gold; Emma Hancox – Irish Beauty; Laura Collett – Noble Springbok) are the new European Pony Champions with a result of 167.60 penalty points. Germany get the silver (186.50) and Ireland – the bronze (205.40). The individual title goes to Germany’s Melina Lamp on Desperado 142 with a remarkable final result of 41.20. She had been 2nd after Dressage and a clear Cross Country followed by a clear Jumping round helped her progress to gold. Hannes Melin (SWE) on Mustang is 2nd only 1.20 penalties behind Lamp. He was in the lead after a strong Dressage start (40,00 penalties – 73.33%), but 2.40 time penalties added up to that score. He went clear in Jumping and finishes on a tota”\Ãw€ë l of 42.40. The bronze goes to Britain’s Laura Collett.

Jumping
The Netherlands (Stephanie Brugman – Balou; Maikel van Mierlo - Quickstar; Doron Kuipers – Nadir Westland; Dominique Roeofsen – Mirror) are the Jumping team champions with only 8 (4/4) penalties. Great Britain takes the silver on 12 penalties (8/4) and Ireland is once again in bronze (12/12). The individual podium was conquered after a thrilling battle. Both Louise Saywell (GBR) on C J’s Kemosabi and Doron Kuipers had clear scores and had to go for a jump off for the first place. C J’s Kemosabi remained remarkably steady making to mistakes whereas Kuipers’ Nadir Westland had two rails down. As a result, Louise Saywell takes home the gold and Doron Kuipers finishes in silver. The fight between Stephanie Brugman and Dominique Roeofsen (NED) and William Whitaker on Colton Maelstrom was no less exciting. Having tied for the 3rd place with 4 penalties, they too went for a jump off. All three were clear and only a minimal time difference decided in favour of Stephanie Brugman (38,27 sec), who wins the bronze. Roeofsen is therefore 4th (38.68 sec) and Whitaker 5th (40.85 sec).

Numerous activities took place alongside the competitions. The excellent organisation provided by the Italian Equestrian Federation was much appreciated by all.