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The Longines FEI Jumping European Championship 2025 at the magnificent Casas Novas Equestrian Center will be remembered as a watershed moment—not just for crowning new champions, but for announcing the arrival of show jumping's next generation. Over five days of breathtaking competition from July 16-20, the sport witnessed performances that will echo through the decades.

The championship's qualifying rounds delivered some of the week's most stunning storylines, with several world-class combinations falling victim to championship pressure before the medals were even contested. The path to Sunday's individual final proved brutal for many established stars.

Most shocking was the failure of World No. 7 Martin Fuchs to advance beyond the qualifying phases, finishing a disastrous 76th with Conner Jei. Similarly devastating was World No. 14 Maikel van der Vleuten's 78th place finish with Beauville Z N.O.P., marking one of the biggest upsets in recent championship history. Other notable casualties included World No. 18 Julien Epaillard (26th with Donatello d'Auge), World No. 22 Max Kühner (48th with EIC Cooley Jump the Q), and World No. 13 Abdel Saïd (27th with Bonne Amie).

The week began on a high note for Ireland when Daniel Coyle and Legacy claimed victory in the opening speed competition. However, in a major disappointment that would impact Ireland's medal hopes, Coyle made the difficult decision to withdraw Legacy ahead of the team final.

Coyle explained in a Horse Sport Ireland press release, prioritizing the mare's long-term welfare over championship ambitions.

The qualification process revealed the extraordinary depth of European talent, with relatively unknown combinations delivering breakthrough performances to earn coveted spots in the final. Only the top 25 combinations advanced to Sunday's medal rounds, creating a field where championship pressure and Santiago Varela's demanding courses had already claimed some of the sport's biggest names.

What Richard Vogel and United Touch S accomplished in A Coruña defies belief. Five rounds of championship jumping. Not a single rail touched. A final score of 0.01 penalties—essentially perfection with only a fractional time penalty from the opening speed round preventing absolute zero.

an emotional Vogel said after clinching Germany's 16th individual European title.

The 28-year-old's dominance was built on unwavering consistency over grueling championship conditions. Santiago Varela's courses, while not the most punishing in recent championship history, created their own unique challenges. The Spanish course designer's philosophy—"Every question that you ask for the horses has to have at least one right, natural answer"—produced tracks that rewarded precision and partnership over raw power.

The venue's undulating terrain added a subtle but constant challenge that separated the truly masterful riders. As Varela noted, riders had to constantly manage their horse's balance on "uphill and downhill" approaches, influencing rhythm and control throughout every course.

The Final Drama

Sunday's individual final began with unprecedented depth—13 combinations within a single rail of the lead, compared to just five in 2023. The first round saw Varela present a massive 1.63m track that yielded a remarkable 18 clear rounds from 25 starters, showcasing the extraordinary caliber of the field.

The pressure claimed some notable casualties. Defending champion Steve Guerdat saw his back-to-back dreams end when Albführen's Iashin Sitte touched the final plank, dropping him to 12th. Belgium's Nicola Philippaerts also fell out of medal contention with a rail in the triple combination.

But the top three combinations—Vogel, Scott Brash, and Gilles Thomas—all delivered flawless rounds, setting up a thrilling finale for the top 12.

The second round was pure theater. An astounding 10 of 12 pairs jumped clear over the shortened course, with Vogel going last knowing only a clear round would secure gold. The enormous stallion United Touch S rattled the final element of the triple combination and tapped the last fence, causing collective gasps from the crowd, but every pole stayed in its cups.

Individual Championship Podium:

Brash's silver medal aboard the "feisty" 10-year-old mare Hello Folie was a masterclass in harnessing raw talent. The partnership epitomized controlled chaos, with Brash's quiet genius channeling the mare's explosive energy into five consecutive clear rounds at her first championship. The most extraordinary moment came in an earlier round when Brash lost his reins completely coming into the triple combination yet still managed to guide Hello Folie to a clear round through balance and leg aids alone—a display of horsemanship that left spectators speechless and proved the depth of their partnership.

Brash reflected.

The path to Friday's team final had been paved with qualifying drama that set the stage for the ultimate showdown. Great Britain entered the final as overnight leaders, their position built on consistent performances from a balanced squad. Germany sat tantalizingly close in second, their championship pedigree evident but their margin for error minimal. Belgium, in third place, carried the confidence of a team that had steadily improved throughout the week, with their young riders showing no signs of intimidation on the sport's biggest stage.

The early qualifying rounds had established these three nations as the clear medal contenders, while traditional powerhouses like France and the Netherlands found themselves fighting for lesser positions. Ireland's campaign had been disrupted by Daniel Coyle's horse withdrawal, eliminating one of their strongest medal hopes and shifting the competitive dynamics significantly.

Friday's team competition delivered classic Nations Cup drama as Belgium executed a perfect comeback strategy to claim their second European team title in history. What started as a three-way battle between Great Britain (3.96 penalties), Germany (4.19), and Belgium (4.61) became a lesson in consistency under pressure.

The turning point came in the final round's early stages. Great Britain's pathfinder Ben Maher delivered a crucial clear with Dallas Vegas Batilly, but second rider Matt Sampson suffered a costly refusal at the triple combination plus time faults for 14 penalties total. While this score could be dropped, it eliminated Britain's safety margin entirely.

Germany also faltered when Christian Kukuk incurred 4 faults with Just Be Gentle, meaning their second counting score had to include those penalties alongside Marcus Ehning's earlier 4-fault round.

Belgium, meanwhile, demonstrated ice-cold composure. After Nicola Philippaerts set the tone with a clear round and Pieter Devos posted a manageable 4-fault score, 24-year-old Thibeau Spits delivered brilliance with just a single time penalty. The stage was set for 27-year-old Gilles Thomas and the spectacular Ermitage Kalone.

Thomas entered the arena knowing exactly what was needed, and his response was emphatic—a soaring clear round that sealed Belgium's gold medal, with Thomas raising his hand in triumphant celebration as he sailed over the final fence.

Thomas said after securing his second medal of the championship.

Team Championship Podium:

Belgian Chef d'Equipe Peter Weinberg captured the significance:

The most profound storyline emerging from A Coruña was the undeniable rise of show jumping's next generation. The statistic that defined the week: 60% of the top ten individual finishers were aged 30 or younger—a seismic shift in a sport traditionally dominated by veterans.

This wasn't just a few talented youngsters making their mark; it was a dominant performance by an entire generation. The individual podium featured 28-year-old Vogel and 27-year-old Thomas. The top ten included 22-year-old Seamus Hughes Kennedy (5th), 27-year-old Sophie Hinners (6th), 30-year-old Kim Emmen (8th), and 24-year-old Thibeau Spits (9th).

Expert commentator Jessica Kürten observed during the broadcast:

What makes this youth movement even more significant is that many achieved success on horses they'd produced themselves from young ages. Ireland's Seamus Hughes Kennedy brought ESI Rocky from the young horse classes to a 5th place European Championship finish, while Belgium's Thibeau Spits did the same with Impress-K van't Kattenheye Z.

The atmosphere around the Casas Novas grounds reflected this changing dynamic. Veterans spoke with admiration about the fearlessness of the younger generation, while the emerging stars carried themselves with a confidence that suggested this was just the beginning of their championship campaigns.

🏆 CSIO3 Caledon: Marilyn Little's Dream Week Double*

Team USA delivered a commanding performance in Ontario, with Marilyn Little stealing the show in her first Caledon appearance in a decade. The American veteran captured both individual and team gold, piloting La Contessa to victory in the $90,000 Grand Prix of Caledon after helping secure the Nations Cup just two days earlier.

"It's been a dream week from start to finish," Little beamed after her Grand Prix victory. The course proved challenging, with only five of 17 starters managing clear first rounds. Little and her 10-year-old Mecklenburg mare were the fastest of the four-faulters in the jump-off, stopping the clock at 47.05 seconds for the win.

Caledon Grand Prix Podium:

Team USA's Nations Cup victory was even more impressive, finishing on just one time fault total with Chef d'Équipe Robert Ridland's all-female squad delivering precision under pressure. The strategic use of official teams at 3* level continues to validate US Equestrian's development pathway.

🏆 CSI3 Traverse City: Youth Meets Experience*

Week three of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival showcased both breakthrough talent and sustained excellence. Keri Potter extended her remarkable run, winning the $117,000 Grand Prix for the second consecutive week aboard Kalimera Van De Nethe Z, the lightning-fast mare owned by Karl Cook.

Potter's 34.05-second winning time in a 12-horse jump-off was nearly three seconds faster than runner-up Erynn Ballard, who earned the Leading Lady Rider Award with her third podium of the week.

Traverse City Grand Prix Podium:

The week's breakthrough moment belonged to 21-year-old Emily Dehoff, who claimed her first 3* victory in Thursday's Welcome Stake. Aboard her trusted partner Manou de Muze, Dehoff edged Ballard by just six-hundredths in the jump-off—a career-defining moment for the young American.

🏆 CSI3 Saugerties: Bluman's Tactical Masterclass*

At HITS Hudson Valley, experience trumped speed as Daniel Bluman and Gemma W delivered a jump-off masterclass. Going first in the 13-horse jump-off, the Israeli Olympic veteran executed a calculated plan that proved unbeatable.

"I wanted to produce a time that would take some work to catch," Bluman explained after his 43.13-second winning round forced the chasing pack into costly mistakes.

Saugerties Grand Prix Podium:

🏆 CSI3 Tryon: VanderVeen's Venue Mastery*

Kristen VanderVeen and Bull Run's Jireh continued their incredible dominance at Tryon International, claiming their second consecutive "Saturday Night Lights" victory. The pair remain undefeated at the venue since arriving fresh from the World Cup Finals, showcasing a perfect example of horse-and-venue synergy.

Tryon Grand Prix Podium:

🏆 European 3 Action*

Mark Edwards delivered a popular home victory at CSI3* Chard, winning the jump-off as the first to go in 42.46 seconds. French veteran Jean Luc Mourier dominated the Alpine setting at CSI3* Megeve, leading a French sweep of the top five positions.

In one of the most significant regulatory moves in recent memory, US Equestrian has introduced hair testing as part of its anti-doping arsenal, effective July 1st. The new protocol represents a direct response to deeply troubling reports of prohibited substances—specifically pentobarbital, a euthanasia drug—being used as illicit calming agents in competition horses.

The rule change to GR402.1 allows officials to collect hair samples alongside traditional blood and urine testing. Hair testing provides a crucial advantage, detecting substance presence for considerably longer periods and creating a comprehensive timeline of a horse's exposure to prohibited drugs.

This decisive action accompanies a Presidential Modification addressing unexplained horse collapses. Any horse that collapses for unknown reasons must now undergo thorough veterinary examination and clearance before returning to competition—a direct response to concerns that such incidents could be linked to dangerous, unapproved substances.

The potential for stories involving euthanasia drugs to reach mainstream media poses an existential threat to equestrian sports' social license to operate. USEF's proactive approach with advanced testing technology sends an unequivocal message that the federation is taking these "dark art" practices with utmost seriousness.

This represents a fundamental shift from reactive anti-doping to proactive integrity protection, designed to preserve the sport's viability for future generations. The move aligns with USEF's strategic goals of addressing social license concerns and enhancing horse welfare standards across all disciplines.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSIO5 Hickstead - The Agria Royal International Horse Show (Great Britain, July 23-27)* The iconic All England Jumping Course hosts one of the summer's crown jewels, featuring the Agria Nations Cup of Great Britain on Friday. Eight powerhouse teams confirmed: Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden, and UAE. The individual field includes German legend Marcus Ehning, Irish stalwart Cian O'Connor, Olympic champion Ben Maher, and the legendary Whitaker family dynasty.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSI5 Jumping International de Dinard - Rolex Series (France, July 23-27)* The stunning coastal venue with its unique grass arena and challenging Saur Derby culminates in Sunday's Rolex Grand Prix. European Champion Richard Vogel and Vice-Champion Scott Brash headline a spectacular field including Henrik von Eckermann, Steve Guerdat, Martin Fuchs, Kevin Staut, and Julien Epaillard.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSIO3 Traverse City (USA, July 23-27)*

⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSI3 Saugerties HITS Week 5 (USA, July 22-27)*

⭐️⭐️ CSI4/CSI2 Valkenswaard (Netherlands, July 21-27)**

⭐️⭐️ CSI2-W Samorin World Cup Qualifier (Slovakia, July 21-27)*

⭐️⭐️ CSI2 Green Glens Arena Millstreet (Ireland, July 21-27)*

⭐️⭐️ CSI2 WEC Ocala (USA, July 21-27)*

⭐️⭐️ CSI2 Zuidwolde (Netherlands, July 21-27)*

⭐️⭐️ CSI2 Matosinhos (Portugal, July 21-27)*

⭐️⭐️ CSI2 Azelhof (Belgium, July 21-27)*

⭐️⭐️ CSI2 Olsza (Poland, July 21-27)*

The European Championships delivered everything a major championship should—historic individual dominance, dramatic team competition, and profound storylines that will influence the sport for years to come. Vogel's untouchable perfection (never before has a European Champion finished on 0.01 penalties), Belgium's masterful comeback, and the definitive emergence of a new generation created compelling drama worthy of the continental crown. While Varela's courses weren't the most punishing in recent championship history, they created the perfect test for this caliber of field, allowing the extraordinary talent on display to shine through. The "youthquake" narrative alone—with 60% of the top ten under 30—represents a seismic shift that will define the sport's future, while moments like Brash's rein-losing heroics provided the kind of horsemanship magic that transcends mere results.

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