Press release from FEI, edited by World of Showjumping

The FEI Jumping European Championship for Young Riders, Juniors and Children 2026 reached a thrilling conclusion on Sunday afternoon in Hagen, Germany, as the Individual finals for the Young Riders and Juniors brought the curtain down on a sensational week of sport.

The top 10 nations returned for the Young Riders Team Final, where the Netherlands built on the advantage they established on the opening day to secure the title.

Under Chef d’Equipe Vincent Voorn, the Dutch team of Thijmen Vos  on Cadillac Z (Carrera VDL x Quasimodo vd Molendreef), Logan Fiechter on Lieverella (Kannan x Kenwood), Liesje Vrolijk with Detective Vive Z (Dominator 2000 Z x Numero Uno) and Finn Boerekamp aboard Danny Boy 111 Z (Dominator 2000 Z x Chopin vh Moleneind) produced three clear rounds to complete the opening round of the Team Final on just 1.80 penalties and retain their lead.

With clears from Tom Wachman on Do It Easy (Vigo Cece x Laeken) and Tabitha Kyle aboard Desterly (Tolan R x Murano), Ireland kept the pressure on, but when Coen Williams on Dominante Z (Dominator 2000 Z x Darco) and Ben Walsh with Zenith vd Donkhoeve (VDL Zirocco Blue x Vivaldi du Seigneur) both faulted, Ireland had to carry forward four penalties, taking their score to 7.11, giving the Netherlands breathing space with more than a fence in hand heading into the final round.

Great Britain held onto third while Belgium produced three clear rounds courtesy of Lauranne Spits on Parel van het Russeltveld (Lavallino ter Klomp x Sandro Boy) , Paris Vandousselaere on Chacco’s Girl (Chacco-Blue x Cento) and Louise Ameeuw with Kaliber (Verdi TN x Baloubet du Rouet) to close the gap and sit less than two penalties behind going into the final round.

Vos was first out for the Dutch with another flawless performance to maintain their advantage. Wachman again delivered a clear for Ireland, while the second riders from both nations each collected four faults. When Ireland’s third rider accrued nine penalties, their four-fault score had to count with one rotation remaining. With the hopes of a nation on her shoulders, Liesje Vrolijk delivered another immaculate clear to seal gold for the Netherlands on an unbeatable score of 5.80 penalties with one rider per team still to jump.

Another clear from Tabitha Kyle secured silver for Ireland on 11.11 penalties, while a crucial second-round clear from Belgium’s final rider, Bart Jay Junior Vandecasteele aboard Lotti Blue Z (Le Blue Diamond van't Ruytershof x Wandor van de Mispelaere), clinched bronze and edged Great Britain out of the medal positions.

Meanwhile, Greta Lepratti produced a sensational performance to become the first Italian athlete to claim the FEI Jumping European Young Rider Individual title.

She remained faultless throughout all five rounds aboard the impressive 14-year-old stallion Mercy van’t Ruytershof (Arko III x Bamako de Muze), climbing from fourth after the opening Individual Qualifier to lead going into the final round.

Noora von Bülow (GBR), the youngest athlete in the Young Riders competition at just 17 years of age – and therefore still eligible for the Junior category – produced a double clear aboard the 13-year-old mare Primavera (Mylord Carthago x Cornet Obolensky) to guarantee herself a medal and pile the pressure on Lepratti and Ireland’s Tom Wachman. The experienced Irishman, aboard the aptly named Do It Easy, again delivered a flawless round to finish on 1.62 penalties and add Individual silver to Ireland’s Team medal of the same colour.

There was never any hint of uncertainty as Lepratti crossed the finish line clear once again, finishing on just 0.58 penalties to rapturous applause from an ecstatic Italian contingent.

Speaking afterwards, Lepratti reflected on the challenge of maintaining her focus throughout a six-day championship. “It was hard to maintain the concentration throughout the week. We started the Championship on Tuesday and finished on Sunday, so it’s a really long week and hard for our minds to keep the concentration high,” she explained.

“But I really trusted my horse – and also myself – after everything we did this year. I really believed in us, so I’m really happy with this result. We really are like a team. He was the best mate to start this career and this sport with. I will celebrate with my family, friends, coach and everyone who supported us through all this journey!”

The Junior Team competition provided one of the closest contests of the week, but it was the host nation Germany who protected their slender day one advantage to claim victory by just 2.29 penalties.

Germany’s trailblazer Lennard Tillmann on Veltiner 3 (Van Helsing x Acorado) remained faultless throughout the three rounds to set his team on course for victory. First-round clears from Tony Stormanns with RMF Cinnamo (Magic Park x Avon), Malte Merschformann on Blue Water (Balou du Rouet x Lordanos) and Brianne Beerbaum aboard Kiss Me (Cornet Obolensky x Spartacus) kept Germany in pole position. When Stormanns and Merschformann each picked up four faults in the final round, the pressure intensified as Great Britain surged from ninth after the opening Qualifier to challenge for the medals.

With Germany on 13.30 penalties, Brianne Beerbaum executed her role as team anchor to perfection and delivered a vital clear as the final rider to secure the Team title. Great Britain claimed silver after a remarkable recovery, while Switzerland completed the podium in bronze.

Jack Kent’s (IRL) remarkable consistency aboard the 12-year-old gelding Ollie van de Klotputten (Jackson de Regor x Chatman) earned him the Junior Individual title. After beginning the week in 14th place, successive clear rounds elevated him to fifth before Sunday's final. When none of the four athletes ahead of him could maintain a perfect jumping record, Kent moved into the lead.

Only eight of the 28 starters jumped clear in the opening round of the final, but 18 produced faultless performances in the medal-deciding round, leaving less than a fence separating the top eight. A single time penalty in the penultimate round proved costly for Liselot Kooremans (NED) on Lola-Jay ES (Golden Dream x Jumbo-Jet), leaving her behind Albert Pisarik (CZE) and Baltic Love (Balou du Rouet x Lancer II), who climbed to second through a series of consistent clear rounds.

Kent, Pisarik and Kooremans all held their nerve to retain their positions and claim the gold, silver and bronze medals respectively. Fittingly, they were the only three athletes not to incur a jumping fault throughout the five demanding rounds.

Reflecting on his victory, Kent said: “From start to finish it’s been kind of unbelievable really. The teams didn’t finish the way we wanted it to, but I kept going on the Individual score and sure, I’m lucky that the horse jumped brilliantly all week and kept getting better and better – I’m delighted, absolutely over the moon!”

Pedro Mansur (NED) led from the outset to become the FEI Jumping European Children's Individual champion, finishing on a perfect score of zero penalties aboard Hotmail des Forêts (Chacco Rouge x Untouchable M). Great Britain's Tabby Morgan-Evans rose nine places with Catoki (Kannan x Experio) to claim Individual silver, adding nothing to her day-one score of 2.26 penalties, while Germany's Mila Osing and Capitaine (Colincor x Power) took bronze on 3.10 penalties.

Great Britain ruled supreme in the Children's Team competition as Charlie Barker on Special Summer (I'M Special de Muze x Seidon), Alexander Leggott on Blossom's Billy Heinz (Billy Mexico x Vechta), Mia Breen on Crack 41 (Christian x Conway) and Tabby Morgan-Evans aboard Catoki (Kannan x Experio) added no penalties across the two team-final rounds to finish on their day-one score of 5.61 penalties and secure gold ahead of the Netherlands on 7.10 penalties. Germany completed the podium in bronze on 10.47 penalties.