The Longines FEI Jumping European Championship 2025 was the championship of special partnerships, of the rising stars in the sport, of tight-knit families who have held on to horses, and of the ladies.
*(If you don't want this long monologue of reflections, which you should, scroll down for the images)*
Strong bonds and trust prevailed with Richard Vogel and United Touch S (Untouched x Lux Z, bred and owned by Julius-Peter Sinnack) taking the individual title after also having claimed team bronze, Scott Brash and Hello Folie (Luidam x Diamant de Semilly, bred by Claire Gouin, owned by Lady Pauline Harris and Lady Pauline Kirkham) securing double silver, followed by Gilles Thomas and Ermitage Kalone (Catoki x Kannan, bred by Magali Dessalles and owned by Joris Van Dijck) who completed the podium with their bronze after having won the gold with the Belgian squad. These three horse-and-rider combinations stayed clear from beginning to end, finishing on a penalty score of 0.01, 1.08 and 1.37 respectively.
Then there was the abundance of sheer talent among the younger riders; Gilles Thomas – 27, which is relatively young in a sport where top riders keep going to 60 and beyond – obviously being one of them, having also produced Ermitage Kalone from the stallion was a 6-year-old all the way to the top. The next who comes to mind is Thomas’ compatriot Thibeau Spits (pictured above with his dad Patrik Spits), who at 24 impressed everyone with his immaculate style and precise riding – finishing 9th on the individual standings after having helped Belgium to team gold, only picking up a time penalty throughout the five rounds of competition. Spits is another rider who has produced his championship horse himself, having competed Impress-K van’t Kattenheye (Indoktro K van't Kattenheye x Vagabond de La Pomme) from the stallion's first FEI shows as a 6-year-old. Seamus Hughes Kennedy turns 23 in August, and has already turned heads on several occasions this season with his clear rounds for Team Ireland. He did not disappoint his chef d’equipe Michael Blake in his championship debut, picking up only a time penalty over the five rounds of competition – just like Spits. Hughes Kennedy has produced his horse ESI Rocky (Stakkato Gold x For Pleasure) from the gelding was five, all the way up to the top. France's Atoine Ermann is also only 23, and made it to the individual final after jumping clear rounds on Thursday and Friday – and then clear again in the first round of Sunday’s individual final to finish 16th overall as best of the French. Just like Thomas, Spits and Hughes Kennedy, Ermann has himself produced his 10-year-old gelding Floyd des Pres (Vigo Cece x Papillon Rouge) from the youngster classes all the way up to championship level.
These young riders also have another thing in common; all their horses are owned or co-owned by family. Ermitage Kalone is owned by Joris Van Dijck, the nephew of Thomas' uncle Marc Van Dijck of Stal Nieuwenhof. Impress-K van’t Kattenheye is owned by the Spits-family, ESI Rocky by Seamus' mum Clare Huges (and is by the way also bred by his uncle Andrew Hughes) while Floyd des Pres is co-owned by Antoine's father Jean-Yves Ermann.
As to the female riders, they came strong for the final to showcase some real girlpower. Sweden's Wilma Hellström jumped clear in the first round – speaking of special partnerships – with Cicci BJN (ci Ci Senjor Ask x Tornesch), finishing 19th. Switzerland's Janika Sprunger and Nadja Peter Steiner both sat within the top ten coming into the individual final, eventually finishing 15th and 25th respectively. Great Britain's Jessica Mendoza impressed again and again, being clear all the way up to the last round of the individual final where she had one rail down with In The Air (Air Jordan x Indoctro) to end 11th. Dutch rider Kim Emmen was clear all the way to the end with Imagine N.O.P. (Cassini Gold x Lord Z) to finish 8th on the standings, but best of all the girls was Germany's Sophie Hinners on Iron Dames My Prins (Zilverstar T x Winningmood) in 6th place – a significant achievement for the German rider who is part of Deborah Mayer’s ground-breaking Iron Dames team, which is turning into a huge success.
It was also a championship with extremely small margins between the riders, with a fault in either of the last two rounds having a big impact on the overall standings. Title-defender Steve Guerdat of Switzerland was sitting third overnight coming into the individual final, but dropped like a stone on the standings after a rail on the last fence in round one to end 12th. The same was the case for Belgium's Nicola Philippaerts who came in fifth overnight, to eventually finish 13th. The extreme quality of the horses and riders made it a difficult task to build, but once again Santiago Varela’s courses provided exciting sport to the very end without compromising the safety and welfare of the horses – which should always be the number one priority.
And with these reflections we take one last look back at the Longines FEI Jumping European Championship 2025 in A Coruña, Spain. We have also dedicated photo specials to each of the individual medallists; Richard Vogel and United Touch S, Scott Brash and Hello Folie, as well as Gilles Thomas and Ermitage Kalone.
All photos © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping. No screenshots or reproduction of any of the content in this article will be accepted without a written permission, all rights reserved © World of Showjumping.
"We like to see horses jumping well, and that is the target that we have. My only concern is to make sure the horses have a good experience," course designer Santiago Varela said on the Tuesday ahead of the championship. Our verdict: Mission completed. We don't like courses where the horses are put in the red.
Steve Guerdat came in as the title defender from Milano 2023, and ended up with a respectable 12th place with Albführen's Iashin Sitte who made his championship debut in A Coruña.
-
Image Description
-
Image Description
-
Image Description
-
Image Description
-
Image Description
-
Image Description
-
Image Description
-
Image Description
Jessica Mendoza with British chef d'equipe Di Lampard, who has had huge success with the team since she took over after Rob Hoekstra in 2015.
Marcus Ehning getting ready for the last day in A Coruña, where 25 horse-and-rider combinations had qualified for the individual final.
German chef d'equipe Otto Becker and Sophie Hinners.
German colours everywhere.
A focused Thibeau Spits ahead of the final.
Jessica Mendoza in deep thought.
Nadja Peter Steiner getting ready to warm up Mila.
The first to post a clear in round one of the individual final were Wilma Hellström and Cicci BJN. That was good enough to put them 19th on the overall standings.
-
Image Description
-
Image Description
Antoine Ermann is only 23 and really impressed with his 10-year-old gelding Floyd des Pres in their championship debut. Best of the French, they ended 16th. Below Antoine is seen with his mum Elisabeth and his dad Jean-Yves, the latter the co-owner of Floyd des Pres.
-
Image Description
-
Image Description
Piergiorgio Bucci and Hantano had a fabulous championship, and finished best for Italy in 14th after a clear in round one of the individual final.
It was perhaps not the result he was wishing for. 2024 Olympic champion Christian Kukuk ended 17th overall with the wonderful Just Be Gentle. The two picked up one time penalty in the first round of the individual final.
What a championship these two had! Great Britain's Donald Whitaker and Millfield Colette jumped clear in round one of the individual final, to move on to round two.
Who was happier? Donald Whitaker or Matt Sampson?
Smiles all around after another clear round from the lovely Millfield Colette.
24-year-old Thibeau Spits celebrates another clear aboard Impress-K van’t Kattenheye, to move on to round two of the individual final.
Thibeau, his dad Patrik and Impress-K van’t Kattenheye.
These two ladies impressed again and again last week: Jess Mendoza and In The Air, who definitely lived up to her name, flew around to another clear – their fourth of the championship – in round one of the individual final, to qualify for round two.
-
Image Description
-
Image Description
As did Kim Emmen and Imagine N.O.P., best of the Dutch.
-
Image Description
-
Image Description
When Darragh Kenny and Eddy Blue added nothing to their score of 3.91 in round one, it started to get extremely exciting. Eventually, seven of those in front would make faults which progressed them to round two, together with Emmen, Mendoza, Spits and Whitaker.
Ireland's chef d'equipe Michael Blake double checking with the score board.
-
Image Description
-
Image Description
Unfortunately, it did not last to the end for this wonderful couple. Clipping two rails in round one of the individual final, Italy's Riccardo Pisani and Chatolinue PS ended 23rd overall after coming in 14th on the overnight standings.
David Will follows Sophie Hinners and his former partner My Prins to the ring. Will runs his business with Hinners' boyfriend Richard Vogel, and rode My Prins up until he was acquired by Iron Dames for Hinners to ride.
Another clear round from Sophie Hinners and Iron Dames My Prins, who only had a mistake on the wall in the first round of the competition at Casas Novas Equestrian Center, kept them on their score of 3.21 and with all four feet in the last round.
Clear all the way up to the individual final, Janika Sprunger and Orelie had to add 19 penalties to their score which dropped them from 9th to 25th.
Ben Maher and Dallas Vegas Batilly jumped a clear round, moving on to round two of the individual final on a score of 2.35 penalty points.
Seamus Hughes Kennedy is only 22 (soon 23), but rides with the experience and wisdom of someone much older. With ESI Rocky, Hughes Kennedy impressed all the way and only picked up a single time penalty in round one of the individual final. Moving on to round two, the pair was sitting in a score of 3.16 penalty points.
Meanwhile, Donald Whitaker was busy cuddling with Millfield Colette.
While Darragh Kenny took the time to thank Eddy Blue.
They were clear until the first round of the individual final, coming in 6th on 2.11 penalty points but a rail on 11a added four faults to their score and left them out of round two. Eventually, Nadja Peter Steiner and Mila finished 15th overall – an exceptional result considering their relatively short partnership.
-
Image Description
-
Image Description
The Kiss & Cry is a highly emotional space, and not for the faint-hearted.
-
Image Description
-
Image Description
-
Image Description
-
Image Description
The look of love for Mila.
Nicola Philippaerts looking a tad bit defeated after clipping a rail towards the end of the course with Katanga vh Dingeshof. That dropped them from 5th to 13th on the overall standings.
Meanwhile, Gilles Thomas and Ermitage Kalone added nothing to their score of 1.37.
When the plank on the last upright falls.... it gets expensive. Steve Guerdat dropped from 3rd to 12th in a split second, and was hence the first man in for round two of the individual final.
Not much to say...
Then, it was Hello Folie who does what Folie does best. Jumping clear rounds. 1.08 was the score of the wonderful chestnut mare and Scott Brash moving on in silver position to round two.
0.01. Richard Vogel and United Touch S in gold position ahead of the last round at Casas Novas Equestrian Center.
Second in the ring for the very last round of the 2025 Europeans, Donald Whitaker and Millfield Colette jumped their fourth clear of the championship to end 10th overall after having been part of the British silver winning team earlier in the week.
-
Image Description
-
Image Description
These two got us speechless. Thibeau Spits and Impress K van't Kattenheye Z only recorded a time penalty over the five rounds of the championship to finish 9th overall, after winning team gold earlier in the week. The future looks bright for Belgium!
-
Image Description
-
Image Description
In The Air! A rail down in round two, their first mistake of the championship, put this wonderful mare and Jessica Mendoza 11th on the individual standings.
Celebrations in Kim Emmen's team after five clear rounds, which placed her and Imagine N.O.P. 8th on 4.13 penalty points.
Processing. Clear in round two. How far would that bring them? On a score of 3.91, Darragh Kenny and Eddy Blue finished 7th overall.
Best of all the girls was Sophie Hinners on Iron Dames My Prins in 6th place – a significant achievement for the German rider who is part of Deborah Mayer’s ground-breaking Iron Dames team, which is turning into a huge success.
Another round of applause for this young man:
Seamus Hughes Kennedy and ESI Rocky: Clear in round two, 5th overall on 3.16 penalty points and best of the Irish.
A nervous watch as Ben Maher and Dallas Vegas Batilly go clear again.
No big celebrations as Maher leaves the ring on a total score of 2.35, knowing what's coming behind him. The British rider ended 4th overall.
-
Image Description
-
Image Description
Above: Clear all the way! Strong bonds and trust prevailed as Richard Vogel and United Touch S took the individual title after also having claimed team bronze, while Scott Brash and Hello Folie secured double silver, followed by Gilles Thomas and Ermitage Kalone who completed the podium with their bronze after having won the gold with the Belgian squad. These three horse-and-rider combinations stayed clear from beginning to end, finishing on a penalty score of 0.01, 1.08 and 1.37 respectively.
That's a wrap from the 2025 Europeans!
Then