Despite a weak beginning, the German team won gold on Thursday (August 28, 2025) at the Dressage European Championships.
The quartet around the record rider Isabell Werth with the mare Wendy won in the French Crozet in front of the team from Great Britain, which had triumphed in Riesenbeck two years ago. It is already the 26th EM gold for Germany.
Werth relieves: “End well, everything is good”
Werth was the last starter of the German team to the square. And the most successful rider in the world showed her class, so the tremor ended with the victory. The most successful rider in the world won her 13th team gold at a European championship. “All’s well that ends well”, said Werth after the new triumph. “It was clear beforehand that this would be scarce. We were excited until the end. The happier we are now.”
The fight for first place was exciting and extremely scarce. The British team has always been one of the sharpest competitors of EM record winners Germany since the Olympic Games in London. The British team won gold two years ago at the German EM home game in Riesenbeck in Westphalia.
The experienced Klimke fails
The German team had a weak start to the European Championship because Ingrid Klimke had some problems with Vayron. The two-time versatility Olympic champion received only 69.348 percent for her Grand Prix. “Now the others have to get the coals out of the fire”, Commented Klimke her ride. She added: “He has never gone so badly, I can really say that, and I have to say that too.”
In the end, the 57-year-old was the German string result, since only the best three results of each team come into the rating. She received a medal anyway. The British went even worse, Andrew Gould was disqualified with Indigro because the horse was not really fit.
Debutant Hemmer shines at premiere
Better than with the experienced Klimke, Katharina Hemmer. The European Championship debut was nervous, rode a strong round with Denoix at her first championship and received 75.699 percent. “I’m totally happy”she commented: “I am really happy that our championship premiere succeeded so well.”
It was not quite as happy after his ride Frederic Wandres. “The test was so medium”, the 38-year-old from Hagen near Osnabrück said after the ride with his Bluetooth. “There are things, I know that we can do better.” Wandres received 74.721 percent. He remained significantly below his own expectations.
Two more Medal decisions on the program
Team Olympic champion Wandres made it more exciting than hoped for. The decision was made at the end of the competition in the duel between Werth with her mare Wendy and the British Charlotte Fry with glamordale. Werth had to go to the square in front of the world champion and performed very well. “Great”commented national coach Monica Theodorescu the ride of Werth. The German star rider received 79.224 percent for her Grand Prix before Fry received 75.869 percent – thus deciding the duel for gold for Germany.
It continues on Friday. There are further medals in the Grand Prix Special and on Sunday in the freestyle. There will be a new gold winner in both competitions, because Jessica from Bredow-Werndl, who won the individual titles in 2021 and 2023, has sent her mare Dalera into sporting retirement and cannot defend the titles.