2026 Holsteiner State Championships: United Way and Twilight Produce Winners, Top Lines in Pedigrees
2026 Holsteiner State Championships: Un Coeur and Twingo Take the Top Spots
from Jan Tönjes 
Twingo by Twilight and Janine Rijkens – Holstein State Champion of the Seven-Year-Olds. Photo: Janne Bugtrup Un Coeur wins the State Championship for Young Show Jumpers. The gelding by United Way-Cristo, bred by Karola Boley, delivered a clear round under Kimberly Marie Klügel and impressed the judges with a score of 9.0. “A horse with a very good attitude, who moves very lightly over the jump, responds well to his rider, and always focuses on the top rail,” said judge Peter Schmeling. Un Coeur descends from the Holstein mare line 6879—the branch from which the stallion of the century, Corrado, also emerged. He is a full brother to the new State Champion’s granddam. And there’s more: this mare, Fayence by Cor de la Bryère, is the dam of the renowned stallion Chellano Z.
Celebrity athletes and celebrity heartthrobs
Silver went to the winner of the qualifiers: Riding Conchezz by Colestus-Caretino, Arne van Heel presented the Holsteiner Champion Stallion of the 2024 crop. The gray was bred by Sören von Rönne (8.8). The third-place finisher also has ties to a “celebrity”: Cognac by Comme il faut-Monte Bellini, who was also presented by association rider Arne van Heel, was bred by Nybor Pferde GmbH & Co. KG. Behind this stand the long-time supporters of Marcus Ehning. His mare Sabrina by Sandro Boy is the dam of Cognac (8.7).
Twingo dominates the seven-year-old class
In the national championship for seven-year-old show jumpers—decided in a fast jump-off featuring seven clear-round pairs—Janine Rijenks prevailed with Twingo by Twilight-Hermes de Lux. The gray, bred by Swedish breeder Susanna Hallden, crossed the finish line in 37.56 seconds without any faults.
Tjade Carstensen and Dumbledore by Denver-Quick Star (breeder: Hobe Magens) took the silver. The gelding from the legendary Bühne line (Come on …) also rode a clear round.
Results of the 2026 Holstein State Championships
