With 13 registered pairs, the championship saw a significant increase in participation compared to the previous year. For many of the competitors, not only was the national title at stake, but also a spot in the inaugural U25 World Championship in Ireland.

The Course Proves Decisive for Calvin Böckmann at the U25 German Championships

As the fourth-place finisher at the European Championships and an Olympic reserve, Böckmann entered the competition as the clear favorite. After the dressage and jumping phases, he was already leading the standings with two horses—Altair de la Cense and his young horse Kasparow FRH. A clear round in the cross-country test ultimately tipped the scales in favor of the 16-year-old mare, who was bred in France. With 31.6 penalty points, victory was ultimately secured for the duo, who have been riding together for many years.

Three Couples at the Optimum Time

Only three pairs completed the cross-country course designed by Sweden’s Lars Christensson without any time or obstacle faults. Among them was military athlete Jana Lehmkuhl from Warendorf, riding the nine-year-old Westphalian Lanzelot, whom she has been training herself since he was four years old and in whom she sees great long-term potential. With 40.0 penalty points, she secured second place.

The fastest clear round was achieved by the oldest horse in the field: the 18-year-old Sir Scotty, ridden by Ann-Catrin Bierlein, who won the bronze medal. This pair was also among the more experienced combinations in the field. Bierlein explained that she had been aware of her horse’s speed, even though they had always narrowly missed the optimal time at the four-star level up to that point. However, the course in Luhmühlen—which featured many galloping sections—gave her confidence that things might work out this time—and she was spot on!

Bierlein, who will reach the age limit this year, is open to the newly created U25 World Championships. She sees it as a benefit that this offers young riders an intermediate step in the transition from the junior/young rider category to the senior division—similar to models already established in dressage.

National Team Coach Dibowski: We Need to Broaden Our Player Pool

U25 national team coach Andreas Dibowski offered a similar assessment. He said the results reflect the current state of training and development opportunities for young riders in Germany, noting that there is still room for improvement in terms of the breadth of talent. He identified broadening the base and making the transition from the junior to the senior ranks smoother as a top priority.

Dibowski sees the reintroduction of national S- and M/S-level competitions with four-star requirements in dressage and show jumping—combined with more moderate cross-country requirements—as a key measure. He cited England as a model, where such national formats have been established without international influence on course design—a model that accommodates the lower number of international entries by British riders. A first step in this direction has already been taken with this year’s announcement of the U25 Championship as a national S-class eventing competition.

Results of the Class S Eventing Competition, U25 German Championships, Luhmühlen 2026