Eve Catherine Bartels had to give up her spot on the team for the European Junior Championships

That’s sad! A few days ago, Eve Catherine Bartels (17) achieved what so many young dressage riders dream of: She and her 14-year-old Rhineland stallion, Villeneuve, were selected for the team competing in the European Junior Championships—the “Euro”—the annual highlight on the calendar for up-and-coming riders. But the weekend of July 15–19 in Olomouc will go on without the two of them. As Bartels reported on social media, Villeneuve—who was originally trained and presented by Laura Strobel—has been injured.

“Unfortunately, Villeneuve has suffered an acute injury and will not be competing in the European Championship this year.

Of course, he’ll now get all the time he needs to make a full recovery. ❤️ I’m looking forward to many more unforgettable moments with the best horse in the world—my Neuvi. 🫶🏼

“I sincerely wish my team 🇩🇪 the best of luck and every success at the 2026 European Championship.”

Replacing the two of them are 15-year-old Greta Louise Wagner and her mare Vanessa H. This is Greta’s first season competing at the junior level. However, she already has experience at the European Championships. Two years ago, she was part of the Children’s team with Fashion Rose. She gained her first international U18 experience at the Future Champions, where she posted the third-best score of all riders in the team competition with 70.879 percent. Prior to that, the pair had placed eighth at the Preis der Besten.