2026 National Championships: Diacontinus, a stallion from the Celle stud, and a son of Crack dominate the cross-country horse qualifiers

Diacontinus was the standout stallion in the final qualifier for six-year-old cross-country horses in Warendorf; 23 horses competed in this class. The two that finished at the very front were both sired by the Hanoverian stallion. And they are no strangers to the scene.

Elli is on track to win the title

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” With a score of 8.9 (jumping (multiplier 2), rideability, and overall impression: 9.0, canter: 8.5), Die Elli, a Hanoverian mare out of an Escudo dam, took the lead. As was the case last year, Jérôme Robiné was in the saddle. Back then, the pair had won the silver medal at the Bundeschampionat.

Diacontinus also took second place

. Just one-tenth of a point behind, though with Westphalian pedigree, was Daisy Dynamite—presented by Ann-Catrin Bierlein—last year’s third-place finisher at the German Championship for Young Busch Horses. The mare, also a daughter of Diacontinus, scored an 8.8. The difference came down solely to rideability, which was rated an 8.5 for her but a 9.0 for the winner, Die Elli.

Third place went to Sina Brügger riding Hallox, a Westphalian gray by Hickstead Blue (8.6), followed by Zoe Deusing, who placed the Holsteiner Ucello by United Way-Calandro in fourth place with a score of 8.5. The same score—albeit after a 0.2 deduction—was also awarded to the Hanoverian mare Calla GS, a daughter of Cascadello, whose maternal sire is Diacontinus. Paula Fatteicher had brought the mare to Warendorf.

Results of the Qualifying Round for Six-Year-Old Eventing Horses at the 2026 National Championship

9.2 for the Olympic champion—a star in the making

57 horses competed in the qualifying class for five-year-old eventing horses in Warendorf, and one stood out above the rest: Chris Tonic, a Holstein stallion by Crack out of a Dinken dam, raised by Manfred Johannsen in Tornesch. The gray horse received a 9.5 three times: for jumping—which is multiplied by a factor of two in the final score—for rideability, and for overall impression. Only his canter was rated an 8.0, resulting in a final score of 9.2. The gray was presented by Olympic champion Julia Krajewski.

A Future Rooted in Heritage

Chris Tonic comes from a successful bloodline. His grandmother, Lamina by Sir Shostakovich, enjoyed success at the four-star level under Inken Gräfin von Platen-Hallermund. Among other achievements, she placed at the German Championships. Her son Cascoblanco was Bundeschampion in 2022 and 2023 under Pia Leuwer. Lamina’s daughter, Zornmutige by Cristo—a half-sister to Chris Tonic’s dam, Ilina by Dinken—gave birth to Coruscant, the reserve champion stallion at the 2013 Holsteiner licensing.

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a squad rider with young horses

, took second place in the first division with Arne Bergendahl riding Energy Ed, a Hanoverian by Edward (8.6). Canter, jumping, and rideability were each rated an 8.5, while the overall impression received a 9.0. And Jérôme Robiné, who produced the winner among the six-year-olds, also placed well ahead here. A score of 8.4 secured third place in the first division for him and the Westphalian Crispin D, a direct son of Cornet Obolensky out of a mare sired by the Thoroughbred Scalo xx.

Third place was awarded three times in total. Two Hanoverian descendants of Diacontinus also received a score of 8.4. Ayleen Stuhr rode DiaLotta so Well and Lena Reinsdorf rode Dialario R to the finals with this score.

In the second division, new father Ben Leuwer took home the gold ribbon with Fanta PH, a mare registered with the Oldenburg International (OS) Show Jumping Horse Breeding Association whose sire is the Anglo-Arab Flic en Flac. The judges awarded a score of 8.8, with canter and rideability receiving an 8.5 and jumping and overall impression a 9.0. Julia Krajewski placed the Holsteiner stallion Carbolin by Clarimo-Quinar in second place in this division. Her final score was 8.5. Lotte Palmgren achieved the same score. The Finnish rider competed on the Holsteiner gelding Udo J by Uriko.

Results of the Qualifying Round for Five-Year-Old Eventing Horses at the 2026 National Championship