Lucie-Anouk Baumgürtel is German U25 dressage champion, silver and bronze also to Piaff-Förderpreis newcomers

The first medals were handed out in the Balve dressage arena this morning from 8am, namely for the U25 dressage riders. It was a duel between two former pony world record holders, Lucie-Anouk Baumgürtel in the saddle on First Vienna and Rose Oatley with Alive and Kicking.

Lucie-Anouk Baumgürtel – “Insane development”

Rose Oatley and Alive and Kicking were still ahead in yesterday’s warm-up test. While these two have only known each other for a few weeks, Lucie-Anouk Baumgürtel and her ten-year-old Vitalis daughter First Vienna are a well-rehearsed team. The mare is the first horse that the multi-medal-winning young rider has trained herself up to Grand Prix level. She has succeeded in doing so, as was already evident at the selection for this year’s Piaff-Förderpreis, where the two were the best pair in the selection test. They were also the best today, scoring 73.070 percent. First U25-DM, first title for Lucie-Anouk and this on a horse she trained herself, with which she has already won Bundeschampionat medals and Burg-Pokal finals.

National coach Hans-Heinrich Meyer zu Strohen went into raptures: “The two of them have made an incredible development. Lucie has accompanied this horse to this level – the two are on an ideal path and have ridden a great test. She is characterized by stable, precise and beautiful riding and has shown this throughout the pony, junior and young rider age groups up to the U25 tour.”

Silver to the lateral entrants

Rose Oatley was already in the Piaff-Förderpreis last year, rode two horses in Mannheim, Huan from her mother and the mare Feldrose trained by Emma Kanerva, both of which she no longer rides. This year she was absent from the selection for the Piaff-Förderpreis. A few weeks later, it was announced that she was taking over the internationally successful Grand Prix mare Alive and Kicking from Charlotte Dujardin. At a warm-up show at home in Schleswig-Holstein, where they won the Intermédiaire II, Hans-Heinrich Meyer zu Strohen took a look at the duo and approved them as lateral entrants for the rest of the Piaff-Förderpreis season. He is unlikely to have regretted it.

At the first stop in Mannheim, the daughter of Australian Olympic rider Kristy Oatley won the Intermédiaire II with more than 74 percent. Yesterday they were also ahead in the Intermédiaire II in Balve, and today they took the silver medal in the U25 Grand Prix with 72.093 percent.

The bronze medal went to Pia-Carlotta Gagel in the saddle on Riccio, a pair from the U25 squad. The pair scored 70.721 percent today.

U25 Dressage Championships in Balve: 10 facts about Lucie-Anouk Baumgürtel’s gold ride

Both U25 medal winners are former pony world record holders

Lucie-Anouk Baumgürtel set a world record in the individual test at the 2020 European Pony Championships in Pilisjászfalu (Hungary) with Nasdaq FH (82.351%). Rose Oatley set a record in the freestyle at the 2021 European Pony Championships in Strzegom (Poland) with Daddy Moon: 89.700 percent.

Lucie-Anouk Baumgürtel wins first U25-DM gold medal

She won her first German U25 championship title in Balve with 73.070 percent.

First Vienna is only ten years old

The Vitalis daughter is the first horse that Baumgürtel has trained himself up to Grand Prix level.

Experienced duo meets newcomers

Baumgürtel and First Vienna have known each other for a long time; Rose Oatley and Alive and Kicking have only been working together for a few weeks.

Silver for Rose Oatley with Charlotte Dujardin’s former horse

Alive and Kicking, previously ridden by the British Olympic champion Charlotte Dujardin, scored 72.093 percent with Oatley.

Oatley came into the Piaff-Förderpreis as a lateral entrant

After a warm-up victory in Schleswig-Holstein, national coach Hans-Heinrich Meyer zu Strohen retroactively approved her for the season.

Oatley is the daughter of an Australian Olympic rider

Her mother Kristy Oatley represented Australia at four Olympic Games: 2000 with Wall Street, 2008 with Quando-Quando, 2012 with Clive and 2016 with Du Soleil

Bronze for Pia-Carlotta Gagel

She and Riccio from the U25 squad scored 70.721 percent.

National coach praises Baumgürtel’s development

Meyer zu Strohen: “She is characterized by stable, precise and beautiful riding” – from pony, juniors, young riders to the U25 tour.

Baumgürtel was already the best pair at the Piaff inspection

The duo had already impressed as the best pair in the 2025 Piaff-Förderpreis selection test before the DM.