Max Paschertz Wins the Future Champions U21 Grand Prix and Other News from Hagen

Jumping

The Young Riders Grand Prix was the grand finale at the show jumping arena. From a German perspective, it could hardly have gone better. Sixty-five pairs took on the challenging course. Only five qualified for the jump-off. Max Paschertz was the first to enter the shortened course with Foodfox’s Cathilde H. On Friday in the Nations Cup, the pair had also been the first to compete, but with six and twelve penalty points, they were unable to fully live up to the hopes placed in them. Today was a completely different story.

With a clear round in 38.78 seconds, they set a benchmark that the competition struggled to match. Although Max’s compatriot Ben Heckmann and his horse Inge came dangerously close with a clear round of 38.85 seconds, that was as close as they got. And neither could the rest. This sealed Max Paschertz’s victory ahead of Ben Heckmann. Third place went to Ireland’s Tim Brennan with Diadema Della Caccia in 39.86 seconds.

That was a very, very important win for Paschertz today. “I’m absolutely thrilled. Over the last few days and weeks, I’ve had a string of bad luck and things just weren’t going my way. I even told my mom that we needed a real ‘wow’ moment. I’m so happy that it happened today.”

He knows exactly who he has to thank for that: “I have a great horse by my side and an amazing team behind me. My trainer, Patrick Döller, is here and supports me especially in moments like these, when the pressure is really high.”

Cathilde and he are a well-coordinated team. He acquired the Cascadello daughter when she was six; she is now nine. Hagen is an important stop on the road to this year’s European Young Riders Championships, not only for dressage riders but also for show jumpers. For Max Paschertz, this would be his second European Championships after competing with Sem Semper in the junior division in 2023. Back then, the team finished in sixth place.

The Irish are unbeatable in the Children’s and Pony divisions

In the youngest age groups—the Children and Pony riders—the Irish dominated, securing victories in both categories. In the Children’s Grand Prix, eleven of 79 pairs advanced to the jump-off. Here, Ireland’s Lucia Keane and Elia confirmed the strong impression they had made in the Nations Cup, where her team finished second. The pair jumped to victory in a clear round of 40.69 seconds.

Second place went to Britain’s Tabby Morgan-Evans on Catoki (0/43.31 seconds), ahead of the Netherlands’ Wim Vos on Copacabana M (0/43.34 seconds). The top German pair was Joelle Sprehe, the daughter of Jörne Sprehe, riding Con Gold, who took fifth place with another clear round in 45.20 seconds.

In the Pony Grand Prix, 13-year-old Jack Dore was the fastest in the jump-off with K-Little Hero, clocking 41.22 seconds, and thus claimed victory. Second place went to Sweden thanks to Viggo Bergstrand on Corbeagh Legend (42.29). Dutch rider Wim Vos managed the feat of also finishing third in the pony class, this time with Lady Crown in 42.32 seconds.

None of the German pony riders were in contention for the title in the jump-off. They had all accumulated too many faults in the first round to qualify for a placing.

Dressage

The CDIOY freestyle for young riders took place without any German participation. This cleared the way for the Swedish duo Tove Slåtteby and Ebony E, who secured the victory with a score of 73.940 percent, ahead of the Dutch rider Esmee Boers with Rockstar (73.635) and the American Kat Fuqua with Bon Ami (72.985).

A familiar face led the victory lap in the CDIP Pony Freestyle: Cosmo Callidus NRW, once a three-time European champion with Lilly Collin and now victorious under his new Danish rider, Steffanie Victoria Horsted Dyrlund, with a score of 76.805 percent. Second place went to Victoria Winkelmann from the Rhineland with Peach (76.165), followed by Filippa Jæger Jensen of Denmark on HJK Catani (75.840).

In the Nations Cup riders’ pony freestyle, there was once again no getting past European champion Leni-Sophie Gosmann and her successful pony, Diamantini EA WE. With a score of 76.785 percent, the world No. 1 set a new personal best.

Second place went to her teammate and the tournament’s de facto host, Lilly Kasselmann, riding Nasdaq FH. The pair scored 74.880 percent. Third place (74.050) went to Florence Wind of the Netherlands, riding Golden Star G.

“Daughter of”

In the Children’s class, as in the previous competitions, Belgium’s Emilija Rucinskaite came out on top. She is just twelve years old and was competing in the Future Champions for the first time. The judges awarded a strong 80.769 percent—89.5 for riding performance and 72.037 for technical execution—for her performance in the saddle of Nice Guy STW, a son of Just Wimphof. At the age of ten, Emilija began riding the gelding, who was also only eight years old at the time. In his training, she can count on the support of her mother, the Polish rider Sandra Sysojeva, who, with her piaffe and passage specialist Maxima Bella, seems to have a success story to report almost every weekend.

Lilly Kasselmann once again finished a close second with a score of 79.445 percent, this time riding Vodka Soda, her partner from the 2025 European Championships where she won gold and bronze. Third place (78.852) went to Antonia Hansmeyer and Gentle van Wittenstein V.

The rest of the Children’s individual standings were led by Cecilie Marie Hohl on Saluna W OLD (78.672 percent), followed by Jasper Rasche on Limoncelli (75.246 percent) and Larissa Bruckschen on Little Fame (73.310 percent).

All results from Hagen are available here.