Julia Krajewski dominates CCI3*-S in Montelibretti

At the latest when the now twelve-year-old Selle Français gelding Ero de Cantraie carried Julia Krajewski to the German Championship title in 2023, he looked like a championship horse. But then things became quieter around the Querlybet Hero son.

In 2024, he only competed in three tests in the fall, but finished fifth in Kronenberg’s CCI4*-S – despite triggering a safety clip in the cross-country. They then went into the winter break. But this break lasted almost a year again. At the end of August 2025, Krajewski rode Ero de Cantraie in the CCI2*-S in Luhmühlen for the first time again in an eventing competition, but only the dressage. She withdrew him before the cross-country. They then finished both the two-star short test in Langenhagen and the one in Strzegom, the latter with a dressage result in second place.

New year, new luck

Eros fans won’t have to wait that long for the gelding in 2026. The pair kicked off the season in Montelibretti two weeks ago with an eighth place at the CCI2* in Montelibretti. Last weekend, they went one better in the CCI3*, and not just in terms of the requirements. With 24.1 minus points, they were in the lead after the dressage. They finished the test with 24.1 minus points and thus secured an unchallenged victory.

Second and third place also go to Krajewski

But that was not the only reason for joy for Krajewski this weekend. In addition to Ero de Cantraie, she also had two of his stable mates at the start in the same test. It was none other than the Aachen winner and Olympic eleventh-placed Nickel, who the Frenchman left behind in Montelibretti. Nickel had only competed in dressage and show jumping at the end of February. It was therefore his first cross-country start of the season, which he completed with just 0.8 time penalties in addition to his 26 minus points in dressage. What was fourth place after the dressage, ended up in second place.

Krajewski’s second squad horse alongside Nickel, the Irish Tullabeg Platinum, finished the test in third place out of a total of 29 pairs in the CCI3*-S with a dressage score of 27.5 minus points.

ACH countries dominate CCI4*-S

There was also a four-star short test on offer in Montelibretti. This took place without German participation, but with German-speaking riders. Here it was the Austrian rider Lea Siegl who took two top three placings. She won the test with her long-standing successful partner Van Helsing P and came third with Watermill Giorgio RS.

In between, Felix Vogg was able to hold his own with his five-star winner Cartania. It was the 15-year-old Holstein daughter of Cartani’s first start since her triumph in the CCI5*-L in Maryland, USA, last fall, the show that will not be held this year at least.

You can find all the results from Montelibretti here.