News
Ermelo 25: Freestyle finale brings a brace of bronze medals
- Written By: British Dressage
- Published: Mon, 08 Sep 2025 11:23
Five fantastic medal finales brought a top week of competition at the FEI Para Dressage European Championships to a close, with Britain bringing home a brace of bronze medals.
In the first Grade to go, Rixt van der Horst and Eisma's Royal Fonq N.O.P. of the Netherlands strutted their way to Grade III Freestyle Gold for a score of 80.634%
Once again, the Grade II gold medal went to Heidemarie Dresing and Poesie 143 of Germany, scoring their best ever competitive mark together of 80.973%. The pair completed a hat-trick of test wins in a super competitive grade.
Hampshire rider Jemima Green capped off a remarkable championship debut with her seven-year-old partner Fantabulous by delivering a personal-best Freestyle performance in the Grade 2 final at Ermelo. Riding to upbeat violin-led music that showcased Fanta’s bright character, the pair produced fluent trot work, positive walk leg-yields, crisp transitions, and impressive composure despite gusting winds unsettling the arena. Their strong connection and artistry shone throughout, earning 76.307% – surpassing their previous best and securing a podium finish to round off an unforgettable week.
“I’m just absolutely ecstatic – I’m so proud of him, it was the most confident he’s felt all week,” beamed Jemima. “I’m not going to lie, I hate music day. My personality is very ‘tell me what to do and I’ll do it’, so the flexibility of freestyle just makes me a little bit anxious. As soon as I’m in there, I’ll take a breath, but it was actually really quite enjoyable today.”
She explained, “Fanta used to be quite music- sensitive, particularly to big, strong beats. We wanted something that highlights his paces, but it also has to be quite subtle with flow of things. We had the floorplan quite simple, where we’ve struggled with the confidence in our freestyle, so we have quite an easy routine where I can just get the trot work done, have a little bit of a walk and then pick it back up again. I just want him and myself to go in there and enjoy it, and gain confidence, before we try to make it a little bit more complicated.
“To win two medals was a complete shock and very overwhelming! Honestly, without the huge support from UK Sport and the National Lottery, and the entire support staff of British Equestrian, I wouldn’t have felt so confident throughout this whole week. Fanta has been absolutely adored by everyone and is in the best possible condition. They have filled me with so much confidence, especially after the other day [when Fanta spooked in the warm-up], they know how to keep me calm and give me the confidence. Honestly, without them, there’s no way any of us could be here."
In the Grade I competiton Latvia’s Rihards Snikus and King of the Dance gave a crowd-pleasing performance set to up-beat medley of Latvian and Latin American tunes to take the gold again on a score of 80.674%. Britain's Grade I duo of Gabriella Blake and Mari Durward-Akhurst have taken on strong competition all week, and put up two fantastic performances yet again on Freestyle day.
Gabriella ‘Gabby’ Blake and Strong Beau lit up Freestyle day in Ermelo with a polished, reggae-themed routine set to UB40’s Falling in Love With You. After an enthusiastic start, Beau settled into his trademark rhythm as Gabby guided him through an intricate floorplan of serpentines and tight half circles, all ridden with pinpoint accuracy. Their partnership and energy was without doubt a highlight throughout, capped with a sparkling final halt that drew applause from the crowd. The performance earned 74.400%, placing Gabby second at that point in the Grade I standings, before placing an eventual fifth - a superb achievement.
“I’m a bit disappointed, I’m not going to lie,” said Gabby, “He was very cheeky in there and I did not expect him to be like that because he wasn’t like that in the 10-minute box. There are a lot of things that he did do well and I can’t take that away from him. My stretches were very good, my halts were pretty good and I was on time with my music. My freestyle is my favourite thing to do, but today he made it quite hard work for me.
“It was just him being a horse. I think the shadow from the astroturf gave him a bit of a fright today. I didn’t know it was coming, but horses are horses. He can be cheeky. I had to be there for him today and hold his hand, but there were lots of lovely parts in there.”
“I’ve had that music for a year – I had it done when I was a reserve for Paris last year, so it’s fairly new. I’m not going to lie, I didn’t quite like it at the beginning because it’s not really my kind of music, but it goes really, really well with him and shows him off!"
Buckinghamshire Paralympian Mari Durward-Akhurst closed the Grade I Freestyle in style with her trusted partner Athene Lindebjerg, the beautiful black mare she calls “the Duchess.” Riding to a powerful Hollywood-inspired soundtrack, the pair delivered a flowing, accurate test featuring serpentines, circles, and an outstanding walk with stretch that impressed the judges. Their harmony, relaxation and precision earned consistent high marks, including eights for the opening halt, and a final score of 77.140% secured Mari her second bronze medal of the championships, adding to an already memorable week.
“I’m really happy to be taking home another medal and I’ve broken my ‘one medal per championship’ because this is the first time I’ve won two. She was so on it, and we got ahead of the music, so we finished a little bit early – there were a few little blips, too, but overall, it was amazing,” beamed Mari.
“She loves the music and it suits us both so well – I know it inside and out, which is always helpful, and she does too – almost too much! It [the music] shows her off so well, it’s music for a duchess. Going last in there was quite a bit of pressure, but we tried to own it and give our best.”
Reflecting on her time in Ermelo, Mari said; “It’s been incredible! I’m on cloud nine at the moment– everything’s gone to plan, every test I went in and didn’t have any major mistakes, and we’ve got the results. I don’t think it’s quite sunk in, everything that I’ve achieved, once I get home it might."
In a real shake up to the Grade IV leader board, Alexia Pittier of France emphatically topped the podium with Sultan 768 to claim their first ever Championship medal. They wowed the crowds with a complex floor plan set to a medley of classic French songs and finished on a score of 78.055%, well ahead of their nearest rivals.
Kent-based rider Nicola Naylor, making her senior British para dressage team debut and closing the championships, produced an energetic and technically demanding Freestyle aboard Humberto L. Guided by caller Julie Riches and watched by coach Sarah Millis, Nicola handled a few nerves and a dramatic spook in medium canter with skill, maintaining suppleness and rideability throughout. Their test featured active canter loops, leg-yields, a strong and purposeful walk tour and a precise half-pass zig-zag in trot, all set to iconic British film and TV music that demonstrated super musicality. The performance earned 74.825%, placing Nicola just 0.17% behind the medal positions; their result truly demonstrates the incredibly tight competition and fine margins that define top-level para dressage.
“I was actually super, super pleased with his test. He felt like he gave me the power and expression I’ve been looking for all week. If it hadn’t have been the fact that he jumped at his own shadow, which was unfortunate – otherwise, I think that was what I was looking for and what I wanted, but he just gave me some extras I didn’t want! It was so close.
“I always like to ride well and I feel like I rode that well, so that makes me happy. He may have given me a few extras, but that’s the horse I know I’ve got and he’s the horse I wanted to show off here. The way of going, the expression, the power – today, we got them. The first day he was maybe a little bit shy, yesterday he wasn’t quite there, but today we got it. Seeing his own shadow in the medium canter and the spook will have cost that mark but, given that happened, it was an amazing overall score,” she reflected with positivity.
Describing her freestyle programme Nicola added: “I’ve had this routine for a while. I really love it so that’s why I’ve not changed it. It was done by [co-owner] Ros Emery Kay, who does freestyle music. It’s quite inventive and works well for him.”
“It’s been an amazing week, I’ve really enjoyed it. To get a medal at your first championship is amazing – to have the experience, to realise how hard it is! Both of us will have grown from it and I want to do it all again!” she concluded.
Finally, the Grade V competition saw Germany’s Regine Mispelkamp match her teammate’s hat-trick of three gold medals with yet another win, scoring a personal best with the expressive 10-year-old mare, Pramwaldhof's Bayala, to finish on 77.700.
After a week of incredible competition in Ermelo, the strength, depth and excitement in Para Dressage sport has been well and truly on display, with new team and individual champions crowned at the pinnacle of European competition. Congratulations to all four British riders, their horses, owners, grooms and support teams, as well as the World Class programme and British Equestrian support staff. Bring on the next challenge in 2026!
Results - top three and British riders
Grade I Para Grand Prix Freestyle
1. Rihards Snikus and King of the Dance, 80.674% (LAT)
2. Sara Morganti and Mariebelle, 79.827% (ITA)
3. Mari Durward-Akhurst and Athene Lindebjerg, 77.140% (GBR)
5. Gabriella Blake and Strong Beau, 74.400% (GBR)
Grade II Para Grand Prix Freestyle
1. Heidemarie Dresing and Poesie 143, 80.934% (GER)
2. Katrine Kristensen and Goerklintgaards Quater, 78.374% (DEN)
3. Jemima Green and Fantabulous, 76.307% (GBR)
Grade III Para Grand Prix Freestyle
1. Rixt van der Horst and Eisma's Royal Fonq N.O.P., 80.634% (NED)
2. Tobias Thorning Joergensen and Jolene Hill, 79.807% (DEN)
3. Francesca Salvade and Escari, 76.274% (ITA)
Grade IV Para Grand Prix Freestyle
1. Alexia Pittier and Sultan 768, 78.055% (FRA)
2. Louise Etzner Jakobsson and Goldstrike B.J., 75.145% (SWE)
3. Pia Wulff Jelstrup and Zafia, 74.995% (DEN)
4. Nicola Naylor and Humberto L, 74.825% (GBR)
Grade V Para Grand Prix Freestyle
1. Regine Mispelkamp and Pramwaldhof's Bayala, 77.700% (GER)
2. Britney de Jong and Caramba N.O.P., 76.490% (NED)
3. Lena Malmström and Fabulous Fidelie, 75.615% (SWE)
