1998
European Championships for Junior & Young Riders
Hickstead, United Kingdom
19th - 23rd August 1998
"Within Reach"
August 1998
We
had high hopes in Vicky Smits. At the 1995 E.C. for
Junior Riders in Helsinki, this girl surprised all nations
by placing second between the German power combinations.
In 1996 Vicky Smits won the golden team and individual
medal at the CDI in Hickstead, UK. These show grounds
were meant to be for her. This year she would go for
the gold, and it was almost in her reach. She started
this E.C off with a second place in the Preliminary
test. Gold was within reach. In the Team Championship
tests the Germans were too strong (again) and pushed
her back to fourth place. She was the only Belgian rider
which qualified for the Individual test but that we
actually expected that. Ona De Wagenaere could have
been the only Belgian rider who could aim for an individual
ranking, but her scores weren't as high as we hoped
for. Vicky defended the Belgian honor by herself but
just couldn't make it for a medal. She placed fourth
with the wonderful score of 69.32%. Disappointing or
not, she did a great job. On the happy side, the Belgians
did bring home the bronze team medal which was achieved
by Vicky Smits, Ona de Wagenaere and Dorothy Raemdonck.
Chef D'Equipe Dirk Hooghe wrote the following words
in his press release:
"A few days before the departure of the junior riders
team, Ellen Ceulemans' Fruhlingsnacht got injured and
was bound to stay home. The junior team hereby had to
cross the Channel with only three riders. Both teams
left on Monday 18th August with a ferry under supervision
of Chef D'Equipe Dirk Hooghe. The jog was on Tuesday
and all Belgian horses were accepted.
The
draw decided that no junior riders and only Young Rider
Dorothy Raemdonck had to ride the first day. On Thursday
junior rider Laurence Raemdonck rode an accurate test
with a steady contact. His score was 66.53% Diana Smolders
and Larissa Paulius received the same score: 64.20%
In the Young Riders' division Vicky Smits scored 69.11%
and was placed second right behind the German Astrid
Buer. Ona De Wagenaere got 62.22% and Frederick Van
De Keere 60.72%. Dorothy Raemdonck rode a score of 60.11%
which is below her normal level, but the fact that she
had to start as first rider could have contributed to
this abnormality.
In the team championship test for junior riders Larissa
Paulius scored the highest (66.06%) of the Belgian riders,
while Diana Smolders (65.20%) and Laurence Raemdonck
(63.14%) contributed to the fifth place in the nation's
cup. Two riders were thus selected for the Consolation
finals.
Vicky
Smits was the first Belgian rider in the team championship
test for young riders. She rode a very correct test
with maybe a little less impression than the preliminary
test, but still well enough to score 69.28% Ona de Wagenaere
got 64% and Dorothy Raemdonck 63.18%. The bronze medal
was in the bag. For the first time in history that a
Belgian Young Riders' team got a medal at a European
Championship.
In
the consolation test for junior riders Diana Smolders
got second with 67.20% (a score which would place her
fourth in the individual finals) and Larrisa Paulius
got third with 66.93%
Young Rider Dorothy Raemdonck scored 63.83% and Ona
de Wagenaere 63.22% in their consolation test.
All Belgian hope was set on Vicky Smits' performance
in the individual YR finals. Even more because she had
already proven to be able to resist the German pressure
at an E.C. Even the draw was excellent: Vicky had to
start as last combination. A beautiful image, with great
balance and tact. The first walk pirouette was too big
and one canter pirouette didn't have enough impulsion
which cost her a medal. She scored 69.32% and was placed
fourth right behind the three German riders: Schulten
Baumer, Buer and Schule.
As
conclusion I can say that this European Championship
has been a break-through in Belgian Dressage History.
A bronze medal was never achieved in this category and
it proves that trainers and representatives in the Dressage
Commission are working to improve the dressage discipline.
During the Award Ceremony a huge crowd of Belgian supporters
appeared and gave an ovation for the Belgian Bronze
medalists."
Related Links
Scores 1998
European Championships for Junior & Young Riders
Photo Shoot of Belgian Team
at the 2003 NAJYRC
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