Italy’s Lepratti makes history as FEI Jumping European Championship for youth concludes

The FEI Jumping European Championship for Young Riders, Juniors and Children 2026 reached a thrilling conclusion this afternoon in Hagen (GER), as the Individual finals for the Young Riders and Juniors brought the curtain down on a sensational week of sport.

Young Riders: Italy's Lepratti and the Netherlands strike gold

The top 10 nations returned for the Young Riders Team Final, where the Netherlands built on the advantage they established on the opening day to secure the title.

Under Chef d’Equipe Vincent Voorn, the Dutch team of Thijmen Vos (Cadillac Z), Logan Fiechter (Lieverella), Liesje Vrolijk (Detective Vive Z) and Finn Boerekamp (Danny Boy 111 Z) produced three clear rounds to complete the opening round of the Team Final on just 1.80 penalties and retain their lead.

With clears from Tom Wachman (Do It Easy) and Tabitha Kyle (Desterly), Ireland kept the pressure on, but when Coen Williams (Dominante Z) and Ben Walsh (Zenith vd Donkhoeve) both faulted, Ireland had to carry forward four penalties, taking their score to 7.11, giving the Netherlands breathing space with more than a fence in hand heading into the final round.

Great Britain held onto third while Belgium produced three clear rounds courtesy of Lauranne Spits (Parel van het Russeltveld), Paris Vandousselaere (Chacco’s Girl) and Louise Ameeuw (Kaliber) to close the gap and sit less than two penalties behind going into the final round.

Vos was first out for the Dutch with another flawless performance to maintain their advantage. Wachman again delivered a clear for Ireland, while the second riders from both nations each collected four faults. When Ireland’s third rider accrued nine penalties, their four-fault score had to count with one rotation remaining. With the hopes of a nation on her shoulders, Liesje Vrolijk delivered another immaculate clear to seal gold for the Netherlands on an unbeatable score of 5.80 penalties with one rider per team still to jump.

Another clear from Tabitha Kyle secured silver for Ireland on 11.11 penalties, while a crucial second-round clear from Belgium’s final rider, Bart Jay Junior Vandecasteele aboard Lotti Blue Z, clinched bronze and edged Great Britain out of the medal positions.

Meanwhile, Greta Lepratti produced a sensational performance. She remained faultless throughout all five rounds aboard the impressive 14-year-old stallion Mercy van’t Ruytershof, climbing from fourth after the opening Individual Qualifier to lead going into the final round.

Noora von Bülow, the youngest athlete in the Young Riders competition at just 17 years of age – and therefore still eligible for the Junior category – produced a double clear aboard the 13-year-old mare Primavera to guarantee herself a medal and pile the pressure on Lepratti and Ireland’s Tom Wachman. The experienced Irishman, aboard the aptly named Do It Easy, again delivered a flawless round to finish on 1.62 penalties and add Individual silver to Ireland’s Team medal of the same colour.

There was never any hint of uncertainty as Lepratti crossed the finish line clear once again, finishing on just 0.58 penalties to rapturous applause from an ecstatic Italian contingent.

Speaking afterwards, Lepratti reflected on the challenge of maintaining her focus throughout a six-day championship.

It was hard to maintain the concentration throughout the week. We started the Championship on Tuesday and finished on Sunday, so it’s a really long week and hard for our minds to keep the concentration high,

she explained.

But I really trusted my horse – and also myself – after everything we did this year. I really believed in us, so I’m really happy with this result. We really are like a team. He was the best mate to start this career and this sport with. I will celebrate with my family, friends, coach and everyone who supported us through all this journey!

Juniors: Germany triumph on home soil while Jack Kent takes Individual gold for Ireland

The Junior Team competition provided one of the closest contests of the week, but it was the host nation Germany who protected their slender day one advantage to claim victory by just 2.29 penalties.

Germany’s trailblazer Lennard Tillmann (Veltiner 3) remained faultless throughout the three rounds to set his team on course for victory. First-round clears from Tony Stormanns (RMF Cinnamo), Malte Merschformann (Blue Water) and Brianne Beerbaum (Kiss Me) kept Germany in pole position. When Stormanns and Merschformann each picked up four faults in the final round, the pressure intensified as Great Britain surged from ninth after the opening Qualifier to challenge for the medals.

With Germany on 13.30 penalties, Brianne Beerbaum executed her role as team anchorman to perfection and delivered a vital clear as the final rider to secure the Team title. Great Britain claimed silver after a remarkable recovery, while Switzerland completed the podium in bronze.

Jack Kent’s remarkable consistency aboard the 12-year-old gelding Ollie van de Klotputten earned him the Junior Individual title. After beginning the week in 14th place, successive clear rounds elevated him to fifth before Sunday's final. When none of the four athletes ahead of him could maintain a perfect jumping record, Kent moved into the lead.

Only eight of the 28 starters jumped clear in the opening round of the final, but 18 produced faultless performances in the medal-deciding round, leaving less than a fence separating the top eight. A single time penalty in the penultimate round proved costly for Liselot Kooremans (NED), leaving her behind Albert Pisarik (CZE), who climbed to second through a series of consistent clear rounds.

Kent, Pisarik (Baltic Love) and Kooremans (Lola-Jay ES) all held their nerve to retain their positions and claim the gold, silver and bronze medals respectively. Fittingly, they were the only three athletes not to incur a jumping fault throughout the five demanding rounds.

Reflecting on his victory, Kent said: “From start to finish it’s been kind of unbelievable really. The teams didn’t finish the way we wanted it to, but I kept going on the Individual score and sure, I’m lucky that the horse jumped brilliantly all week and kept getting better and better – I’m delighted, absolutely over the moon!”

Children: Mansur and Great Britain secure golds

Pedro Mansur (NED) led from the outset to become the FEI Jumping European Children's Individual champion, finishing on a perfect score of zero penalties aboard Hotmail des Forêts. Great Britain's Tabby Morgan-Evans rose nine places with Catoki to claim Individual silver, adding nothing to her day-one score of 2.26 penalties, while Germany's Mila Osing and Capitaine took bronze on 3.10 penalties.

Great Britain ruled supreme in the Children's Team competition as Charlie Barker, Alexander Leggott, Mia Breen and Tabby Morgan-Evans added no penalties across the two team-final rounds to finish on their day-one score of 5.61 penalties and secure gold ahead of the Netherlands on 7.10 penalties. Germany completed the podium in bronze on 10.47 penalties.

FULL RESULTS