the 2025 FEI Para Dressage European Championship  got underway with all five Grades competing today for their individual Grand Prix Freestyle medals.  The Grade V competition saw Germany’s Regine Mispelkamp match her teammate’s hattrick 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.

(Photo:  Regine Mispelkamp and Pramwaldhof’s Bayala at the FEI Para Dressage European Championship 2025 (© FEI_Leanjo de Koster)

“She felt so great, I’m so proud of her. She heard the music and just knew it was time to dance. She was so reactive to me, every step felt amazing,” Regine said emotionally of the young mare who made her Championship debut this week.

“This is crazy, three gold medals! I cannot put into words how this feels, I wasn’t expecting this at all!” said Regine Mispelkamp of Germany.

The Netherland’s Britney de Jong claimed another silver for the host nation riding her dynamic Freestyle with Caramba N.O.P.

“The music was composed to suit him as he is so powerful, so I really love riding him in the Freestyle. He loves to be in the arena, and he just gave a bit extra again for me today,” Britney said of her test with the 18-year-old Dutch warmblood gelding.

The combination are no strangers to a competitive arena, having represented the Netherlands at Junior and Young Rider levels, but this was their first Championship in a senior team.

“I’m really happy that we could win three silver medals in our debut, it was what I was hoping for. but never expected.”

In a repeat of the individual medal result, Sweden’s Lena Malmström won the bronze medal once again, finishing on a score of 75.615 with Fabulous Fidelie.
“She was the best today and we did it as well as we could, we really connected,” Lena said of their test choreographed to classical music to match the mare’s elegance.

“I didn’t expect to receive two medals, but I thought the competition was open and I backed myself, I believed it could happen. I’m so happy that we delivered something people enjoyed watching.”

France’s first gold in the Grade IV

In a real shake up to the leaderboard, 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.

“I can’t explain how happy I am right now, we’ve worked so hard for this day. He’s only a young horse and he has improved throughout the week to go into the arena today and give me such a relaxed and expressive ride,” she said of the 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding whom she partnered at the Paralympic Games in Paris last year.

Silver was claimed by Sweden’s Louise Etzner Jakobsson with Goldstrike B.J, the individual champions from Thursday. The pair performed to an Abba medley which matched the 14-year-old gelding’s enthusiasm, finishing on a score of 75.145.

“He was very eager today, so I had to work on encouraging him to take things slower, but I’m very pleased with him. His flying changes and medium trot were great, we just took a little while to come back in the transitions as he was so enthusiastic. But he’s such a good boy,” she said of their performance.
Taking the bronze medal once again was Pia Wulff Jelstrup of Denmark with Zafia who danced around the arena for a score of 74.995.

“I designed the music for her, as she is the best. It’s new music so we’re not that familiar with it yet and we were a bit ahead at times, but I am very pleased with her,” Pia said of the 11-year-old Danish warmblood.
“It feels incredible to be here, it’s the first time I have ever ridden at a European Championship and I’m so happy with our result.”

When All Is Said And Done

After a week of incredible competition in Ermelo, there has been a true changing of the guard in Para Dressage sport, with new team and individual champions crowned at the pinnacle of European competition.

Quotes from the week can be found HERE.