Starting a Dressage test as the day’s favorite was a pressure that Anna Mareike Meier (GER) bore lightly in Lähden as she guided her elegant horses through the best test for the lowest score of 39.32 at the FEI Driving European Championship 2025. Despite two brief breaks of pace during trot sections, the quality of the paces and elevation of her strong but supple horses meant that she posted the only sub-40 mark and repeated the start she made to the last European Championship two years ago.

Photo – Anna Mareike Meier (GER), First position after Dressage test, FEI Driving European Championship 2025 – Lähden (GER) (©FEI/Massimo Argenziano)

Although he has a long list of wins and medals to his name, it was still a remarkable feat that the busiest man in Lähden, host and organizer Christoph Sandmann (GER), had the composure to finish second on 40.79. Competing as an individual with his slick, bay horses, they showed consistency and cadence throughout, to the pleasure of the home crowd, friends and colleagues who were watching.

Title Contenders in Contention after Dressage

Towards the end of the afternoon, Fredrik Persson (SWE) and his well-balanced team looked like they might assume the winner’s spot as their rolling scores settled in the high 30s. But some tension in the two free walk movements meant that he dipped back into the 40s, which gave him a creditable 42.85 for third place.

The Swede’s test split the Sandmanns after Anna had slotted in behind her father with 43.32, a score that puts her into fourth place. One of her wheel horses became unsettled at times which detracted from an otherwise graceful test. Anna has also been juggling the demands of competing while helping to stage the event.

Tipped as a potential contender to take the European title, Dries Degrieck (BEL) set out his stall with a polished test for fifth on 43.85. He sits just ahead of defending champion Bram Chardon (NED) who is sixth on 44.25. They are both strong in the Marathon phase, and they will be aiming to improve their positions after Saturday’s competition over what is hailed as a tough but fair course.

Force to be Reckoned With

The German stronghold on the leaderboard was aided by decent marks from individual Georg Von Stein (GER) who scored 46.45 for seventh, and team member Michael Brauchle (GER) who is eighth on 46.65. A former European Champion, Michael is a force to be reckoned with on the Marathon and it’s anticipated that he too will climb positions on Saturday and contribute to the team event, while consolidating his quest for another individual medal.

Glenn Geerts (BEL) is the top ranked athlete at the championship, sitting in the number two position, and is another who has individual and more team medals in his sights. With very little separating him from his fellow Marathon specialists, he is ninth on 47.78.

Showing that age is no barrier to success in Driving, the evergreen Ijsbrand Chardon (NED) kept Dutch team medal hopes alive with a score of 47.78 to complete the top ten. In all, 41 Four-in-Hands took part.

Leading Ladies

Mareike and Anna’s scores counted for the team event after Dressage to total 82.64 and put the Germans comfortably in front. Glenn and Dries contributed to Belgium’s second place on 91.43, only 0.6 ahead of The Netherlands who are on 92.03. Next is the Czech Republic whose Nesvacil brothers contributed to their 100.32, and Hungary are fifth on 102.35.

After some changes to the initial pairings between the Para and Four-in-Hand drivers for the Hand-in-Hand competition, after Dressage it’s a German 1-2-3 as Mareike and Patricia Groβerichter take the lead, ahead of Christoph Sandmann and Heiner Lehrter, and Anna Sandmann and Alexandra Sievers.

The Marathon starts at 9.00 am on Saturday morning with the Grade 1 Para Drivers, followed by the Grade 2 Para Drivers, 4* Horse Singles and the Four-in-Hands.

Live coverage will be on FEI TV.