15 Feb Belgian One-Two at the Top: Pauluis Wins FEI Dressage World Cup™ Freestyle in Neumünster
(Neumünster) Belgium retained its lead in the FEI Dressage World Cup™ qualifier in Neumünster – albeit with reversed positions compared to the Grand Prix. In the CDI-W Freestyle, presented by VR Bank zwischen den Meeren, Larissa Pauluis claimed victory ahead of team-mate Justin Verboomen. Third place went to Portugal’s João Pedro Moreira with Drosa Fuerst Kennedy OLD. Best German rider was Raphael Netz in fourth place.
Pauluis and Flambeau deliver personal best
Larissa Pauluis and her 16-year-old gelding Flambeau produced an outstanding freestyle performance, highlighted by an expressive piaffe-passage tour, powerful engagement and consistent rhythm. The opening section of the test was of the highest quality.
The Belgian rider knows her horse inside out and managed small moments of tension with experience and finesse. The judges rewarded the performance with a new personal best score of 84.015 percent, putting Pauluis on top – just as she had been in the World Cup qualifier in Mechelen.
It was the pair’s third start at the Neumünster World Cup leg and, as Pauluis put it with a smile, “third time lucky.”
“I think it’s a competition that Flambeau really likes because he’s so relaxed in this arena. During the test he was really with me. The piaffe-passage tour felt very expressive today. It was a pleasure to ride — I really enjoyed every moment.”
The score sheet reflected that impression, featuring numerous nines and tens — including a perfect ten for both the entry halt and the final salute. “That was very special. I’m actually surprised because I’ve only been able to ride a really square halt with him for about two months. It took me five years to get a score like this for the halt — so I’m very happy,” Pauluis confessed.
Despite collecting maximum points again, the Belgian team rider remains undecided about competing in the World Cup Final in April in Fort Worth, Texas. Her focus currently lies on championship ambitions: “For now, the most important thing is the team, selection for the World Championships in Aachen and then the Olympic perspective.”
Verboomen second after tense walk tour
Justin Verboomen and the still relatively inexperienced Djembé de Hus OLD once again impressed with their harmony, lightness and elegant contact, even though the chestnut had to cope with the electrifying atmosphere of the sold-out Holstenhallen. Moments of tension in the walk tour and at the final halt cost valuable points. In the end, the pair finished second with 81.985 percent.
“Even before I entered the arena, I knew the walk could be the tricky part with this atmosphere and the crowd. I kept telling him, ‘Stay with me, stay with me,’ but he didn’t quite manage it at first. Still, he really tried. Toward the end of the walk he started to relax — but it was a bit too late. I’m proud of him, but of course it could have been better.”
Moreira secures podium on Neumünster debut
Last to go, João Pedro Moreira and the Fürsten-Look son Drosa Fuerst Kennedy OLD, bred at the Lewitz Stud, delivered a strong freestyle to move onto the podium in third place with a new personal best of 81.080 percent. It was the pair’s first start in Neumünster and their highest ever score in an international freestyle.
“I finished last season at the World Cup leg in Mechelen, and when planning the new season, Neumünster came up very quickly. It’s a big competition worldwide, and especially for me, living in Germany, it was an easy decision to come.”
After mistakes on the final centre line in the Grand Prix, delivering a clean test was his main goal: “Today it was important for me to present a clean and harmonious test. I trust Kennedy a lot — he’s a very special horse. I asked him again, ‘Please help me today.’ Despite his limited experience, he felt amazing. The trot tour was really strong, the frame better than yesterday. I couldn’t be more proud.”
Netz best German rider
Germany’s Raphael Netz and Great Escape Camelot once again presented their established freestyle to the soundtrack of How to Train Your Dragon, with which they had already impressed at the 2024 World Cup Final in Riyadh. The test began with great flow and musical harmony. While piaffe is not Camelot’s strongest movement, Netz presented it skilfully. Despite minor issues in the one-tempi changes, the pair scored 80.940 percent — another result above the 80-percent mark. Behind the leading quartet, U25 European Champion Moritz Treffinger and Championship rider Ingrid Klimke collected valuable World Cup points finishing fifth and eighth respectively.
Notably, four combinations broke the 80-percent barrier, underlining the exceptional sporting level of the class. Ground Jury President Francis Verbeek-van Rooy was impressed: “It was my first time in Neumünster and I really, really enjoyed it. The public is incredibly knowledgeable and deeply engaged with the sport. What pleased us judges most was seeing top riders present their horses in such harmony — and especially the number of young riders stepping into Grand Prix sport.”
Long-term partnership extended
Class sponsor VR Bank zwischen den Meeren was represented by board member Dirk Dejewski, who underlined the regional connection: “Holstein is a horse region and Neumünster is truly a horse city. You feel that in every class. Supporting this sport has been a natural commitment for us for nearly 50 years. The combination of grounded sport and the enthusiasm of the crowd is something very special. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary, we felt warm words alone were not enough which is why we extended our sponsorship of the World Cup Freestyle by another three years.”
Looking ahead
Next year, the FEI Dressage World Cup™ in Neumünster will celebrate its 40th anniversary from 18–21 February 2027. Event organiser Ullrich Kasselmann concluded: “We will definitely be back next year and perhaps even in 50 years’ time. Neumünster is a very special place where great successes and world records have been achieved. Once again today we saw outstanding sport despite the compact arena, because of the spectators — or perhaps precisely thanks to them.”
Caption: Larissa Pauluis and Flambeau (c) Stefan Lafrentz