FEI Dressage European Championships 2025 Crozet: Moody Second as Britain Fights for Medals in Crozet
The opening day of the FEI Dressage European Championships 2025 in Crozet delivered drama and determination as Britain’s defending champions faced early setbacks yet remained firmly in medal contention. Under cloud-laden Alpine skies with the stunning backdrop of Mont Blanc, France hosted the European Championships for the first time at the picturesque Jiva Hill Stables.
German Dominance Sets Early Pace
Germany’s Katharina Hemmer topped the leaderboard with Denoix PCH (owned by Nancy Gooding and Hubertus Schmidt), posting an impressive 75.699% in the Grand Prix. The combination delivered their season’s best performance when it mattered most, establishing Germany as early favourites to reclaim their European crown.
“I am totally happy. There are always little things that can be better, today it was the rein-back and the one-tempi series. The first piaffe was also not yet optimal, but maybe that is nit-picking at the highest level,” Hemmer laughed. “He was super focused, gave me a great feeling, and I am very happy we could ride our Championship debut like this.”
The performance put Germany – the nation with the most team golds in European Championship history – firmly on course for another title challenge.
British Heartbreak and Heroics
Britain’s campaign in the FEI Dressage European Championships 2025 began with heartbreak when Andrew Gould and Indigro were eliminated on veterinary grounds during their Grand Prix test. The 12-year-old stallion by Negro, owned by Max and Tatiana Skillman, didn’t feel his usual forward self despite warming up well.
Twenty-five years after making his Young Rider European Championship debut, Gould’s senior championship bow was cut short when judges, led by Denmark’s Hans-Christian Matthiesen, halted their test after concerns arose about the horse’s movement.
“Indigro warmed up well, but just didn’t feel quite his usual, forward self in the arena today,” Gould explained. “While this is a huge disappointment, Indigro is my top priority and I fully support the judges’ decision. I’d like to thank the team vets and the rest of our support team here in Crozet for the care they’ve given him, especially my brilliant groom, Nat Campbell, who dotes on Indi and has looked after him impeccably this week.”
Team vets Andre Buthe and Alice Croxford immediately accompanied Indigro back to the stables for a thorough examination, with horse welfare remaining the absolute priority.
British Equestrian’s World Class Programme Performance Director Helen Nicholls stated: “While this is obviously devastating for Andrew, who is making his senior championship debut here in Crozet, and owners Tatiana and Max Skillman, horse wellbeing is the number one priority for all of us.”
Moody’s Magnificent Recovery
With Andrew’s elimination putting enormous pressure on the remaining British Equestrian dressage team members, Yorkshire’s Becky Moody stepped up magnificently with Jagerbomb. The home-bred gelding, co-owned with Jo Cooper, secured second place individually with 74.829% despite two costly errors.
The Dante Weltino-sired 11-year-old – whose story from “ugly duckling” to Olympic star has captivated fans worldwide through “Bomb’s Blog” – started brilliantly with a good halt, something the pair had previously struggled with due to his eagerness.
Their extended trot across the diagonal was pleasing, followed by relaxed, flowing half-passes showing lovely self-carriage. The walk tour demonstrated the required overtrack, whilst their two-time changes were sublime – nine forward changes flowing effortlessly.
Then disaster struck. In their usually spectacular extended canter, Jagerbomb executed an unplanned flying change. “The extended canter was a real shame. It felt very secure, he felt really good and bold, and then whether something just caught his eye or he lost his balance, I’m not sure,” Moody reflected.
A small error crept into the tricky zigzag that followed, but the one-time flying changes were expressive and fluent, earning marks in the eights and nines for the pirouettes.
“We’ve had a little bit of a phase of him being very hot, not standing still and not walking, so we’ve worked very hard on that – and we did those things, so yay!” Moody said with characteristic positivity. “But, unfortunately, I think that did just mean that we didn’t have the same ‘hotness’ that sometimes helps us out with certain things.”
Despite the disappointment, Moody remained focused: “I’m still super-pleased with the bits that we’ve been working on and the fact that those were better. I’m going to take the positives and the things that were good, then go away and think about how I can improve the things that weren’t so good.”
Early Pressure Mounts
The setbacks weren’t limited to Britain. Germany’s Ingrid Klimke with Vayron FRH (owned by Rudolf Spiekermann) also faced challenges. The enormous gelding impressed with huge lateral work and clean tempi changes but stumbled in the second extended trot, showed tension in the rein-back and second canter pirouette, scoring 69.348% – not the start the German favourites had hoped for.
Scandinavian Consistency Shines
Denmark made a particularly strong impression, with Nadja Aaboe Sloth and her own Favour Gersdorf delivering a fault-free performance for 71.227%. The black gelding’s solid test remained at the top through 20 further starters, eventually finishing in provisional third.
Rikke Dupont made her Championship debut with Grand Galiano (owned by Gert Buchhave and Allan Hansen), posting exactly 70.000%. “I am very happy, I wanted to ride mistake-free, but did have one mistake at the end. Still, I am very pleased with this good start for the team,” Dupont said.
Sweden also impressed with consistency. Sofie Lexner partnered the diligent mare Inoraline W (owned by Christinelund Dressage) to 70.000%, whilst vastly experienced teammate Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén steered Hyatt (owned by Lövsta Stuteri AB) to 70.373%.
Denmark and Sweden became the only two nations with both members breaking the 70% barrier on the opening day.
Dutch Challenge Emerges
Just six athletes managed to break the 70% barrier. Among them was Thamar Zweistra (NED), who guided the talented chestnut Hexagon’s Luxuriouzz N.O.P.T. (owned by Stal Hexagon BV) into provisional fourth with 70.932%, placing the Dutch side fourth in team standings.
Current Standings After Day One
Team Competition:
- Germany – 75.699%
- Great Britain – 74.829%
- Denmark – 71.227%
- Netherlands – 70.932%
- Sweden – 70.373%
Individual Leaderboard:
- Katharina Hemmer (GER) – Denoix PCH – 75.699%
- Becky Moody (GBR) – Jagerbomb – 74.829%
- Nadja Aaboe Sloth (DEN) – Favour Gersdorf – 71.227%
The Road Ahead
The championship continues tomorrow with crucial performances from Britain’s remaining combinations. Carl Hester and Fame compete at 12:46 CET (11:46 BST), followed by Lottie Fry and Glamourdale at 16:17 CET (15:17 BST).
With defending team champions Great Britain and Germany now set for the closest battle for gold, and only one score from each side counting so far, much can still change on the second day. By the end of tomorrow afternoon, the destination of the team medals will be decided.
The Grand Prix resumes tomorrow morning at 10:00, with the final athlete entering the arena at 16:36. The Grand Prix Special begins Friday, with the top 30 combinations qualifying for individual medals. After a rest day, Sunday’s Grand Prix Freestyle will crown the individual champions.
Britain arrived in Crozet with high hopes of defending the European title they claimed in Reisenbeck just two years ago. Carl Hester and Lottie Fry were part of that gold medal team, now joined by Moody and Gould – both competing in their first senior European Championships. With three of the quartet currently featuring in the world’s top five-ranked riders, the form required for a podium finish remains there.
All action can be watched live on FEI.TV, powered by ClipMyHorse.TV with a subscription. Full results are available through World Sport Timing, and comprehensive coverage continues on the British Equestrian Dressage Hub.