The world’s most promising young eventing horses gathered in France for the 40th anniversary of the FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championships for Young Horses, hosted at the Mondial du Lion, Le Lion d’Angers. Among a field of exceptional talent, it was Irish-bred Brookfield Danny De Muze and British athlete Tom McEwen who captured the seven-year-old title, while Belgium’s Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Tara Van Het Leliehof triumphed in the six-year-old championship.
Brookfield Danny De Muze, expertly piloted by McEwen, produced a faultless double clear to secure victory on a score of 29.6. “I have had some really good results here and I’m delighted for the owners- Chloe and John Perry and Alison Swinburn,” said McEwen. “I am really pleased for the horse who has been going really well all year. I haven’t run him much because the ground has been so hard in the UK. I felt we made a few mistakes on Thursday in the Dressage, but he was brilliant yesterday and jumped foot-perfect today. It’s really nice for the owners, who are unbelievably good at coming second and third.”
Speaking about his champion mount, sired by I’m Special de Muze, McEwen added: “He’s a very modern-day sport horse. He’s got a great gallop and, as you saw today, a fantastic jump – so for me, he’s the full package. The course today was very open and then went a bit twisty, and I could easily catch up time later on just because he’s so quick to turn around.”
He also reflected on the broader significance of the event. “The reason you come here is to showcase the young horses, and as Le Lion shows, it’s not just the winners that follow the path. Take Lordships Graffalo, who finished eighth here- you can see how phenomenal he’s become. For me, yes, obviously we are here to compete and win, but at the same time it’s about producing these lovely horses in an incredible spectacle, with plenty of people, and seeing how they first learn to deal with atmosphere.”
McEwen’s clear round secured the title ahead of Belgium’s Lara de Liedekerke-Meier, who came agonisingly close to claiming a rare double victory. Competing along Helios, she dropped a rail at oxer number eight (8), settling for second place. Ireland’s Ian Cassells and Noa W completed the podium in third, marking an impressive double medal haul for the Irish athlete after also finishing runner-up in the six-year-old class with Rutland Flamenco. France’s Benjamin Massié and Indigogrey Savigny AA climbed an extraordinary 36 places – from 40th after Dressage to fourth overall- claiming the best French result in the seven-year-old championship.
In the six-year-old championship, it was Tara Van Het Leliehof by the stallion Pegasus Van’t Ruytershof ridden by Lara de Liedekerke-Meier who claimed top honours following a faultless performance in the final jumping phase. Sitting second after dressage and leading after cross-country, the Belgian combination delivered a clear round on the final day to clinch the title on a score of 25.5. It marked De Liedekerke-Meier’s first ever victory at Le Lion after nearly twenty appearances since 2007.
“It’s incredible – you work so hard for that. I knew the horse was exceptional, but there’s a difference between knowing it and doing it. It’s the judges liking your horse, a bit of luck on the course, and so many things you can’t control. Today I had to cope with my nerves, which were not under control until after fence 4b, but then I felt she was jumping incredibly and I could relax a little bit and make it happen. It’s a sweet victory,” said de Liedekerke-Meier.
Reflecting on her mare’s performance, she added: “It’s the first time she has done the jumping after the cross-country. She was a bit impressed by the crowd when she went in there, but she’s a polite horse and I think she’s a superstar for the future.”
The Belgian star, who also claimed victory at Boekelo (BEL) just a week earlier, expressed heartfelt gratitude to her support network. “This is the kind of emotion that keeps us going through the hard times and the injuries. I may be the one in the spotlight, but this victory belongs to the whole team.”
Ireland’s Ian Cassells achieved his first-ever podium at the Mondial du Lion, finishing second in the six-year-olds with Rutland Flamenco after a double clear round, while the USA’s Hallie Coon and Tykillen Tango completed the top three after climbing from tenth place following Dressage.
Several Canadians participated in this event: in the 7-year-old division, Rebecca Howard rode Cameron Crawford’s Dolmen Cooley to 17th place, and Colleen Loach rode Peter Barry’s Chiaro Z Excalibur to 45th place among 70 entries. In the 6-year-olds, Kathryn Robinson piloted Jane Del Missier’s Parkplace Cedar to finish 32nd in the starting field of 44.
As the curtain closed on the 40th edition of the FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championship, the event once again proved its reputation as a showcase for the sport’s future stars – where the next generation of world and Olympic champions begins its journey.
FULL RESULTS – Seven-year-olds
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