Tiemeyer x Hetzel Young Horse Masters

“We’re always on the lookout for top quality horses, especially promising youngsters, and we know hard they are to find. We want to offer our competitors as many options as possible with our event and to provide owners, breeders and sponsors with an optimised sport and marketing platform. Everyone who knows us also knows that our facilities are excellent. We put on competitions organised by riders for riders that tick every box.”

Holger Hetzel

Ten of the original field of 39 five-year-old starters qualified for the finals jump-off on Sunday afternoon, and it made an exciting watch for spectators, with only three hundredths of a second separating first and second place. Philipp Hartmann (Münster) crossed the finish line with the fastest clear round of 36.64 seconds on Cortez FZ by Cornet Obolensky, much to the delight of his boss Ludger Beerbaum, who was also at the event. Close on Philipp’s heels in second place was Marco Kutscher (Bad Essen). The bronze medal winner at the 2004 Olympics and two-times European Champion of 2005 came home clear in a time of 36.67 seconds with his Oldenburg gelding Carlo by Conthargos. Hendrik Dowe (Heiden) came third with home-bred Unglaublich by United Touch S (clear in 38.01 seconds).  

The nine horse-and-rider duos taking part in the finals jump-off for six-year-olds horses had previously qualified in two preliminary rounds on Thursday and Friday. Laurens Houben and his grey stallion Hoover De Hus delivered the fastest clear in 41.88 seconds, giving him EUR 12,000 of the total EUR 25,000 prize money for this class.

That wasn’t Houben’s only top placing in this six-year-olds final because he and his Westphalian gelding Carrera Crystal had another fast clear round of 44.23 seconds, putting them in second place and winning Houben another EUR 9,600 in prize money. Third place went to another top horse, Dracon, and Hendrik Dowe (Heiden), (faultless in 44.69 seconds). Westphalian Dracon by Dominator Z and his rider were highly placed in several classes at last year’s German Young Horse Championships in Warendorf.

In the last final for seven and eight-year-old horses, which took place on Sunday afternoon, the top placings were something of an international affair. With a clear round in 36.74 seconds, Irish rider Kevin Thornton took first place with Champions League and was delighted to collect his EUR 18,600 in prize money. Kamil Papousek (Czech Republic) and Stakki Boy-KL (0/37.04) were just a fraction of a second behind him in second place. Dutch rider Gerben Morsink with Calida Z came third (0/37.23). Sophie Hinners (Pfungstadt) with Cornet XL represented Germany in the lap of honour after coming fourth (0/ 37.58).

This competition offers some of the most perfect conditions I’ve ever seen for me, as a rider, and for my horses.”

Marco Kutscher

“Last year’s competition didn't fit into our schedule, but I heard a lot of great things about it. Now I’ve seen it for myself, I know they weren’t exaggerating. Holger Hetzel has created a globally unique event.”

Ludger Beerbaum

“It’s a super event – brilliantly organised and the horses feel right at home here even though most of them are spending their first night away.  I’m really grateful to be here, and I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who has made this fantastic event possible.”

Sophie Hinners