Uriel is the winner

It had been hinted at: The six-year-old Holsteiner gelding Uriel, sired by Uriko and out of Centurion, bred by Jan-Kai Hansen, won the final for six-year-old show jumping horses at the Tiemeyer x Hetzel Young Horse Masters with Sophie Hinners in the jump-off. A victory in the second division on the first day, followed by a first-place finish in the second qualification, and a flawless and quick final performance in the prize of Hetzel Horses GmbH, Goch & Frankonia Eurobau AG, marked a successful event for Hinners and the adventurous bay gelding.

'I like coming here because everything around here is just right,' Hinners remarked on the second day. Whether it's the arenas, warm-up areas, or temporary stables, everything is well-organized and user-friendly. Between the final round and the concluding jump-off, the presentation of the 'Flanders Foal Auction' foal collection provided a break for the young finalists. The very young generation of foals was showcased and would find new owners on Saturday evening - but not until autumn, as the foals will remain with their mothers and breeders until weaning.

Katrin Eckermann’s 'Young Wild Ones'

Katrin Eckermann (Füchtorf) stood out with two young contenders, taking second place with Sascinora NRW. The Westphalian mare is a daughter of Stakkato Boy RM and granddaughter of Firth of Lorne, whom Katrin Eckermann had once competed with. Eckermann also secured fourth place with Iron Dames Earl of Alice, a DSP stallion bred by Ralf Mewes, secured by Iron Dames team founder Deborah Meyer as an investment for the future. In this group of ladies, Felix Haßmann (Lienen) placed third with the Mecklenburg mare Casablanca AWZ, by Calido's Son-Chacco-Blue, making a fine impression.

Exciting Times Ahead - Upcoming Young Horse Finals in Goch

Seventy-three pairs competed in the second qualification for seven and eight-year-old horses in the Ashford Farm prize, where Katrin Eckermann shone once again. She competed with a horse that had already secured placements at the Hetzel Spring Masters in spring: Cascajall NRW, a Westphalian gelding owned by her father Otmar Eckermann. Following were the Swiss rider Kaya Ehning on Comme il kenda and Hilke Wohlgemuth on Spotify, two other amazons with young horses. Incidentally, Hilke Wohlgemuth had previously won the first competition of the day, the so-called consolation round for six-year-olds with the mare Big Clara GS. As confusing as it may sound, this is a class M* jumping competition for those pairs who did not make it to the final but still have the opportunity to compete in another standard competition. Every competition experience counts for young horses.

Prize for Grooms

Neighing or typical 'bubbling' and various joy signals are almost always directed towards grooms in every tournament stable. They ensure the horses' general well-being. When observing tournament horses at events, it becomes evident: riders usually rank second in the popularity scale behind the grooms. Grooms are indispensable not only for their work routines but also for their keen understanding of the horses entrusted to them, their unerring eye for the horses' daily moods and conditions, and their endless care.

At the Tiemeyer x Hetzel Young Horse Masters, the Frankonia Eurobau AG awarded the groom prize on Saturday, and a significant reason for this is company founder Uwe Schmitz's understanding of the crucial role of grooms. The prize consisted not of horse care products, practical backpacks, or similar items, but actual checks worth 500 euros each, awarded to five grooms during a special ceremony who accompany their horses both nationally and internationally.