CAI & Dutch Championships Harich: Final Day Brings Major Changes in the Single Horse Standings

Saskia Siebers Crowned Dutch Champion

Xander Tuitjer drove the fastest double clear round in the Single Horse class. As the only driver to finish without penalties, he claimed victory in the cones. Jens Motteler (GER) also finished on zero penalties but was slower, taking second place, while Maria Buchwald (DEN) completed the top three with another clear round. The overall victory, however, went to Saskia Siebers.

Cindy Benschop had dominated the first two phases by winning both the dressage and the marathon, giving her a lead of more than six penalty points over second-placed Saskia Siebers going into Sunday’s cones.

Starting as the penultimate competitor, Saskia produced an excellent round and remained faultless until the very last obstacle — the narrowed oxer. A single ball fell there, adding three penalty points to her overall score.

Cindy entered the arena knowing she still held a lead of more than nine penalty points. Unfortunately, her round did not go according to plan. Two balls fell in the slalom at obstacles 6B and 6D, followed by another knockdown at obstacle 11. She also incurred just over one penalty point for exceeding the time allowed.

Those mistakes proved decisive. Saskia moved into first place in the overall standings, while Cindy dropped to third overall, earning the silver medal in the Dutch Championship.

Between the two Dutch drivers finished Claudia Lauterbach (GER). After winning the dressage and starting the cones in sixth place overall, she climbed to second in the final classification.

Saskia Siebers - Photo: Wilco van Driessen

Stan van Eijk Makes It Three Titles in a Row

Bram Chardon had already won both the dressage and the marathon. Despite knocking down two balls in the cones, he remained on top of the international standings. Since he had already contested another Dutch Championship this year with his four-in-hand, his result counted only towards the international competition and not the Dutch Championship.

Following the marathon, Stan van Eijk occupied second place behind Bram Chardon and therefore led the Dutch Championship standings. A double clear round allowed him to maintain that lead and secure his third consecutive Dutch Championship title.

Anna Sandmann (GER) held on to third place overall after collecting only 2.95 time penalties. Erik Evers also incurred only minor time penalties (1.59) and moved up from fifth to fourth overall, earning the silver medal in the Dutch Pair Horse Championship.

The bronze medal went to Anne Zaayer, who finished fifth in the international standings.

Stan van Eijk - Photo: Wilco van Driessen

Second Consecutive Dutch Title

In the Pair Pony class, Demi van Bree drove a faultless round in the fastest time to win the cones. Dirk Bastiaansen also remained clear to finish second, followed by Lisa Maria Tischer (GER), who placed third with three penalty points.

Overall victory went to Lisa Maria Tischer, while reigning World Champion Tobias Bücker (GER) finished second.

Thanks to his marathon victory and another faultless cones round, Dirk Bastiaansen secured third place overall. As the highest-placed Dutch competitor, he claimed the Dutch Championship title for the second consecutive year. The silver medal went to Demi van Bree, while Desiree van Lambalgen took bronze.

Dutch Podium in the Pony Pair Class

Cas Hendriks once again proved unbeatable in the cones. With only 4.64 penalty points, he finished ahead of Ischa Vink (6.00) and Rowan Timmer (9.99). 

Having already won the dressage and finished fourth in the marathon, Hendriks comfortably secured the overall victory. He finished more than eleven penalty points ahead of Rowan Timmer, who claimed second place in both the international competition and the Dutch Championship.

Ischa Vink completed an all-Dutch podium by finishing third overall and taking the bronze medal.

Cas Hendriks - Photo: Wilco van Driessen

Marijke Hammink Bounces Back in Style

After being disappointed with her dressage performance on Thursday, Marijke Hammink produced an outstanding comeback by winning both the marathon on Saturday and the cones on Sunday.

The battle for the overall victory in the Four-in-Hand Pony class was incredibly close. Hammink finished just 0.04 penalty points ahead of Daniel Pineda Andic (ESP) to secure both the international victory and the Dutch Championship title. It marks the eighth consecutive year that Hammink has won the national title.

Joris Wouda finished third overall and claimed the silver medal, while Dianne Legemaat-van Bemmel placed fourth overall to take bronze.

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Photo: Gerben Olthof