The spectators celebrated the rider that had won over their hearts and who is now also the winner of the Lindt-Prize 2025, the Belgian show-jumper Justin Verboomen and his stallion, Zonik Plus, the dressage discovery of the year. Since the CHIO Aachen at the latest.

The sensation is perfect. It is Justin Verboomen and his self-schooled, nine-year-old Zonik Plus’ first Grand Prix season and the pair managed to qualify for the CHIO Aachen straight off. It was Verboomen’s first appearance at the World Equestrian Festival. And the Lindt-Prize went to a Belgian pair for the first time in the history of the CHIO – who in the proceeds left last year’s winners and Olympic silver medallists behind them, the most successful dressage rider of all time, Isabell Werth, and her Wendy de Fontaine. Verboomen was awarded a score of 89.40 percent, Werth 88.44 percent. Third place went to the delighted team Olympic gold medallist, Frederic Wandres with Bluetooth OLD, ahead of the Olympic bronze medallist, who came third in the MEGGLE-Prize, Becky Moody (GBR) with Jagerbomb (85.490).

The sensational thing was the way the triumph of Verboomen and his Hanoverian-bred Zonik son came about and how he was celebrated. It was the victory of harmony and smoothness.

Ideally, dressage riding is like dancing – two partners in harmony. The one leads and supports discreetly; the other partner accepts the lead and lets both shine out as a pair. That was precisely what Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus did today in the Lindt-Prize 2025. That is how one imagines dressage to be. Light, matter of course – effortlessness instead of control. All of which was accompanied by light, discreet melodies that were composed especially for the pair. “I wanted to make it smooth and harmonious so the people could feel the emotions… I want them to feel the sensitive part of Zonic and me. I want them to get goosebumps,“ explained Verboomen. He definitely achieved his aim, everyone in the Dressage Stadium in Aachen today felt the connection between the rider and Zonik Plus, whom Verboomen discovered and bought as a two-year-old in Portugal. He then brought Zonik back to Belgium when he was three and a half and has been schooling him ever since.

When the pair turned on to the last centre line of the freestyle, the spectators started clapping to the rhythm of the music. At first one was worried it might disturb Zonik Plus’ concentration, but that wasn’t the case. As the pair halted for the salute, the crowd jumped up on its feet – thunderous applause, whistling and standing ovations accompanied the pair on their way to the exit. Then, the score was announced: 89.40 percent! Even more cheering and jubilation!

Quotes

Justin Verboomen after the prize-giving ceremony: “I am overjoyed, my horse was unbelievable! I really had a super connection with him today. That was my main goal here at the competition this week. That is the most important thing for me!” Whether he had already grasped the fact that he had earned himself a place on the Winners’ Board on his first appearance in Aachen? He shook his head tentatively. Obviously not. But he knows what he wants for the future: “The only thing I want is to have the same feeling I had today in the Grand Prix and the Special.”

Isabell Werth gave her all with Wendy. She didn’t even make any mistakes in the one-tempi changes, as she had in the classes before. She too received enthusiastic applause in her “living room”. Werth’s summary: “Yesterday Wendy was on fire, today she was more relaxed. I am happy with the improvements that have occurred from day to day. The canter was much better and can improve a little more. The transitions were great; the walk was immediately there. She was dynamic, there were no big mistakes.

Whether she was a little disappointed at coming second? “No! As I said, I love to have competition, I love competing. We all do. Sometimes you have a percentage more, sometimes a percentage less. This is the challenge.“

Frederic Wandres said: “It is the last day and I am back on the podium. We showed a good development. My horse was good all week. It was a tough week with the weather conditions, it was so hot at the beginning and now rain, which is difficult for the horses. He was also happy with his new freestyle music under the motto “All you need is love”. “The music came just on time; I didn’t have chance to test it,” he revealed. But it all fitted perfectly.

CHIO Aachen Head of Sport, Birgit Rosenberg: “The big winner today is the sport. We received a lot of criticism in the run-up. You gave the answer to that today. We saw super pictures, super horses. Thank you to you all, your teams your grooms they all work so hard behind the scenes. I think today was a foretaste of what we will see next year at the World Championships.