21-year-old Sterre van Houte was surprised but delighted to be crowned the 2025 Dutch National Eventing Champion at her first ever visit to Military Boekelo-Enschede.
Her horse Crossborder Radar Love, a 12-year-old Diarado gelding with whom she contested European Junior and Young Rider Championships, was ridden by Raf Kooremans at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games but returned to competition with Sterre this year. They started the competition in second place after dressage, held that spot after cross country and secured the win on the final day with just 2.8 time faults in the showjumping.
Sterre succeeds Janneke Boonzaaijer, who had claimed the Dutch National Championship for the past three years, with Sterre saying that “It’s really special to succeed Janneke” adding “It’s unbelievable. I never dreamed of such an ending. I honestly wasn’t thinking about the championship at all”
“This morning, I just thought, ‘Let’s get through the vet check first, then go jump’. I know I’m not the fastest rider. Standing on the podium is amazing. I don’t feel at the level of the top riders yet, but hopefully I have a few more years to get there.”
Fellow debutant Splinter Bergsma came very close to taking the national title, finishing just 0.3 penalty points behind with his twelve-year-old bay gelding Vigo Key SR Z. At a greater distance, Aliene Ruyter claimed the bronze with her sixteen-year-old grey gelding Veloumani Tess LY.
The leader after cross country, Tijn de Blaauw, the youngest competitor in the field at 20-years-old competing at his first 4*-L competition, had a complete off-day in the show jumping round and lost his medal chances early on but the Dutch National Coach Andrew Heffernan expressed pride in all four of his young riders that made up the Dutch Nations Cup team.
“I’m especially proud of how well they kept their composure” said Andrew “I tried to take the pressure off them because Boekelo brings its own. I wanted them to feel comfortable. It’s a pleasure working with them, and hopefully this leads to future medals.”
Nadja Minder claims U25 win at Boekelo
Sterre van Houte also claimed fourth place in the Under 25 Section of the CCIO4*-L at Boekelo, which was won by Switzerland’s Nadja Minder riding Top Jobs Jalisco, finishing 12th in the overall competition. Australia’s Olivia Barton riding APH Sodoku took second place and Ireland’s Momo Sheehy riding HHS Noble Call took third.
With the new Under 25 World Eventing Championships coming up in 2026, these are names to keep an eye on!
