The Belgian victory of Justin Verboomen and his fantastic Zonik Plus was the crowning moment of six incredible days at CDI Lier. “I am so proud of Zonik Plus,” said an emotional Justin Verboomen after his win. With a score of 81.420%, they edged out Poland’s Sandra Sysojeva and Maxima Bella by less than one percent.

Dressage fans eagerly anticipated the showdown between the two nine-year-old sensations of the moment: Zonik Plus (by Zonik) and Maxima Bella (by Millenium). In yesterday’s Grand Prix, it was already a neck-and-neck battle in favor of Zonik Plus, and today, he once again proved he could triumph over the spectacular mare.

A beautiful conclusion
The audience was treated to dressage of the highest level this afternoon. With excellent balance and a highly harmonious performance, Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus secured a Belgian victory, a more perfect ending to CDI Lier could hardly be imagined. Justin Verboomen was not the only rider to surpass the 80% mark. Poland’s Sandra Sysojeva delivered an impressive freestyle with Maxima Bella, earning a score of 80.570%. The final rider, the Dutch Marlies van Baalen, performed a strong freestyle with Habibi VDB (by Blue Hors Don Schufro), receiving a score of 77.460%.

So proud
“There were more spectators today than yesterday, but Zonik Plus didn’t mind. He remained fully focused on me throughout the entire freestyle,” said Justin Verboomen after his win. The Belgian rider was visibly emotional after securing victory in front of a home crowd. “The entire extended trot tour felt amazing, I really enjoyed it. And I’m just so proud of Zonik. He stays so calm in these conditions and this atmosphere, despite not having much experience at this level. He’s really starting to settle into it all, which will help him save even more energy for the tests in the future.”

Zonik Plus versus Maxima Bella
This was the first time the two nine-year-olds had the chance to compete against each other. “I think Maxima Bella is an incredible horse, with so much power and strength,” Justin said. “But of course, I think Zonik Plus is amazing too. Zonik has a very uphill build, great balance, and a beautiful frame. Maybe that made the difference today,” Justin explained. In about a week and a half, the pair will compete at The Dutch Masters. “I’m really looking forward to it. The competition there will be even tougher, and it will be interesting to see where we stand. I don’t have a chance to qualify for the World Cup Final, so my goal is to really enjoy the ride.” The 4* Grand Prix Freestyle was sponsored by Stephex.

CDIO debut
From May 14 to 18, the CDI Lier organization will host CDIO Lier for the first time, marking a historic moment as Belgium’s very first Nations Cup dressage competition.

Results

“I really didn’t expect this, to leave the arena as the winner on both days in such a strong field. I’m just super, super happy,” said Semmieke Rothenberger after her victory in the freestyle to music. The German rider delivered an impressive performance, leaving a strong impression on the judges with her test. Her freestyle was rewarded with a mega score of 79.235%.

The entire podium was filled with riders who had all recently made the transition from U25 to Grand Prix, yet they have already managed to establish themselves at the highest level.

From Juniors to Grand Prix
Second place went to Germany’s Anna Schölermann, who made her international Grand Prix debut with her U25 European Championship horse, Bon Scolari (by Bon Bravour). Her freestyle earned her 72.470%. The Dutch rider Rowena Weggelaar followed closely behind, securing third place with Don Quichot (by United) on a score of 72.340%. A fun fact: Rowena has been competing with Don Quichot since her Junior years, making their journey to Grand Prix even more special.

Unbeatable in the Freestyle
With a significant lead, victory went to Semmieke and her 15-year-old Farrington (by Jazz). “I have always believed in this horse, and at home, I can already feel what is possible. I’m incredibly happy that we were able to start the season like this.” Luckily, Semmieke also had the chance to enjoy the ride. “I really had so much fun out there. He’s like a Ferrari, he just takes you with him, and it’s such an amazing feeling when a horse wants to work for you like that. The small mistakes we had today were simply because he wants to go so much. That willingness is something truly special about him,” she praised her ‘Ferrie.’ It wasn’t the first time Farrington had performed this freestyle; he had already won with it in Balve and Peelbergen. “So far, he’s been unbeatable in the freestyle,” Semmieke laughed, looking ahead to the rest of the season with excitement.

Results

Semmieke Rothenberger (GER) – Farrington
CDI Lier 2025
© DigiShots

Denise Nekeman and her talented gelding Kansas STH (by Dante Weltino) have just secured victory in the Intermediaire I. With a score of 69.235%, the combination left world champion Charlotte Fry behind. “He is such an incredibly talented horse.”

“I was very happy with my test, but you could see that he still found it a bit exciting. There were still a few mistakes. Kansas is such an incredibly talented horse with a lot of quality, so you can afford a few small errors sometimes,” said Denise Nekeman after her test. “The really high scores are not quite there yet at competitions like this, but the more experience he gains, the more relaxed he will become, and then those higher scores will come too. He has so much potential, and if he can already win with mistakes, I am sure there is a lot more in him. He can improve so much more,” Denise praised Kansas STH.

Grand Prix as the goal
The pair have been together for about two years now, starting in the Z2, progressing to the Small Tour, and with only one goal: “Riding Grand Prix!” But before that, Denise wants to give Kansas more experience. “I really want to give him time. He can already do all the exercises, but he still needs to learn to relax more in competition. The exercises are all there, and of course, I would love to show them, but we are not quite ready for our Grand Prix debut yet,” Denise explains. “But if everything goes well, it will come quickly,” she says confidently.

A cuddle bug in the stable
The ten-year-old Dante Weltino son shows great commitment and work ethic in the ring. “As calm and sweet as he is in the stable, he is just as hot when I ride him,” Denise laughs. “It doesn’t matter how long I ride him, he just keeps going. I really like hot horses,” she adds with a smile. “He is such a cuddle bug in the stable, and he is also very smart. Sometimes I only think about an exercise, and apparently, I change something in my posture because I haven’t even given the aid yet, and he is already executing the movement.”

Trained by Hans Peter Minderhoud for 16 years
The Dutch rider has been training with Hans Peter Minderhoud for more than half of her life. “Hans Peter has been through everything with me,” Denise laughs. “I love that he knows me so well. Often, a half-word is enough, and I am still learning from him.” In addition to Hans Peter Minderhoud, Denise is also coached by Yessin Rahmouni. “Yessin comes to our home twice a week to train with me. Hans Peter was here in Lier yesterday to help me, which was really great. I started training with Nicole Werner when I was twelve and moved to Hans Peter when I was fifteen. That was already sixteen years ago.”

Top 3
The Inter I class was sponsored by NV Ambaro. With a score of 69.235%, the victory this morning went to Dutch rider Denise Nekeman and Kansas STH (by Dante Weltino), placing ahead of world champion Charlotte Fry and Everest (by Especial), who made their international debut this week and scored 68.059%. In third place was Ukrainian rider Iryna Kharchenko with Fanto (by Fantastic), whose test earned 67.382%.

Results

Laila Smits was an internationally successful youth rider, and after spending several years primarily training young horses, she has now returned to the international stage. This afternoon, she claimed victory in the Prix St. Georges at CDI Lier with her self-trained Gunner KS son, Lest Best P R. “I definitely shed a few tears afterwards,” the Dutch rider said with a smile.

In a strong field of competitors, Laila Smits rode the nine-year-old Lest Best P R (by Gunner KS) to a score of 71.765%. “When I came out of the ring, I just couldn’t believe it, but there it was.” She bought the gelding as a two-year-old from his breeder, Piet Kuipers. “Piet always calls me when he has a nice horse available. So, he called and said, ‘I have one for you.’ One testicle hadn’t descended, which was my luck, otherwise, he would have prepared him for the stallion approval.”

From Z2 to Small Tour
Last summer, the pair was competing at Z2 level before making the step up to the Small Tour. “It turned out that my results from the Young Riders didn’t count towards the Small Tour, so after our debut score of 68%, I had to go back to ZZ-Zwaar to earn ten qualifying points,” Laila laughed.

Respecting his individuality
“He picks up everything so well,” Laila said proudly. However, reaching this level was far from a given. “I often thought I wouldn’t be able to do it. It hasn’t always been easy. I really had to earn his trust, but now that I have it, he does everything for me.” Laila has always taken her time with his training. “I’ve always listened to Lest Best, to what he could handle and what he couldn’t. I do that with all my horses, and with him, it was especially important. I respect him for who he is. And besides, I couldn’t have done this without Marion Schreuder!”

Laila Smits (NED) – Lest Best PR
CDI Lier 2025
© DigiShots

Time to focus on herself
After her Young Riders career, Laila mainly rode young horses. “I really missed this level, as well as these competitions. I hadn’t had horses at this level for a long time, and the young ones kept getting sold. Now, I felt it was time to think about myself and keep a horse.” That decision turned out to be the right one. Meanwhile, the now 30-year-old rider also became a mother. “It’s truly wonderful, and Lest Best is so sweet with my little daughter. But because of my pregnancy, he had a break from competition, I didn’t want anyone else riding him.”

Gaining experience
Looking to gain experience, Laila Smits competed at CDI Lier today. “I really didn’t expect this, not before the test and not after. The field was so strong. I was already really happy with my performance and score, so after that, it didn’t even matter anymore,” Laila laughed. “Together with my dad, I definitely shed a few tears after the test. Everything is finally falling into place. This just shows how important it is to listen to your horse and give them time. Of course, it helps that this horse is my own. You know what else helps? These two,” she said, pointing to her parents. “They always believe in me, just like my partner. That means so much and is incredibly important,” Laila shared emotionally.

Grand Prix dreams
What is Laila’s goal? “Riding Grand Prix is truly my dream! First, I want to gain more international experience in the Small Tour, for both him and myself, and then train towards the Grand Prix.” She was one of the first riders to compete today, meaning she had to wait a long time. “At one point, I just couldn’t handle it anymore,” Laila laughed. “So, I sat in the truck and waited.” The wait was well rewarded with first place. “This might be the only time in my life that Charlotte Fry finishes behind me,” Laila joked.

Simply enjoying the moment
“I really missed these competitions, they’re so much fun. I’m here with just one horse, and I have all the time for him. As a rider, you learn so much from this experience. And it’s just so special to ride in this kind of atmosphere and setting. I’m really enjoying the fact that I can do this again.” On Sunday, the pair will compete in the Small Tour Freestyle. “I want to ride just as well as today and simply enjoy the moment,” Laila concluded.

Results

Laila Smits (NED) – Lest Best PR
CDI Lier 2025
© DigiShots

CDI Lier proved to be the stage for many young talents making their international U25 debut with their horses. Among them was Sophia Reef, who dominated the competition with two consecutive victories. Another standout combination was Harrison Ashton, who delivered a promising performance in the first-ever international show of his beautiful and talented mare, Million Dreams.

British dressage rider, influencer, and content creator Harrison Ashton made a remarkable international U25 debut at CDI Lier, marking his first-ever competition in Europe since relocating from England to Germany. Riding the talented Million Dreams, or “Milly,” Ashton competed in his first show with her, and at just 10 years old, she was the youngest horse in the U25 category.

Third international show
“It was a fantastic show, everything was so well organized, and the people were so friendly,” Harrison said after finishing fourth in yesterday’s Grand Prix. “It was our first show together and Milly’s first-ever big show. It has been a great start to my career on this continent.” Not only was this their first international competition together, but it was also just the third international show of Ashton’s career.

Promising Millenium Daughter
The just ten years old mare Million Dreams (s.Millenium), owned by Gonzalo Castillo Arroyo and Jesse Honka, impressed in the U25 Grand Prix, securing a fourth-place finish with a score of 68.812%. “I’m very, very happy and looking forward to coming back here at Lier. Milly is truly special to me.” With such a strong start on the international stage, we can’t wait to see what the future holds for Harrison Ashton and Million Dreams.

Harrison Ashton (GBR) – Million Dreams
CDI Lier 2025
© DigiShots