Belgian Olympic rider triumphs on home soil as Verboomen debuts new star at Mechelen

Belgian Olympic rider Larissa Pauluis delivered the performance of her career on Monday, winning the FEI Dressage World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle at Jumping Mechelen with a personal best score that catapulted her into contention for a place in the championship at Fort Worth.

Riding her two-time Olympic partner Flambeau, the 15-year-old gelding, Pauluis earned a stunning 82.975% from the judges, a score that not only secured victory in front of the home crowd but also positioned the pair just one point off the Western European League lead heading into the second half of the World Cup season.

The victory, following Sunday’s Grand Prix win, marks a landmark moment in Pauluis’ career and Belgian dressage’s continued ascent on the international stage.

Pauluis peaks at the perfect moment

The musical freestyle performance showcased everything that has made Pauluis and Flambeau one of international dressage’s most reliable combinations over recent years. The test combined technical precision with genuine expression, set to music that perfectly complemented the gelding’s movement.

After representing Belgium at both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, Pauluis has steadily refined her partnership with Flambeau. Monday’s performance represented the culmination of years of patient development, with the gelding showing newfound maturity and confidence in the technical elements.

“It’s taken me years to get where we are today, and he keeps improving,” Pauluis reflected after Sunday’s Grand Prix. “In the beginning of our career, he was very difficult to ride in the double bridle, but the contact keeps getting better. I’m so proud of him.”

That pride was evident in the Nekkerhal on Monday, where the pair delivered near-flawless execution through the demanding freestyle test.

The 82.975% score now places Pauluis within striking distance of Germany’s Raphael Netz, who currently leads the Western European League. With nine starting positions available for European combinations at the World Cup Final in Fort Worth, Texas, in April, and with reigning champion Charlotte Fry of Britain guaranteed a spot if she completes two qualifiers, Pauluis has positioned herself firmly in qualification contention.

Verboomen impresses with new partner

While Pauluis claimed top honours, Monday’s most intriguing storyline may have been the performance of her Belgian teammate Justin Verboomen, the current world number one rider, competing with a different horse than his championship-winning partner.

Verboomen, who dominated 2025 with European Championship Gold and multiple World Cup victories aboard Zonik Plus, rode the 10-year-old stallion Djembe de Hus OLD to second place with a score of 82.450%. The performance marked the pair’s freestyle debut together and was a remarkably strong showing given their limited partnership.

Verboomen’s ability to produce such a high-level freestyle with a relative newcomer to his stable demonstrates the depth of his talent and feel for horses. Djembe de Hus arrived at Verboomen’s yard last spring with the intention of being sold, but the partnership has clearly developed beyond initial expectations.

Verboomen has indicated that Zonik Plus will skip the World Cup Final to focus on the 2026 World Championships in Aachen, making Djembe de Hus his World Cup mount for the season.

If Monday’s performance is any indication of what’s to come, Belgian dressage fans may have two genuine contenders in the World Cup circuit this season.

Third place to João Pedro Moreira

Third place went to Portugal’s João Pedro Moreira aboard Drosa Fuerst Kennedy OLD, another 10-year-old stallion. The pair scored 79.280%, replicating their podium finish from Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Moreira’s consistent performances over the weekend demonstrated the quality required to challenge at this level.

The same top-three lineup from the Grand Prix carried through to the Freestyle – a testament to the quality of all three performances over the weekend and the consistency of the judging panel’s assessments.

Belgian breakthrough continued

Monday’s results add another chapter to what has been a breakthrough year for Belgian dressage. The country that once struggled to make an impact at the highest level of the sport now boasts multiple riders capable of challenging for World Cup podiums and championship medals.

Verboomen’s meteoric rise with Zonik Plus, from relative unknown to European Champion and World Number One in less than twelve months, provided the headline story of 2025. But Belgium’s strength runs deeper than one rider and horse.

Pauluis’ Olympic experience and now championship-level scores with Flambeau demonstrate established quality at the top. Olympic veteran Domien Michiels, despite battling injury this season, won the World Cup qualifier in Gothenburg last year with Intermezzo van het Meerdaalhof. Rising stars like Charlotte Defalque and Jorinde Verwimp add further depth to the national squad.

The country’s success stems from sustained investment in development programs and the work of Belgian Dressage Performance Manager Jeroen Van Lent, himself a former jumping rider who has overseen the sport’s growth with strategic vision.

“We are thrilled to have riders like Justin and Larissa representing Belgium,” Van Lent has said. “But this success didn’t happen overnight. It’s the result of years of work building infrastructure, developing horses, and supporting riders at all levels.”

Belgium’s team performances this year, the first-ever Nations Cup leg victory in Lier, bronze at CHIO Aachen, fourth at the European Championships, reflected that depth. So too do weekends like Mechelen, where two Belgian combinations claimed the top two places in a World Cup Qualifier.

Looking ahead

The Western European League continues next week with a qualifier in Basel, Switzerland, running January 7-11. That event will provide another opportunity for Pauluis to consolidate her position in the standings and for Verboomen to continue building his partnership with Djembe de Hus.

With the World Cup Final four months away and valuable qualifying points on offer at each remaining leg, Monday’s victory gives Pauluis crucial momentum heading into the new year. The personal-best score demonstrates that she and Flambeau are in form at exactly the right moment.

For Belgium, the results in Mechelen encapsulate a remarkable transformation. A country that won its first European dressage medal just months ago now has multiple riders competing confidently for World Cup victories and Final qualification.

The home crowd in the Nekkerhal witnessed that transformation firsthand on Monday, celebrating Pauluis’ triumph and Verboomen’s strong showing with the enthusiasm that has made Jumping Mechelen one of the winter circuit’s most atmospheric venues.

As Belgian dressage continues its ascent, performances like Monday’s Freestyle suggest the best may still be ahead. With experienced combinations like Pauluis and Flambeau hitting peak form, and Verboomen demonstrating his ability to succeed with multiple horses, Belgium’s presence at the top of international dressage looks sustainable rather than fleeting.

For now, though, the moment belongs to Pauluis and Flambeau. Years of patient work, two Olympic appearances, and countless training sessions led to Monday’s personal best – a score that announced their arrival as genuine World Cup Final contenders and provided Belgian dressage with another landmark victory.

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FEI Dressage World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle Results (December 29, 2025):

1. Larissa Pauluis (BEL) – Flambeau – 82.975%
2. Justin Verboomen (BEL) – Djembe de Hus OLD – 82.450%
3. João Pedro Moreira (POR) – Drosa Fuerst Kennedy OLD – 79.280%

Prize money: €50,000

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Western European League Standings:

• Raphael Netz (GER) leads with Pauluis now one point behind
• Top 9 combinations qualify for Fort Worth Final in April
• Reigning champion Charlotte Fry (GBR/Glamourdale) automatically qualifies with two completed qualifiers

Next WEL Qualifier: Basel, Switzerland – January 7-11, 2026