Justin Verboomen on Zonik Plus Wins Top 12 Grand Prix, Freestyle in €300,000 (US$347,000) CDI5* Event Sunday
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Dec. 19, 2025
The final of the world’s top 12 dressage riders became a head-to-head battle of three superstars from three nations with Justin Verboomen of Belgium on Zonik Plus, Isabell Werth of Germany on Wendy de Fontaine and Cathrine Laudrup Dufour of Denmark on Mount St. John Freestyle placing in that order on the first of two days of the €300,000 event in Frankfurt, Germany.
Justin Verboomen, whose Big Tour competition experience with his nine-year-old stallion Zonik Plus is barely a year on and ranked No. 1 in the world, won Friday on a personal best 81.587%. The result comes after the Belgian rider wowed the world to become Dressage Champion in July at Aachen, Germany, the world’s most prestigious equestrian event as well as at the European Championships less than two months later.
Isabell Werth, by far the most successful equestrian of any Olympic discipline in history as well as team gold medalist on Wendy at the 2024 Olympics and this year’s European Championships, was runner-up in the first round also on a personal best 81.456%. That was just 0.131% behind the winner and the first Grand Prix result above 80% for Isabell and the 11-year-old Danish mare.
Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour on the 16-year-old Hanoverian on which she placed first in the team competitions at both the 2024 Olympics and the 2025 Europeans to lead Denmark to silver in Paris and bronze in Crozet, France was awarded 79.761% for third place Friday.
Serious contenders missing from the head-to-head contest were the top British riders who were at home supporting the London International Horse Show World Cup qualifier where Charlotte “Lottie” Fry on her reigning champion Glamourdale performed the Grand Prix for a score of 80.783% with the Freestyle to come later Friday. Charlotte Dujardin on Alive and Kicking was second in London and Becky Moody on her home-bred Jagerbomb third.
The Frankfurt musical performances to claim the inaugural Top 12 title that replaces what was previously the Top 10 in Stockholm are scheduled for Sunday.
Both Frankfurt and London events are streamed live by Clipmyhorse.TV.
Results:
| Rank | Competitor | Score | E | H | C | M | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Justin Verboomen (BEL) Zonik Plus | 81.587% | 81.304 | 81.630 | 82.717 | 80.000 | 82.283 |
| 2. | Isabell Werth (GER) Wendy de Fontaine | 81.456% | 81.304 | 83.043 | 80.109 | 81.087 | 81.739 |
| 3. | Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour (DEN) Mount St John Freestyle | 79.761% | 80.326 | 79.674 | 79.348 | 79.348 | 80.109 |
| 4. | Frederic Wandres (GER) Bluetooth OLD | 76.674% | 75.978 | 76.848 | 77.065 | 77.065 | 76.413 |
| 5. | Sandra Sysojeva (POL) Maxima Bella | 74.348% | 74.783 | 75.326 | 73.043 | 75.000 | 73.587 |
| 6. | Patrik Kittel (SWE) Touchdown | 73.978% | 74.130 | 74.674 | 73.261 | 73.370 | 74.457 |
| 7. | Larissa Pauluis (BEL) Flambeau | 73.761% | 73.478 | 73.043 | 74.130 | 75.326 | 72.826 |
| 8. | Maria von Essen (SWE) Invoice | 72.087% | 71.413 | 74.239 | 70.109 | 72.391 | 72.283 |
| 9. | Dinja Van Liere (NED) Imposantos | 71.978% | 72.065 | 73.478 | 71.739 | 72.065 | 70.543 |
| 10. | Semmieke Rothenberger (GER) Farrington | 71.761% | 71.522 | 72.283 | 71.848 | 72.826 | 70.326 |
| 11. | Ingrid Klimke (GER) First Class 92 | 70.435% | 69.891 | 72.174 | 67.174 | 71.087 | 71.848 |
 Find details on Equestrian Hub |
