Larissa Pauluis on 2-Time Olympic Partner Flambeau Win Mechelen World Cup Freestyle on Personal Best

3 weeks ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Larissa Pauluis on 2-Time Olympic Partner Flambeau Win Mechelen World Cup Freestyle on Personal Best
Larissa Pauluis of Belgium on Flambeau.
© 2025 Hippo Foto Media – Sharon Vandeput

MECHELEN, Belgium, Dec. 29, 2025–Larissa Pauluis on her two-time Olympic mount Flambeau won the World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle on a personal best score Monday to place the pair in contention for a start at the championship Final in Fort Worth, Texas in April.

The score of 82.975% placed the Belgian rider and the 15-year-old gelding just one point off the lead midway through the 10-event Western European League. The musical performance followed a victory in the Grand Prix Sunday and ranked them one point behind Raphael Netz of Germany who is the leader in Western Europe. That league gets to send nine of the 18 starting horse and rider combinations at Fort Worth as well as reigning champion Charlotte “Lottie” Fry of Britain on Glamourdale if she completes two qualifiers.

Larissa and Flambeau competed for Belgium at both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics as well as this year’s European Championships and the World Cup Final in Basel, Switzerland last April.

Justin Verboomen in the Freestyle debut of the 10-year-old stallion Djembe de Hus OLD was awarded 82.450% for runner up as the duo was in the Grand Prix.

Justin, a Belgian team mate of Larissa, is the world’s No. 1 rider on his European Championship star Zonik Plus. The pair won the World Cup event in Lyon, France two months ago so Monday’s result puts him in the top five but he has indicated to Dressage-News.com that Zonik will skip the World Cup Final to focus on the World Championship in Aachen, Germany in August.

João Pedro Moreira of Portugal on Drosa Fuerst Kennedy OLD, also a 10-year-old stallion, scored 79.280% for third to have the same podium lineup as in the Grand Prix.
on 72.544%

The next event is scheduled for Basel Jan. 7-11.

Results:

RankCompetitorNationEHCMBTotal

Placed competitors

1.FlambeauLarissa Pauluisbel Tech.: 74.50076.50075.50078.00075.25082.975%
 Art.: 92.60090.40087.20090.60089.200
 Total 83.550
(2)
83.450
(2)
81.350
(1)
84.300
(1)
82.225
(1)
2.Djembe de Hus OLDJustin Verboomenbel Tech.: 74.75079.00075.25077.00075.50082.450%
 Art.: 93.00093.60086.00086.00084.400
 Total 83.875
(1)
86.300
(1)
80.625
(2)
81.500
(2)
79.950
(3)
3.Drosa Fuerst Kennedy OLDJoão Pedro Moreirapor Tech.: 71.00075.50072.25072.00074.25079.280%
 Art.: 86.00088.40084.80080.80087.800
 Total 78.500
(3)
81.950
(3)
78.525
(3)
76.400
(3)
81.025
(2)
4.Herelja HigginsCamille Judet Cheretfra Tech.: 68.75071.00070.75069.75071.00076.625%
 Art.: 83.80084.60083.20081.00082.400
 Total 76.275
(5)
77.800
(4)
76.975
(4)
75.375
(7)
76.700
(6)
5.Zantana Rs2 OLD N.O.P.Marieke van der Puttenned Tech.: 68.75072.25070.25070.00072.00076.605%
 Art.: 83.40081.80082.60081.40083.600
 Total 76.075
(6)
77.025
(9)
76.425
(7)
75.700
(6)
77.800
(4)
6.Quater Back Junior FRHNicolas Wagner Ehlingerlux Tech.: 72.00072.25070.50071.75070.00076.150%
 Art.: 84.40083.00079.40079.80078.400
 Total 78.200
(4)
77.625
(5)
74.950
(10)
75.775
(5)
74.200
(8)
7.KytonEmmelie Scholtensned Tech.: 67.75070.25071.50072.00071.75076.005%
 Art.: 79.00082.40082.00080.80082.600
 Total 73.375
(9)
76.325
(10)
76.750
(6)
76.400
(3)
77.175
(5)
8.BotticelliCharlotte Defalquebel Tech.: 69.25071.00069.75070.00068.75075.475%
 Art.: 82.20084.20080.80080.00078.800
 Total 75.725
(8)
77.600
(6)
75.275
(8)
75.000
(9)
73.775
(11)
9.First Class 92Ingrid Klimkeger Tech.: 69.75070.75071.00069.50071.25074.985%
bay / 13y. / M / HANN / Fuerstenball OLD / Bergamon / 106LM95 / Owner: Gut Hülsen GmbH & Co.KG / Breeder: Jan-Peter Hartlef Art.: 81.80081.60079.00078.60076.600
 Total 75.775
(7)
76.175
(11)
75.000
(9)
74.050
(11)
73.925
(9)
10.Imperador Dos CedrosFie Christine Skarsoelux Tech.: 65.25071.00071.25069.50069.25074.865%
 Art.: 78.40084.20082.40078.80078.600
 Total 71.825
(13)
77.600
(6)
76.825
(5)
74.150
(10)
73.925
(9)
11.GladiatorGeert Jan Raatelandned Tech.: 68.25071.25069.75070.50066.25073.880% 
 Art.: 76.40083.60080.00080.20072.600
 Total 72.325
(12)
77.425
(8)
74.875
(11)
75.350
(8)
69.425
(15)
12.Herr Charmeur CoolhorsesIsabel Coolbel Tech.: 66.25069.50069.25070.00071.75073.235%
 Art.: 72.00077.40078.40076.60081.200
 Total 69.125
(15)
73.450
(12)
73.825
(14)
73.300
(12)
76.475
(7)
13.KingsdaleThamar Zweistraned Tech.: 67.25067.75069.50069.00068.00072.710%
 Art.: 77.60077.20078.40076.40076.000
 Total 72.425
(11)
72.475
(14)
73.950
(13)
72.700
(13)
72.000
(12)
14.Jedai de MassaWim Verwimpbel Tech.: 66.75069.00068.50067.00065.50072.175%
 Art.: 78.20077.40079.80075.40074.200
 Total 72.475
(10)
73.200
(13)
74.150
(12)
71.200
(14)
69.850
(14)
15.GuerlainHubert Jankowskipol Tech.: 67.00066.50068.00067.25069.00071.195%
 Art.: 76.60074.80074.80074.80073.200
 Total 71.800
(14)
70.650
(15)
71.400
(15)
71.025
(15)
71.100
(13)