At the 2002 European Championships Dressage for Junior and Young Riders in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, Ruth van Campen and Arno Reper were the best Belgian combinations in an international field of competitors.

Belgian travelled to Italy with a weak Junior Riders team consisting of Valerie Verellen, Leen Cools and Arno Reper. The latter was the only rider expected to score high. Missing team member, who could have strenghtened the team considerably, was Julie de Deken with her Romero, but due to the new FEI rule she did not qualify to compete at the European Championships.

Arno Reper scored consistently high in all three E.C. tests. In the preliminary test, Reper started in group 1 and scored 66.87% finishing 7th. The preliminary test for junior riders is only an unofficial warm up test and makes no part of the Championships. In the team championship test, Reper improved his act even more and with 67.09% he finished 13th in a field of 45 competitors. The individual test was good for a 67.49% and a 12th place, qualifying Reper as the only Belgian rider for the individual finals. In the kur to music, Reper and his Westfalian gelding Fortissimo (by Florestan x Foxtrott) received 69.31% and ended in 10th position.

Leen Cools and Le Primo van het Gestelhof scored below their level at their very first European Championships. In the preliminary test, the 58,67% ranked them 21st. In the team championship test, 62.86% was insufficient to qualify for the individual test. Cools ranked 32nd out of 45 competitors. In the consolation finals, Cools and Le Primo received 64.06% from the panel of judges and placed 13th. Trained by Stefan van Ingelgem, Leen Cools rode her final year as a junior rider and will be moving to the Young Riders division in 2003.

Former Belgian Junior Rider Champion Valerie Verellen was more unfortunate at the European Championships. During a training session on Tuesday before the competition, Verellen fell off her horse and was brought to the hospital. Although the injury was not that severe, Verellen had problems focussing. She was unable to ride the preliminary test and the 62,00% score and 37th place in the team championships test was disappointing for her in every way. In the consolation finals, Verellen could hardly spice up her act and with 63.71% and a 15th place, Verellen continuously performed below her level at the Championships.

The Belgian team finished in a poor 8th place, just before developing dressage countries Poland and Hungary.

Read Linked article:
Van Campen and Volders, Individual Finalists at the 2002 European Championships for Young Riders

Related Links
Scores 2002 European Junior Rider Championships at Eurodressage.com
Belgian Junior Riders List