Exciting finale in the final of the German U25 Trophy of the Stiftung Deutscher Pferdesport, Prize of Family Müter! Five pairs in the jump-off, where it became clear: homebred is the best approach.

When a little filly by Mylord Carthago out of Online IX by Quinar Z was born at the Carstensen family’s Sollwitt stallion station in Schleswig-Holstein in 2014, Teike Carstensen, who was 15 years old at the time, was one of the first people to see the little grey lady. She was given the name Greece. When the mare did her first jumps, Teike sat in the saddle. When Greece went to her first competitions, she did so as well. And now, nine years later, the two of them were able to celebrate their victory in the final of the German U25 Trophy of the Stiftung Deutscher Pferdesport, Prize of Family Müter, in the Aachener Soers. It is guaranteed that this will not be the pair’s last shared victory. Teike Carstensen’s boss Stefan Johannsen, for whom she is employed as a rider, secured the mare for Teike together with investors.

A total of five pairs had reached the jump-off, three remained clear a second time. With a courageous ride, in which even outsiders could see how well the two know each other and how much they trust each other, Teike Carstensen (24) and Greece jumped to victory with a good second ahead of the competitors. The pair needed 39.80 seconds.

The clock stopped at 40.84 seconds for the duo in second place, Bundeswehr sports student Sönke Fallenberg in the saddle of his Westphalian Congress daughter Chakira TF. The two share a similar history as the winning pair. Chakira was also born in the Fallenberg family’s stable and made her way up under the 21-year-old Sönke Fallenberg. Their journey has already taken them to the European Championships for Young Riders. And the Soers is already familiar terrain for Sönke. If he has his way, it won’t stop at participating in the U25 Tour. When asked what his long-term goals are, the answer came without a hint of hesitation: “Championships!”

When he said that, an approving nod came from his two colleagues on the podium. Besides Teike Carstensen, this was the equestrian Pia-Luise Baur from Baden-Württemberg. In the saddle of the ten-year-old KWPN gelding Iscayo by Biscayo, she jumped into third place in 43.63 seconds. The 24-year-old has already laid the foundation for being able to return to the Soers one day by acquiring her successful horse from today herself.