Kronenberg, 23.05.2025

From left to right: Ken Ruysen, Tess Keijsers, Bas Moerings, Sanne Thijssen, Vincent Voorn, Mel Thijssen, Gert Jan Bruggink, Erik Schenk, Beatrice Ottaviani (©Matilde Tarchiani)

First place for the Dutch team at the 2025 Longines EEF Series Nations Cup in Peelbergen, marking the second consecutive win for the Netherlands at this venue – this time with a completely different lineup from their 2024 triumph. 

The team, composed of Bas Moerings & Kivinia (0/0), Sanne Thijssen & Cupcake Z (0/9), Gert Jan Bruggink & Vigalio Sho Z (13/8), and Mel Thijssen & Juice (0/0), finished with a total of 8 faults under the lead of Chef d’Équipe Vincent Voorn. Belgium took second place with 12 faults, just ahead of Great Britain, ending on 16. The pressure remained intense until the very end. Only 1 point separated The Netherlands from Ireland (9 faults to 8), up until Irish rider David Simpson’s elimination in the final round. After this, 24yo Mel Thijssen, the last rider in this Nations Cup, had to produce a clear or one-fault round to secure the win and avoid a jump-off with Belgium. She delivered flawlessly, sealing the Dutch win.

Q: We break the ice with the man of the moment: Vincent. Same venue, different team: it’s a win two years in a row here in Peelbergen, congratulations! With the team leading on 0 penalties after the first round, just ahead of Ireland with 4, what was your strategy to maintain the lead?

Vincent Voorn:
I think it is always difficult when you are on the first round, everything goes according to plan, and you end up on zero. Of course it is a very nice feeling because you have a bit of an advantage, but it also puts on the pressure. 

We had lots of good riders and good horses here, and it’s never done until the very last round. That was obvious today. We had a few little mistakes in the second round, some pity faults from Sanne, then Gert Jan was a bit unlucky on the water, but that put the pressure on directly. Bas was great, his horse jumped phenomenally and he rode according to plan. Mel also rode great, Juice jumped fantastic. I’m very proud of the guys and girls, they did a very good job.

Q: Vincent, you talked about pressure. Until Ireland’s very last round there was just a point separating you from the Irish team. What were your thoughts, did you tell Mel something specific before her round?

Vincent Voorn:
No, I just said do your own thing, try to do the same as the first round. Focus on yourself, that’s the only thing you can do, isn’t it? Making it more complicated before you go in the ring, it only makes it worse. You try to keep it simple and keep the confidence up. She has a very good horse, the clear was in the back of my head.

Q: Moving on to Mel then and Sanne, you two are family, you compete here quite often and you are based in Sevenum, just minutes away. What does it mean for you to compete together, to win together, does it feel a bit like a home win but a family win as well?

Mel Thijssen:
To me it feels more like a team win actually. A win more for the Dutch team than for my family, but it is definitely great to compete together. This is really a home show, it couldn’t be closer to home than this! 

I don’t think it is ever simple, whether you are first or last. I knew I had to jump clear, but I tried not to put too much pressure on myself to ride well. I had a good feeling in the first round and felt steady for the second.

Sanne Thijssen:
I totally agree! Of course it is really nice that we are a family in a team. It makes it a little bit more special, but we have a really nice team with the four of us, so it felt really great to win with these people.

Q: Gert Jan, after a challenging first round, what were your thoughts heading into the second, and how did you manage the pressure?

Gert Jan Bruggink:
I tried to do my best to get a good round. I felt the fault on the water but the second I did not even hear, when I finished I saw 8 and I said “oh, where was that one?”. But ok, it can happen. Anyway, thank you to the team for the help!

Q: Last but not least Bas, you have a wonderful horse. Kivinia has been a standout partner for you. I read that after the 4* win in Maastricht last year you called her a Formula 1 horse, and I guess that’s still the case. How does it feel to get a double clear in this Nations Cup with a homebred mare?

Bas Moerings:
It is really nice, it is the very first Nations Cup she ever jumped. She is turning 10 this year and she is coming into this level really steadily, very consistent. She is quite fast, very good at improvising. I am always happy to go in first, because (with her) then you have a bit more of a safety net if you have a line where you question the distance. That is why I felt quite confident going in as the first rider.

Q: And it worked out amazingly, congratulations to everyone.

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Full results on: https://www.longinestiming.com/equestrian

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