Ginger Kennett has produced a strong result in the Prize of Sparkasse CVIO4* Individual Female Competition at CHIO Aachen in Germany, placing 17th overall on an average score of 7.448 following three rounds of competition in the Albert Vahle Arena.
Partnered with horse Goldjunge – owned and lunged by Germany’s Jacqueline Schönteich – Ginger produced three consistent performances among a 29-strong field of the world’s top female vaulting competitors.
The Australian placed 12th in the Compulsory Test on 7.471, 21st in the Technical Test on 6.814, and 15th in the Free Test on 7.751. Ginger’s overall average of 7.448 bettered her 2024 CHIO Aachen result of 7.372, where she was also partnered with the beautiful Goldjunge.
“Aachen never disappoints!” says Ginger. “It’s been a thrilling competition this year at Aachen; I am super pleased with my overall technical scores and my performances, bringing in some PB scores.
“I had the best support every step of the way! After six competitions in seven weeks, I feel I have really made the most of my European campaign. My biggest thanks goes to my incredible family and friends and in particular my international vaulting family who support me, trust me and accept who I am. Thanks to my dear Dad, who cheers me on from afar and looks after everything at home while I am away. I love you, Dad!
“Of course my chef d’equipe has had her finger on the pulse throughout the entire journey with every logistic and planning down to the minute: love you Georgie Kennett.
“Big thank you also to Di Saunders at Equestrian Australia for her relentless support. I am now looking forward to arriving home and taking a short break and seeing all of my special dogs and horses. It’s going to be a busy summer preparing for 2026 and I can’t wait.”
Looking ahead, Ginger’s main goal is the 2026 FEI World Championships at the famed German venue, where she hopes to compete with her own horse Djebel de Hus and her mother, Georgie lunging.
Alice Layher wins the Prize of Sparkasse for the first time
The ladies’ competition in the Prize of Sparkasse couldn’t have been closer. Alice Layher and Candy (lunger: Daniel Zembrot) finished in first place just 0.004 points ahead of Alina Roß and Baron R, lunged by Volker Roß. Alice’s average score after three tests was 8.321, Alina’s final score 8.317. The 24-year-old Alina, German Champion in 2021, won the freestyle with a fantastic round, but it didn’t suffice to oust Alice from the throne, after she had collected a good head start after the technical and compulsory tests.
Last year, Layher came second behind the World Cup winner, Kathrin Meyer. The title holder also began the freestyle as the overnight leader this year with Capitain Claus OLD, lunged by Gesa Bührig. However, a small error cost her valuable points, putting her back into third place in the overall classification (8.305).
The 23-year-old athlete, Alice, couldn’t grasp it after winning the Prize of Sparkasse for the first time: “I still can’t really believe it! I hadn’t expected it all,” the U21 European and World Champion from 2022 and 2023 said, shaking her head again and again. “Yes, I was happy with my freestyle routine, but that it sufficed for the victory…” And that in a year, that hasn’t gone to plan at all so far, as she revealed. “I was injured; the horses weren’t top fit…” But luckily Alice has a further iron in the fire with Candy, “a fantastic substitute horse,” she emphasised. And one that has now also carried her to victory in Aachen.
Victory at the first attempt for Bela Lehnen
The winner of the men’s competition in the Prize of Sparkasse, was equally surprised: The vaulter from Cologne, Bela Lehnen, with Formel 1 D.C., lunged by Alexandra Knauf. On a total score of 8.391 points, on his first appearance in the individual classification, Lehnen asserted himself against the four-time champion, Thomas Brüsewitz, (8.351) with William II Z (Lunger: Maik Husmann), and Jannik Heiland (8.334) with San Djamiro (Lunger: Barbara Rosiny).
“I am speechless,” the new Aachen winner exclaimed. And his trainer Torben Jacobs also confirmed: “No, we weren’t expecting that.” He wasn’t as surprised as his protégé though, who still actually qualifies as a Young Vaulter and as such also won the Prize of the Best in May in the U21 category. Jacobs: “He also won the Seniors German Championship title in 2023 as an U21 vaulter.” Not without good reason, the trainer revealed: “I have seldom trained a vaulter, who is so persistent, works so hard on himself and is so diligent,” he praised. Add to that a trait one can’t learn: “He has so much charisma. He is the type of person that makes a good impression without having to do much.” So, Jacobs is sure: “We’ll see more of him!”
Swiss farewell victory in the Pas de Deux Competition
At the start of the season, the Swiss athletes, Syra Schmid and Zoe Maruccio, had set themselves the goal of competing at their favourite show one last time. They are currently on their farewell tour. Zoe is a veterinarian, Syra a physiotherapist and is also completing her Masters in her “spare” time. So, there’s not much time left over for training. The World Championships in Bern in 2024 were actually supposed to have been their final performance. But after claiming the silver medal, they thought they might as well also compete in the World Cup Final in Basel in April 2025, where they finished third. Due to their top form it would have been a shame not to add a few selected shows to the list. Competing at the CHIO Aachen for the last time was among them – an unforgettable farewell.
Syra and Zoe with their long-standing partner in success, Latino V. Forst CH, lunged by Michael Heuer had already headed the field after the first round. Hence, they were the last pair to go. A special situation. “Just before we ran in, I said to Zoe, I am going to write in my CV that we were allowed to run in last in Aachen,” a beaming Syra Schmid gushed once it was all over. Because running in last in Aachen, is like “being allowed to run in last at a championship.” But then one still has to deliver. And the quartet certainly did that. As on the previous day, they performed the best freestyle routine and with a final score of 8.396 points also won the overall classification hands down. “We are in seventh heaven!”, they both rejoiced.
The following placings all went to German pairs in a nail-biting battle. The runners-up in the first round, Diana Harwardt and Peter Künne with Crashkurs (L.: Andrea Harwardt), didn’t have a good day. Künne fell off, Crashkurs broke into a trot once, which meant they only came sixth, and third in the combined result (7.916).
They opened the door for an aspiring pair, the 18-year-old Arne Heers and his partner, Jella Hamann, 26, who are competing together in Aachen for the first time this year. With their horse, Dimitri Rocks, lunged by Andrea Boe they put in two strong performances, came second and third and also ranked second in the overall classification (8.013) ahead of Harwardt and Künne.
Nations’ Cup goes to Germany again
They were the favourites and they lived up to the role: The two German teams fought the Nations’ Cup in the Prize of Sparkasse out amongst themselves. But it was a close race. Germany II comprising of the Group from St. Hubertus Herne RFZV, Ronja Kähler with Busta Rhymes MK, lunged by Josephine Kähler and Thomas Brüsewitz with William II Z secured themselves a good lead, especially Ronja, who was awarded the sensational score of 8.890 points.
Then, it was the turn of Germany I. After the routines of the two individual vaulters, Alina Roß with Baron R (L.: Volker Roß) and Jannik Heiland with San Djamiro (L.: Barbara Rosiny) the team was lying just 0.092 points behind. All or nothing – this decision was now left in the hands of Team Norka from VV Köln-Dünnwald. They may have won the group competition at the CHIO Aachen for the fourth time in succession the day before, but the team from Herne had received a thunderous applause for their performance. The group from Cologne completed their routine with the accustomed accuracy. Then, that nail-biting wait until the results were announced: Had it sufficed? YES. With a total score of 26.321 points Germany I snatched the victory, ahead of Germany II on a score of 25.526.
Third and fourth place went to the Netherlands. Their first team, comprising of Dianne van der Lee-Meulen with El Arenal, lunged by Lisette Peeters, Renske van Schaik with Machiavelli, lunged by Sofie van der Laan, and Team Roy Rogers asserted themselves with an overall score of 24.596 points against their fellow countrymen, namely Elle van Dijk with San Felice Z, lunged by Christina Ender, Sam Dos Santos with Hero, lunged by Emy Dos Santos and Team Horst Aan de Maas. Their combined score was 23.505 points.
Fourth victory for Team Norka in the Squad Competition
Team Norka from VV Köln-Dünnwald with Ecuador lunged by Alexandra Knauf were the clear favourites to triumph in the Prize of Sparkasse at the latest after being the only group to score an 8.0 or better in all parts of the obligatory test. Cologne also won the freestyle hands down and thus the overall victory in the Prize of Sparkasse. They notched up a final score of 8.540 points.
Team St. Hubertus Herne RFZV with Balou, lunged by Stefan Lotzmann, came a delighted second. They finished on an accumulated score of 7.736 points. Third place went to Team SVEA from Sweden with Elversoes Galantic, lunged by Daniela Fiskbaek (7.427).
One might think when a team wins four times consecutively, the victory could be taken for granted. Not at all, Cologne’s trainer, Torben Jacobs, explained: “Aachen is a special venue and a special atmosphere that always causes a little more tension,” is how he summed up the difference between the CHIO Aachen and other events. On top of that, the team has only been training together in this constellation since the beginning of the year. Albeit extremely successfully, as Jacobs confirmed happily: “They really worked well, together with the horse!”
The horse he is talking about, is the ten-year-old Westphalian-bred Ecuador. Whose trainer and lunger, Alexandra Knauf, received a special distinction. She has been highly successful as a lunger for 20 years meanwhile, has claimed many titles and medals with her horses and athletes – so many that it took the national coach, Kai Vorberg, several minutes to read them out. Knauf’s services were celebrated with a La Ola wave and from now on she carries the title master of vaulting.
Full results from the vaulting at CHIO Aachen can be found here.
Source: CHIO Aachen press release
