Image: Melody Theolissat of France and Kais De Jalima at the FEI Endurance European Championship 2023 in Ermelo (NED). © FEI/Martin Dokoupil

With just over two weeks to go until the Zigulì FEI Endurance European Championship 2025, teams and individuals from all over Europe are preparing to make their way to the beautiful venue of Castiglione del Lago (ITA). Set in the heart of the Apennines, on the shores of Lake Trasimeno, the 160km course covers some of the most beautiful, yet technical, riding Europe has to offer. 

A course befitting the calibre of horses and riders, who have trained and qualified over years in readiness for this, the ultimate challenge, and for the chance of taking home a European Championship medal for their country. Any European Championship is highly significant in the Endurance calendar and the organisers were delighted that the Zigulì FEI Endurance European Championship 2025 received the High Patronage of the European Parliament, calling it “a prestigious recognition that celebrates the values of sport, sustainability, and European excellence”.

With a total of 21 nations represented, 14 of which are fielding teams of three or more, this is shaping up to be a tight-run competition. Definite entries are now in from all participating nations and there are some fascinating team and individual combinations, together with some interesting changes to the combinations put forward as nominated entries.

The reigning European Champions, France, are fielding an impressive team in their bid to retain the title, which they won in Ermelo (NED) in 2023. Two of their team, Julia Montagne and Melody Theolissat, currently stand in the top ten in the FEI Endurance Riders World Ranking and Philippe Tomas, a stalwart of French Championship teams, finished 3rd and 4th in the last two FEI Endurance European Championships. They have a total of six athletes and seven horses forward, and the team of five who will go forward and battle it out for France will be decided closer to the event. Possibly the biggest surprise in the French team selection is the absence of Virgine Atger, one of France’s most renowned Championship team athletes. Nevertheless, this strong set of combinations will, as always, be a team to watch.

So too, Spain, who battled hard for the win in Ermelo but received instead team silver. Like France, they have six athletes and seven horses forward, among them some familiar faces - both human and equine. Jaume Punti Dachs is entered on British bred Warrens Hill Chayze, a 17-year-old gelding. With seven championships under his belt and a phenomenal turn of speed, this combination could be scintillating to follow. Dachs’ wife, Maria Alvarez Ponton, has two horses forward, one of which, her homebred, JM El Sobrino, while having no Championship experience yet, has a 100% success rate. He could well be one to watch. Ponton has to be one of the most celebrated athletes in the sport of Endurance. She has won four individual gold medals and has been part of numerous gold medal winning teams for Spain. Ponton took individual silver at the last FEI Endurance European Championship in Ermelo (NED) in 2023, beaten by Germany’s Sabrina Arnold with a tiny two-second margin. Arnold and her 11-year-old Arab mare, Easy El Boheira, left the final vet gate in fourth place and fought hard to the finish, snatching gold from the Spaniard. Arnold and Easy come forward in the Zigulì FEI Endurance European Championship 2025 to defend their gold medal winning position.

The advantage of home turf can never be ignored in any sport, and Endurance is no exception. The exceptional venue at Castiglione del Lago is familiar territory to the Italian team, with Costanza Laliscia and her 10-year-old Arab mare, Zagara di Chia, crossing the line one second ahead of Spain’s Omar Blanco Rodrigo and Fatal, to take the win at the 2024 test event. Laliscia was also individual gold medal winner at the FEI Endurance European Championships 2019 at Euston Park (GBR). This experience should set the combination in good stead for this year’s event.

On the Dutch team, there are some highly experienced riders, with Carmen Römer bringing forward her 14-year-old grey Arab, Anissa du Florival, for her Championship debut. This will be only her second start in a 160km event. Similarly, Manuel Maria Avo of Portugal will be riding his mare, Cherie de Ghazal, in her first Championship alongside Laetitia Gonclaves, whose mare has a 100% completion rate but who, too, will be tackling her first Championship.

The event begins at 6am (CET) on Saturday 21 June, when the combinations will set off on the longest loop of 39km. This loop, of the six they will ride through the day, has the greatest climb and descent and is definitely one which is better tackled in the relative cool of the morning. Whether the combinations are coming forward as part of a team or are riding individually for their nations; the pride, the effort, and care will be the same and riders, horses and crew will all be making good use of those 17 crew points, 20 water points and 97 control points. 

So, with the French breeding programme dominating the equine athletes forward, will the French team be able to retain their title and carry home gold again, or will there be a surprise upset on the day? Since only the top 3 horses from each nation will be taken into account in medal placings, it’s all to play for.

In the sport of Endurance, anything is possible.

Full list can be see here.