Laura Kohoutek has double reason to celebrate

This summer, Laura Kohoutek became double European Champion in the Children classification in Le Mans, France. In the festively decorated Albert-Vahle-Arena, the 14-year-old excelled in the pony tour. After finishing third and second in the first two qualifying competitions, her big moment came in the final freestyle, the Elektro Kraemer-Prize. Together with her 15-year-old gelding, Der kleine Sunnyboy WE, she delivered a freestyle packed with technical difficulty, earning a new personal best of an impressive 77.225 percent. “My pony is a little rascal, but he always knows exactly when it counts. Then he gives everything,” Laura Kohoutek said happily after her successful freestyle, for which judge Nicole Nockemann, who also acted as commentator for this class, found words of praise: “A truly great performance.” With this outstanding performance, Laura Kohoutek managed to surpass the best result so far of reigning team European Champion Hannah Charlotte Isbruch, who had won the first two qualifiers. Riding her eight-year-old Diamond Touch NRW offspring, DSP Der kleine Champion, the 16-year-old had scored 75.892 percent, which was enough for second place today. Third place went to the Dutch rider Téo Rouyr, who achieved 72.742 percent with his ten-year-old gelding D’ Ultimo M.

The battle for the coveted sash of Pony Champion was a real photo finish this year. In the end, it was 222.362 to 222.133 percent in favor of today’s winner, Laura Kohoutek. “I really didn’t expect this at all in such a strong field of competitors,” the 14-year-old beamed after the festive prize-giving ceremony.

Photo: Jasmin Metzner

The winner of the Elektro Kraemer-Prize, Laura Kohoutek, is congratulated by Karlheinz und Carlotta Kraemer (Owner of Elektro Kraemer) and Stefanie Peters (President of the Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein).