Patrik Kittel Secures Sixth Place at 2025 European Dressage Championships

In an impressive display at the 2025 European Dressage Championships held in Crozet, France, Swedish dressage rider Patrik Kittel secured a sixth-place finish in the freestyle program (kür). Riding his horse, Touchdown, Kittel achieved a score of 81.139. Despite a minor mistake where he was slightly ahead of the music during the second pirouette, Kittel expressed satisfaction with his performance, noting, "It flowed very well today... The rest was fantastic."

The event was notably competitive, with Belgium's Justin Verboomen winning the gold medal with a striking score of 89.964 on his horse Zonik Plus. Danish rider Cathrine Laudrup Dufour narrowly missed out on gold, finishing second with 89.821%. Also representing Sweden, Maria von Essen finished in ninth place with a score of 80.193 riding her horse Incoice, marking a commendable debut at the European Championships.

Kittel’s journey to this performance was not without challenges. He faced illness earlier in the competition, which had impacted his initial performances, including a 15th-place finish in the Grand Prix Special. However, he bounced back in the kür, which he described as a harmonious dance. Reflecting on his goal for the competition, Kittel stated, "I wanted to take revenge, and above all, do justice to myself and my horse." Kittel's positive attitude and determination shone through in his final performance, underscoring his resilience in the face of adversity.

With this performance, Kittel not only demonstrated his talent but also reaffirmed Sweden's presence in high-stakes dressage competitions.