CHIO Aachen 2023 was an incredibly successful week for the Philippaerts family. Nicola and Katanga van het Dingeshof delivered four flawless rounds in both the Nations Cup and the Grand Prix at CHIO Aachen. Prior to this, Nicola Philippaerts claimed victory in the Youngster Final with Pandora van de Kruishoeve. Meanwhile, Thibault Philippaerts triumphed in the Young Riders Grand Prix with his exceptional partner, Pompidou van het Kuilenhof. Olivier Philippaerts and H&M Miro secured two top-ten finishes, further highlighting their consistent performances throughout the event. Notably, Anthony Philippaerts, the youngest member of the family, made his debut on the prestigious grounds of Aachen, marking a significant milestone in his equestrian career.*
Nicola and Katanga van het Dingeshof performed extremely well in Aachen. However, despite their outstanding performance, a lingering sense of disappointment emerged afterwards. The cause of this disappointment stemmed from a single penalty point in the Rolex Grand Prix due to a time exceeding eight hundredths of a second, preventing Nicola and Katanga from advancing to the jump-off. Despite this setback, he ultimately secured a commendable sixth place finish, becoming the top-ranked Belgian rider in the final Grand Prix—an achievement in itself. Prior to this, Nicola Philippaerts claimed victory in the Youngster Final with Pandora van de Kruishoeve and he pushed Belgium into bronze on Thursday.
Nicola and Katanga van het Dingeshof delivered two flawless rounds during the Nations Cup on Thursday evening. With Katanga showcasing her exceptional form, just like with her victory in La Baule, she continued to excel during the Grand Prix on Sunday. Nicola and Katanga remained faultless in the first qualifying round and repeated their faultless performance in the second round. However, it was that awful time penalty that thwarted their chances of advancing to the jump-off and competing for the ultimate prize: victory in Aachen.
Despite their outstanding performance, the disappointment still lingers on Monday morning. "As a family, we had an incredible week. Everything went well. It's just that last round that puts a huge damper on it all. Katanga jumped unbelievably well, so this is a blow," sighs Nicola. "The analysis is simple but so harsh. At the triple combination, I took a bit more time, and that can be justified. The line to the final obstacle was long, and I took two extra strides, resulting in falling short by eight hundredths of a second to qualify for the jump-off for the second year in a row. Believe me, there aren't many horses that can make it to the jump-off of the event of the year two years in a row. Everyone focuses on that one round, on that intense minute. But no one sees the time, the sacrifices, the effort, and the training that preceded. Only Katanga and I can judge that. It's so incredibly bitter that I couldn't reward her for all that work and for being in such great form."
Twin brother Olivier achieved an impressive total of six top-ten finishes. He was, however, unable to qualify for the Sunday afternoon Grand Prix, and that was certainly a disappointment for him. With Le Blue Diamond van het Ruytershof, he was part of the Belgian team that secured the bronze medal in the Nations Cup. “As I reflect on the past competition, I find myself torn between two sentiments. I have mixed feelings," begins Olivier. "Overall, the horses performed well, but aside from that, I couldn't secure a spot in the Sunday afternoon Grand Prix. While I am part of the team that won bronze, I also had one too many jumping faults. I had expected more from myself."
Another one to be very proud of is Thibault. His performance on Sunday morning quickly became the talk of the town. The 21-year-old Philippaerts marked his debut very well and claimed victory in the Young Riders Grand Prix riding his horse Pompidou van het Kuilenhof. On Friday, Thibault Philippaerts already stood on the podium when he finished third in the NetAachen-Prize, also with Pompidou. "I am extremely pleased with the results from last week. It was the first time I had the opportunity to compete on the prestigious grass arena. I have watched my father, Olivier, and Nicola perform there so many times. To now be riding there myself and even winning a competition is fantastic," says Thibault. "Out of the two competitions I participated in, I won one and finished third in the other. My horse didn't have much experience, but he performed brilliantly. We purchased Pompidou van het Kuilenhof when he was seven years old. Pompidou comes from nearby Bocholt, where he was bred and raised by Jo Maesen."
Just like his brother Thibault, Anthony made his debut in Aachen. On Friday, he finished seventh in the NetAachen-Prize riding Orchidee van Dorperheide. "Participating in Europe’s largest equestrian event of the year is an incredible experience," shares Anthony. "I remember coming here as a young boy to cheer for my father and my brothers. You often dream of being able to do the same one day. That dream came true last week. Riding onto that massive grass arena truly evokes emotions. In one word: fantastic. On one hand, it brings a touch of stress, but on the other hand, it's an immense honor and a reward for all the hard work. Sure, it may not have been a five-star competition, but that doesn't diminish its significance."
In closing, Ludo shares his thoughts. "It is very unfortunate what happened to Nicola and Katanga. For the second year in a row, they were able to qualify for the jump-off of the Aachen Grand Prix. And who knows what could have happened there. Katanga is in the form of her life. You don't often get such an opportunity in your lifetime," says Ludo. "On the other hand, unfortunately, this is part of the realities of top-level sports. You can and should be disappointed, but you also have to move on. Learn from the mistakes and become better. Those eight hundredths of a second are a shame, a real shame. But it must not overshadow the rest of the week. Bronze in the Nations Cup, a victory for Nicola in the young horses category, a victory for Thibault in the Youngsters, several top ten placements for Olivier, and a seventh place for Anthony. Believe me, this is exceptional too. I am proud of my sons and everyone who has contributed to this success."
