Nicola and Katanga van het Dingeshof have been selected to represent Belgium at the World Equestrian Games, taking place in Aachen from 13 to 23 August. It will be their fifth appearance together at a major championship. The Belgian squad also includes Thibeau Spits, Pieter Devos, Abdel Saïd and Emilie Conter.
At the start of the season, Nicola had already identified the World Championships in Aachen as one of his main goals. With the team now officially announced, that ambition has become reality. "I am incredibly happy to be selected for a fifth major championship together with Katanga," says Nicola. "It is always an honour to represent my country. Last year we won team gold at the European Championships in La Coruña and working towards a shared goal with your teammates is one of the best feelings in our sport. Of course, there is also the individual competition and we will give everything in both championships. Aachen is the home of equestrian sport. The atmosphere in the main stadium, with its incredible grass arena and thousands of spectators, is something every rider dreams of. We are really looking forward to it."
Nicola and Katanga van het Dingeshof enjoyed a memorable European Championships in La Coruña last year, where they claimed team gold and finished thirteenth individually. Their previous major championships also underline their consistency at the highest level. At the 2021 European Championships in Riesenbeck, they finished fifth individually and helped Belgium secure the team bronze medal, alongside brother Olivier Philippaerts. At the 2022 World Championships in Herning, they placed eighth individually.
The Belgian team heads to Aachen in good form after finishing second in the Nations Cup in Falsterbo two weeks ago. "In Falsterbo we had one mistake in the first round, but produced a clear second round," Nicola explains. "It was another strong performance from the whole team. Over the next few weeks my focus will be on preparing Katanga in the best possible way, combining training with enough rest, so she arrives in Aachen in top condition."
