Summery temperatures, fully packed stands and enthusiastic spectators formed the perfect backdrop for the equestrian athletes’ sporting highlight on Saturday evening at the fourth Friedrichskoog Classics. The Grand Prix of Friedrichskoog, a show jumping competition in class S** over 1.45 meters with poles, was the finale of the show jumping program at the second tournament weekend in Friedrichskoog. The demanding course demanded everything from the horses and riders on the final day of the show jumping competition, and kept the audience on the edge of their seats until the final ride in the show jumping competition. On Sunday, the dressage riders will take over the sporting finale of the equestrian sports festival at the seaside with their Grand Prix.
Since the early morning hours, there has been lively activity at the Nagel family’s facility on Klinkerstraße. From amateur tests in classes E to M** to the heavy jumping competitions, Saturday offered varied sports for all age groups and skill levels. The participants of the Saturday jumping competition also confirmed that the Friedrichskoog Classics enjoy an excellent reputation among riders from Schleswig-Holstein and beyond. For Marten Witt, the Friedrichskoog Classics are a regular fixture on the tournament calendar. Particularly the conditions on site convince him: „For me personally, Friedrichskoog is naturally very close – I rarely get to do that. With the training arena and the jumping arena, you have two great opportunities to warm up and at the same time an excellently prepared test course.“ Thea Jelcic, head trainer at the Völz Stud, highlighted the excellent training opportunities for young horses: „The conditions are great. The horses can learn a lot here. The arena, the jumps, and the well-built courses offer ideal conditions. Especially in the second tournament week, the horses develop further from competition to competition and grow beyond their potential.“ A similar conclusion was reached by the internationally successful Danish rider Lars Bak Andersen: „The tournament is superbly organized. You have the opportunity to ride many competitions and build your horses step by step. We find the best conditions here.“
Premiere in the Grand Prix
In front of the impressive backdrop of numerous spectators and the striking windmills, the decision was made on Saturday evening in the Grand Flood Race at Friedrichskoog, the prize of the companies Theurer Trucks and BEBA Energie. The jumping competition in the S** class over 1.45 meters with obstacles was the sporting highlight of the tournament weekend and required the participants on the 1.45-kilometer obstacle course to once again exert their utmost concentration. Three pairs qualified for the decisive jump: the Finn Hanna Nordström, the Dane Lars Bak Andersen and Stefan Jensen from Bosbüll. The first rider, Nordström, already achieved a flawless ride in the preliminary round, and for this she was rewarded with frenetic applause from the spectators. In the jump itself, the 28-year-old from Thedinghausen finally held her nerve as well. With her Dutch stallion Iprimero v. El Primero remained error-free again in 37.61 seconds and secured victory in the Grand Prix of Friedrichskoog. Second place was taken by the Dane Lars Bak Andersen with Skovlund's Best Balou v. Balou du Rouet, while third place went to Stefan Jensen with the Holsteinian mare K-Joy v. Quibery. For the young Finn, the success was very special. She has only been riding the 13-year-old gelding since October 2025. Just 19 weeks ago, the pair celebrated their first joint victory in a S* class jumping competition at Hilmar Meyer's facility – now at their joint S** debut, the greatest success has followed immediately. The Finn has been trained by Tjark Nagel for almost four years, who also oversees her older sister Annina Nordström. Next week, Annina Nordström travels to Aachen for the World Championships, where she will represent Finland in the course. The joy over her success was clearly evident for Hanna Nordström before the awards ceremony: „I came to Friedrichskoog with the goal of winning the Grand Prix. I had not expected that it would actually have worked out. I am beyond happy.“ The Finn has a special story with her sport partner. After a young rider had finished his sporting career, Iprimero was for sale in Finland. During a vacation, Nordström rode the horse for a test ride. Soon after, he was already at the Nordström family’s farm in Bremen. „He is a little weirdo, but he loves his job. He does everything for me and always wants to jump. I’m glad I found him – he just fits me perfectly from the very beginning,“ Hanna Nordström describes her Iprimero. So far, the 28-year-old has focused exclusively on her own horses. In the long term, however, she can well imagine training additional riding horses. She was also enthusiastic about the Friedrichskoog Classics: „This is my first time here. It’s a nice tournament; I really enjoyed everything. If it’s convenient, I’d like to come back next year.“
Positive balance sheet of the organizers
Owner Björn Nagel also drew a positive conclusion after the jumping competition: „We are truly lucky with the weather this year. This has really enhanced the entire event. The two training areas allowed the riders to prepare optimally and everything went very smoothly. I would especially like to thank our many helpers and sponsors. Without their commitment and support, a tournament of this size would not be possible. I am also very satisfied with the courses and the conditions for horse and rider. That is exactly what makes the Friedrichskoog Classics.“
The date for the fifth Friedrichskoog Classics is already set. Next year the equestrian sports festival will again take place on the first two weekends of the Bavarian summer holidays. The event planning has been based on this period for years, as Björn Nagel’s children attend school in Bavaria. Riders, visitors and horse sports fans can therefore register for the event now.
Before the fourth Friedrichskoog Classics come to an end on Sunday, the dressage riders will once again take center stage. Four competitions from the M* class to the S** class are scheduled. The sporting finale will be the Grand Prix of Dressage on Sunday evening, a dressage competition of the S** class. Admission is free on the final day as well.