Thibault Philippaerts wins NetAachen Prize

Promoting aspiring young riders – that is a matter close to the hearts of the organisers of the CHIO Aachen, the Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein. A tangible sign of this at the Aachen International Jumping is the NetAachen Prize for Young Riders. On Saturday, a big (sur)name was added to the winners’ list.

Thibault Philippaerts comes from a, if not THE Belgian family of riders. His father Ludo was a highly successful show-jumper, his mother Veronique is an outstanding dressage rider, his brothers Anthony, Nicolas and Olivier are also active in the jumping sport, whereby the twins Olivier and Nicolas are already long-established world class riders, who have also competed at the CHIO Aachen many times. In the NetAachen class on Saturday, Thibault demonstrated his skills in the saddle too. He headed the field with Juvente van de Kakebeek, ahead of yesterday’s winner Dieter Vermeiren – voilà a double Belgian victory in the Young Riders class. Alia Knack from Germany came third – at the tender age of 17.