5-year-old European Championship
# 5-year-old European Championship

The 5-year-old European Championship, also called European 5-year-old Championship, is an annual Group One harness event that is arranged by the European Trotting Union, UET. The race takes place on a racetrack in one of the member countries of UET. The contenders are chosen by the different national trotting federations that are members of UET. Only 5-year-old European-born stallions and mares can be selected. The 5-year-old European Championship was raced for the first time in 1967.

The 2009 championship was raced at Treviso Racetrack, Italy, on July 26, and had a purse of approximately US$132,000, or €100,000.

## Racing conditions

The distance has most years been between 2,000 and 2,300 meters. There are two exceptions. In 1982 and 1986, the distances were 1,600 and 1,660 meters respectively. The distance interval has decreased and since 1990, the race has been over 2,060-2,150 meters. The race has always been started by the use of auto start.

## Past winners

### Drivers with most wins

* 2: Eddy Freundt (1967, 1970)
* 2: Stig H. Johansson (1973, 1988)
* 2: Anders Lindqvist (1990, 1995)
* 2: Joseph Verbeeck (1998, 2003)

### Sires with at least two winning offsprings

* 3: Pay Dirt (Tarok, Granit Bangsbo, Hairos)
* 2: Cocktail Jet (Kiwi, Jetstile)
* 2: Express Rodney (Express Gaxe, Ex Lee)

### Countries, number of wins

* 17: Sweden
* 10: France
* 6: Germany
* 3: Denmark
* 3: Norway
* 3: Finland
* 2: Italy
* 1: Netherlands

### Fastest winners

* 1:11.3 (km rate): Mara Bourbon (2005)

### All winners of the 5-year-old European Championship

| Year | Horse | Driver | Winning horse's native country | Winning time (km rate) | Track |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2011 | Joke Face | Lotfi Lolgjini | Sweden | 1:12.4 | Åby, Sweden |
| 2010 | Yield Boko | Bjorn Goop | Sweden | 1:12.4 | Bjerke, Norway |
| 2009 | Ilaria Jet | Jean Michel Bazire | Italy | 1:13.9 | Treviso, Italy |
| 2008 | Brioni | Joakim Lövgren | Germany | 1:12.1 | Åby, Sweden |
| 2007 | Offshore Dream | Henri Levesque | France | 1:12.2 | Vincennes, France |
| 2006 | Jetstile | Geir Vegard Gundersen | Norway | 1:13.1 | Halmstad, Sweden |
| 2005 | Mara Bourbon | Jean-Pierre Dubois | France | 1:11.3 | Vincennes, France |
| 2004 | Tsar d'Inverne | Dominiek Locqueneux | Sweden | 1:14.6 | Treviso, Italy |
| 2003 | Kiwi | Joseph Verbeeck | France | 1:13.1 | Treviso, Italy |
| 2002 | Abano As | Pietro Gubellini | Germany | 1:13.7 | Treviso, Italy |
| 2001 | Zambesi Bi | Mario Biasuzzi | Italy | 1:13.8 | Treviso, Italy |
| 2000 | Varenne | Giampaolo Minnucci | Italy | 1:14.5 | Treviso, Italy |
| 1999 | General du Pommeau | Jules Lepennetier | France | 1:16.2 | Vincennes, France |
| 1998 | Remington Crown | Joseph Verbeeck | Sweden | 1:15.1 | Vincennes, France |
| 1997 | Call Me | Veijo Heiskanen | Finland | 1:14.6 | Jägersro, Sweden |
| 1996 | Defi d'Aunou | Jean-Etienne Dubois | France | 1:15.6 | Enghien, France |
| 1995 | Camino | Anders Lindqvist | France | 1:17.3 | Bjerke, Norway |
| 1994 | Boss Is Back | Jorma Kontio | Finland | 1:17.7 | Dinslaken, Germany |
| 1993 | Iata Käll | Tommy Hanné | Sweden | 1:14.6 | Gelsenkirchen, Germany |
| 1992 | Shan Rags | Noralf Braekken | Norway | 1:15.1 | Teivo, Finland |
| 1991 | Zico Star F. | Asbjörn Mehla | Norway | 1:15.1 | Daglfing, Germany |
| 1990 | Atas Fighter L. | Anders Lindqvist | Sweden | 1:16.0 | Vincennes, France |
| 1989 | Race cancelled due to A2 virus | | | | |
| 1988 | Piper Cub | Stig H. Johansson | Sweden | 1:16.3 | Gelsenkirchen, Germany |
| 1987 | Krista Sidney | Olle Goop | Sweden | 1:15.9 | Axevalla, Sweden |
| 1986 | Hairos | John Hansen | Denmark | 1:16.4 | Cesena, Italy |
| 1985 | Granit Bangsbo | Steen Juul | Denmark | 1:16.8 | Schaasberg, Netherlands |
| 1984 | Meadow Sonn | Josef Sparber | Germany | 1:17.7 | Kuurne, Belgium |
| 1983 | Mr Black | Olle Larsson | Sweden | 1:16.4 | Bjerke, Norway |
| 1982 | Dimma | Björn Lindblom | Sweden | 1:16.1 | Naples, Italy |
| 1981 | Dartster F. | Olle Hedin | Sweden | 1:17.2 | Vincennes, France |
| 1980 | Rocky | Martti Ropponen | Finland | 1:16.3 | Vermo, Finland |
| 1979 | Ex Lee | Dan Wegebrand | Sweden | 1:19.4 | Daglfing, Germany |
| 1978 | Express Gaxe | Gunnar Axelryd | Sweden | 1:16.6 | Tor di Valle, Italy |
| 1977 | Tarok | Jörn Laursen | Denmark | 1:18.6 | Åby, Sweden |
| 1976 | Faro | Paul Essartial | France | 1:17.0 | Duindigt, Netherlands |
| 1975 | Micko Tilly | Olle Lindqvist | Sweden | 1:18.7 | Bjerke, Norway |
| 1974 | Dines P. | Michel Lecacheux | France | 1:20.4 | Vincennes, France |
| 1973 | Tim Cross | Stig H. Johansson | Sweden | 1:20.0 | Sterrebeek, Belgium |
| 1972 | Cirro | Sören Nordin | Sweden | 1:19.1 | Berlin, Germany |
| 1971 | Henri Buitenzorg | Jan Wagenaar | Netherlands | 1:22.5 | Århus, Denmark |
| 1970 | Claudia II | Eddy Freundt | Germany | 1:19.4 | Solvalla, Sweden |
| 1969 | Wallburg | W. Root | Germany | 1:19.8 | Duindigt, Netherlands |
| 1968 | Fairland | Bertil Rogell | Sweden | 1:21.4 | Bjerke, Norway |
| 1967 | Sebald | Eddy Freundt | Germany | 1:21.9 | Gelsenkirchen, Germany |
