Finnish Rider Sani Illi Claims Silver Medal at European Show Jumping Championships

Sani Illi from Finland won a silver medal in the European Championship for young show jumpers with her horse, Backwoods Challenger. “It feels unbelievable. I never thought I would win a medal,” Illi stated.

Competing in the show jumping European Championships held in the Netherlands, Illi started strong from Wednesday, jumping clean rounds and vying for a medal. However, during the second round on Sunday, the pair knocked down one rail, which shifted Illi’s focus to the bronze medal.

Luck played a role in the competition; the second-place rider also knocked down two obstacles, and the leading rider similarly dropped a rail, setting the stage for a jump-off involving all three medals, with seven riders in total competing.

Illi expressed gratitude to her coaches and mother for their support as she prepared for the jump-off, entering with a positive mindset. She completed the final jump-off without faults, finishing just 0.12 seconds shy of the gold medal.

Sani Illi is the younger sister of Jone Illi, who won gold in the junior show jumping European Championship in 2022. The sibling duo has gained recognition in the equestrian community in recent years.