JustWorld International Ambassador Louise Ameeuw of Belgium led a strong showing for the international nonprofit at Hagen Future Champions in Germany on June 12-16, using her skills in the saddle to bring attention to JustWorld’s work for children in underserved communities around the globe. 

Aboard Orphy van de Kruishoeve, Louise finished second to Jona Jolie Schwamborn of Germany in the CSIOJ FEI Grand Prix for Juniors. She also finished third in the CSIOJ Special Two-Phase - 1.40m aboard Flora du Mesnil, all held at Hof Kasselmann and presented by P.S.I. Events.

“I am very pleased to be here and to meet with JustWorld and to ride for the cause this week,” Louise said. “It’s a cause that is counting for my heart, because helping others is very important, especially when we have the chance––like me and the other riders here––to be fortunate and to live in good conditions and to have the chance to realize our dreams. We are privileged, so it is important to think about others and to help them to have a better life.”

Pedro Cebulka, long-time JustWorld Ambassador and Hagen ringmaster, played a major role in the success of JustWorld’s fundraising and awareness efforts with the show. His friend, announcer Christian Schacht, came up with the idea of bringing JustWorld and Hagen Future Champions together, and Pedro, who’d known Uli Kasselmann for nearly 50 years, jumped in to help create the partnership, now three years and counting.  

This year, inspired by François Kasselmann’s idea, Pedro also spearheaded an auction benefiting JustWorld International prior to Friday night’s Hof Kasselmann & Schockemöhle Hybrid Auction. Equestrians got to bid on a three-day package of lessons with Frederic Wandres, who is currently ranked ninth in the FEI Dressage World Rankings, and Ludger Beerbaum, winner of four Olympic gold medals and two team World Championship gold medals. Thanks to Pedro’s outreach and initiative, JWI raised 11,000 euros to directly benefit the children in its global projects.

“There is nothing the Kasselmanns can’t do; they are so generous and kind, and they provide JustWorld such good exposure at Hagen,” Pedro said. “We have great visibility; after every Nations Cup there is a nice speech that the announcers give [about JustWorld’s mission].” 

Pedro also presided over the Hagen show a week earlier, where senior teams competed in preparation for the Olympic Games, wearing his trademark JustWorld hat and jacket. 

Pedro was drawn to JustWorld in part due to experiences in Central and South America and Asia during his “former life” as an adventure travel guide. 

“I lived with the poorest of the poor, made music with little kids, enjoyed the people of different races, and know what conditions they have,” he said. “When I found out about JustWorld, it played right into my experience in life, traveling in the poorest countries in the world on a shoestring. I’ve seen how people live, and this is a chance to pay it back.”

Now, after 48 years of working at five-star equestrian shows, he has made deep friendships and connections. “I’m not afraid to call my friend Ludger Beerbaum and say, can you give to this auction, or call Mark Rein and ask if he can do a favor. Mark was there right away to donate the money [for Adopt A Project],” Pedro said.

German Ambassador Imke Pacheco and her children, Enzo and Malou, also showed their support for the cause over the weekend.

Youth Philanthropy

Although JustWorld International is best known for the education, healthcare and nutrition it provides in underserved communities around the world, there’s another crucial element to the mission: educating the next generation of equestrians about the needs of those who are less fortunate and inspiring them to be part of the change.

To that end, the eight Nations Cups at Hagen Future Champions offered the top three teams the chance to participate in a JustWorld Adopt A Project activity, selecting between needs at El Patojismo in Guatemala (one month of nutritious meals for 175 elementary students, medical supplies and medications or trauma-informed therapy), PIO in Cambodia (1 ton of rice or 150 school books) and Asociación Compartir in Honduras (fuel for the truck that brings education to remote villages, art supplies and games equipment or books). Deliberating over the choices as a team, riders had to examine their own priorities and then explain the reasoning behind their selection.

Thanks to the generosity of the Rein family, winning teams received 500 euros to distribute; second-placed teams worked with 300 euros, and third-placed teams deliberated over 200 euros.

Here are some of the thoughts behind their choices:

• “We think that all children should have the opportunity to go to school and get an education.”

• “We think it’s important to start education in the world for little children, older people, any kind of person.”

• “We want to help educate young people and give them the opportunity that others experience.”

• “We chose to spend our money to the medical health, because the medical health is the basis of the life for the people. And when they aren’t healthy, they can’t take part in their lives.”

• “We thought food was the most important thing, because without food you can’t survive. And nutrition meals are better than only rice. And I think it’s really important when you go to school, you need a good meal to focus on the lessons and on your studies.”

By the end of the weekend, almost 75 young riders had not only earned bragging rights for their performances in the arena but also learned to think beyond their own lives and needs to communities they may have never considered. None of this would have been possible without the support of Hof Kasselmann, P.S.I. Events, the Rein family and devoted Ambassadors like Pedro, Imke and Louise. 

“We had beautiful responses from young riders about why they chose each project,” Pedro added. “They really took some time and thought about it. They are not only learning how to ride but learning some social responsibility, how to be good riders but also good citizens of the world.”

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