Tag Archives: Ingrid Klimke

Ingrid Klimke and Horseware Hale Bob Snatch Lead after Badminton Cross Country

Ingrid Klimke (GER) and Horseware Hale Bob OLD. (FEI/Jon Stroud)

Influential cross country day sees Michael Jung (GER) and Sam move up to second ahead of Andrew Nicholson (NZL) and Nereo with just 0.8 between the top three

German Olympic rider Ingrid Klimke rode an exhilarating cross country round on Horseware Hale Bob at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, fourth leg of the FEI Classics™, and holds a slim 0.4 penalty lead over defending champions Michael Jung and La Biosthetique Sam who were outstanding to finish on their dressage score at the end of a thrilling day’s 4* competition.

“I walked the course with Andrew [Nicholson] and I watched Michi [Jung] and I hoped to do as well as them. It was a difficult course – there certainly wasn’t time to wave to the crowd – but Bobby was so full of himself and was pure pleasure to ride.” — Ingrid Klimke (GER)

Brilliant Kiwi rider Andrew Nicholson, who was last on course on Nereo, brought the day to a nail-biting climax and is now in third place, just 0.8 behind Klimke.

New course-designer Eric Winter’s track proved as influential as anticipated. Dressage leader Christopher Burton (AUS) on Graf Liberty had a surprising refusal at the third log element of the Hildon Water Pond (fence 15) and third-placed Irishman Jonty Evans (Cooley Rorkes Drift) was going brilliantly when he had a disappointing run-out at the second corner at fence 21.

“Sport’s all about confidence and I’m going to try and take some confidence from it. We made one little mistake, which was my fault, but we’re going home to reboot and aim for the Europeans.” — Jonty Evans (IRL)

Fourth-placed Belgian rider Karin Donckers (Fletcha Van ‘T Verahof) and eighth-placed Bettina Hoy from Germany (Designer 10) both retired after refusals and, under the new FEI rule, Sam Griffiths (AUS), 11th on Paulank Brockagh was awarded 50 penalties for missing a flag.

There were 32 clear rounds and 49 finishers from the 81 starters. Only two were inside the time of 11 minutes 34 seconds: Jung and New Zealander Tim Price, who has leapt 30 places to fourth on Xavier Faer. Sir Mark Todd (NZL) has two horses inside the top 10, NZB Campino, fifth, and Leonidas, ninth.

‘You couldn’t be casual and lollop along. Perhaps it’s my age, but I don’t think I’ve ever concentrated so hard!’ — Andrew Nicholson (NZL)

The home crowd had little to cheer about after the dressage, but strong clears by British first-timers Ros Canter (Allstar B) and farrier Alexander Bragg (Zagreb) have moved them up significantly to sixth and eighth places; Oliver Townend shot up from 47th to sixth on ODT Ghareeb and Gemma Tattersall from 67th to 12th on the ex-racehorse Arctic Soul.

The jumping phase promises to be an absolute thriller with 0.8 of a penalty separating three greats in the sport.

By Kate Green

Press contacts:

At FEI:

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

At Badminton:

Julian Seaman
Head of Media
J.Seaman2@sky.com
+44 7831 515736

Olympic Medallists Burton and Klimke Take Young Horse Eventing Gold at Le Lion

Ingrid Klimke and Weisse Duene. (Dirk Caremans/FEI)

Selle Francais Studbook claims overall title

Le Lion d’Angers (FRA), 24 October 2015 – Rio 2016 Olympic Games team bronze medallist Christopher Burton from Australia topped the 6-year-old division with the KWPN Fire Fly while team silver medallist Ingrid Klimke from Germany steered the Holsteiner mare Weisse Duene to victory in the 7-year-old category at the FEI World Breeding Federation Eventing Championships for Young Horses 2016 at Le Lion d’Angers, France.

This was the 31st edition of these Championships which have been staged annually since 1992, and spectators flocked into the lovely venue at the Haras National at l‘Isle de Briand throughout the weekend, with a massive crowd of almost 35,000 spectators for Saturday’s cross-country phase.

Exciting new talent was highlighted in both age categories, with a total of 99 horses representing a range of studbooks. The Selle Francais claimed the overall Studbook title with a score of 154.6 points, but finished only a single point ahead of the KWPN in second on 154.7 while last year’s winners, the Irish Sport Horse Studbook, lined up third this time around with their final tally standing at 168.2 when the results of both age categories were analysed.

Six-Year-Olds

The Ground Jury for the 6-year-olds consisted of Germany’s Ernst Topp, Ireland’s David Lee and Bulgaria’s Yuri Dinev Valev and, from the field of 40 starters, they placed Germany’s Kai-Steffen Meier and the Trakehner stallion Painter’s Maxim (Philox/Painter’s Moon/Painter’s Row) in pole position after dressage on a score of 40.03.

Belgium’s Lara de Liedekerke-Mei and the Hannoverian gelding Ducati D’Arville (Diarado/Pricilla/Perpignon) filled second spot on 42.3 while Britain’s Izzy Taylor and the KWPN chestnut mare Jockey Club Fleurelle (Vivaldi/Zarelle/Sydney) slotted into third on 43.4. Burton was never far away, however, holding fourth with Fire Fly on a score of 44.2 while Switzerland’s Felix Vogg and Mathurin V/D Vogelzan was sitting in fifth place on 45.3 going into the cross-country phase.

Pierre Michelet’s fantastic cross-country track jumped really well, with just one retirement and three eliminations around the course, and the time-allowed of 8’ 53” proved well within the grasp of most, only nine collecting time penalties on the day. All of the top six held their spots, so it came down to the final jumping round to decide the medal placings.

Vogg and Burton each posted a brilliant clear to finish on their dressage scores, so when all those ahead of them faltered they soared up the leaderboard. Taylor’s single mistake cost her the win, but when double-errors dropped Meier to fourth and Liedekerke-Mei to sixth place, then the British rider claimed bronze behind Vogg in silver and Burton in gold medal position.

There was nothing boastful about Burton in the aftermath, however, the 34-year-old double-Olympian acknowledging that fortune favoured him in the closing stages.

“I am happy,” he said. “There were so many good six year old horses with good riders; I really needed all the luck for this win and I had exactly that in the jumping because my horse touched several poles that didn’t fall! There were others who were not so lucky. My horse performed exactly how I could have wished, and it’s great to finish this season so well.”

Seven-Year-Olds

It was a case of “déjà vu” for Ingrid Klimke when the German star found herself heading the 7-year-old leaderboard after dressage with the grey mare Weisse Duene (Clarimo/Esprit V/Romino), because that was where the pair placed after the same phase in last year’s 6-year-old competition before a stop and time penalties on the cross-country course put paid to their chances.

This time around the Ground Jury of Austria’s Christian Steiner, Sweden’s Anne Persson and Eric Lieby from France awarded them a dressage mark of 36.9 for a clear lead over Britain’s Pippa Funnell and the AES gelding Billy Walk On (Billy Mexico/Shannon Line/Golden Bash) on a score of 39.0, while Austria’s Charlotte Dobretsberger slotted into third with the Hannoverian mare Vally K when posting 45.2.

British riders were dominant in the early stages in this division, with Kitty King in fourth with the Selle Francais Vendredi Biats (Winningmood van de Arenberg/Liane Normandie/Camelia de Ruelles) on a mark of 45.4 and Gemma Tattersall in sixth with the SHBGB mare Chillis Gem (Chilli Morning/Kings Gem/Rock King) on a score of 45.9. Lying fifth going into cross-country day was the 29-year-old Frenchman Maxime Livio who was the sensational winner of the first leg of the FEI Classics™ 2016/2017 at Pau (FRA) a week ago. Riding the Selle Francais gelding Vroum D’Auzay he slotted in between the two British riders with his score of 45.7.

From a starting field of 59 there were five eliminations and one retirement on the cross-country course, with 19 getting home within the time of 9’11” while 17 collected fence penalties on their tour of the track. Both third-placed Dobretsberger and fourth-placed King dropped out of contention with single refusals, and this saw Livio moving up to third spot behind Funnell and Klimke who retained the top two placings when foot-perfect all the way.

Leaderboard

The final jumping phase saw the leaderboard shaken up once again, however, Livio’s 16 faults sending him plummeting right down to 23rd place while some of the biggest names in the sport began to emerge at the top of the scoreboard. Britain’s Tattersall dropped from fourth to seventh with just a single mistake, allowing Germany’s Andreas Dibowski and the Hannoverian FRH Corrida (Contendro/Expo/Esprit) to move into sixth when adding nothing to their dressage mark of 49.9. And when Rio 2016 Olympic Games team gold and individual silver medallist Astier Nicolas, fellow Frenchman Thomas Carlile, and New Zealand’s Jonelle Price did likewise they moved into fifth, fourth and third in the final analysis.

Price’s KWPN gelding Cooley Showtime (Chin Chin/Limone/Julio Mariner) posted the same final score as Carlile’s AA gelding Vassily de Lassos (Jaguar Mail/Illusion Perdue/Jalenny), but the Kiwi rider’s spot-on cross-country timing gave her the edge for the place on the podium.

It was a sweet gold-medal-winning success for Klimke whose horse demonstrated the very essence of what these Championships are all about. Things didn’t turn out so well for the pair 12 months ago, but it all came together for them this time around.

“My mare should be the one credited with this win,” said the 48-year-old rider. “Last year her inexperience on the cross country cost us, but this year she was brilliant in the three tests and confirmed exactly what I think of her! She is definitely a mare for the future and she certainly has the potential to go to the Olympics in Tokyo in four years’ time!”

Full results here

Full rankings here

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

At Le Lion d’Angers:

Robert Adenot
Press Officer
robert.adenot@ifce.fr
+33 62295 6617

At FEI:

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

Klimke Secures Narrow German Lead in Olympic Eventing ahead of Cross-Country

Ingrid Klimke’s anchor ride with Bob. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Rio de Janeiro (BRA), 7 August 2016 – A brilliant ride by Ingrid Klimke maintained Team Germany’s lead as Eventing dressage drew to a close at Deodoro Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro (BRA). But her score of 39.50 with Bob gives the defending Olympic champions only a fractional advantage of 0.2 penalties over the feisty French side going into Monday’s much-anticipated cross-country phase.

In a typical Olympic contest, during which some competitors exceeded expectations while others couldn’t find the performances they were looking for, it was the mark of 39.20 earned by Mathieu Lemoine and the elegant Bart L that put the French right into the frame. So, fourth-last to go, Klimke could feel the pressure, but the 48-year-old daughter of dressage legend Reiner Klimke, who scooped eight Olympic medals during his spectacular career, kept a cool head.

It wasn’t all plain sailing, however.

“Bob was quite excited outside in the warm-up and he was bucking, but when he came into the arena he just went, ‘OK, here I am, I’m ready – if you want let’s go for it!’” she said afterwards.

Little

There’s very little between the leading group of countries going into Monday’s cross-country phase, with the Australians lying third, just over four penalty points behind the French, and the British just one more point further adrift in fourth. The Irish moved up a place to fifth thanks to a great performance from Jonty Evans and Cooley’s Rorkes Drift, while New Zealand and USA share sixth.

First-day leader, Great Britain’s William Fox-Pitt, remains at the head of the individual standings with Australia’s Christopher Burton hot on his heels, and Lemoine has slotted into third and Klimke into fourth, while defending double-Olympic champion, Michael Jung, is next in line in fifth place. With less than five points separating the top 10 riders, however, and few, if any, expected to avoid time penalties while negotiating the tough track set by French course designer, Pierre Michelet, the stage is set for a tremendous day of cross-country action Monday.

“I haven’t seen such a challenging course since Sydney (2000 Olympic Games). My Bobby is fast and he is a mature horse so he should cope well and I’m looking forward to it. But we know that when we go out there we have to do a very precise job tomorrow,” Klimke said.

Surprises

There were surprises of various kinds as the day-two session played out, with some dreams beginning to unravel while others were just starting to take shape. The latter was the case for Jonty Evans who produced a personal-best score at championship level when posting 41.80 with Cooley’s Rorkes Drift. This has left him lying ninth individually and has anchored his country’s chances going into their more-favoured cross-country phase. The judges clearly appreciated the quality of the canterwork of his 10-year-old gelding, one of 11 Irish-bred horses in the field of 65 starters. Evans said, “I’m thrilled to bits with him; he couldn’t have done any more today – he couldn’t have tried any harder.”

China’s Alex Hua Tian enjoyed some moments of brilliance in his test, but had to settle for 42.40 and 12th place at the end of the day with Don Geniro. “I made two big mistakes; the judges really wanted to give me good mark – but I nailed all the changes I think,” he said. “The first entry was great; he has a massive extended trot but he took an unbalanced step and broke into canter. It’s very frustrating because it’s the extended that gives him his big scores!” he pointed out.

Belgium’s Karen Donckers slotted herself into seventh individually when posting 41.10 with Fletcha van’t Verahof, but it was two competitive results from Lemoine and Thibaut Valette (Qing du Briot) who put 41.00 on the board that kept the French team right in the frame. Meanwhile, Australia’s Shane Rose really did the business with CP Qualified whose 42.50 ensured the 56.80 posted by Stuart Tinney and Pluto Mio could be discounted.

Tense

Many of the horses were tense coming into the arena, but Rose reassured his 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding with a big pat on the neck before going to work into the arena, and was rewarded with a very pleasant performance. Last-line British rider, Kitty King, found herself struggling from the start, however, with the Dutch-bred Ceylor LAN. And another for whom things didn’t go quite the right way was New Zealand’s Jonelle Price whose nine-year-old, Faerie Dianimo, broke into a canter during their early trot-work, eventually posting 49.50. “I was very disappointed,” she said “He was really hot in the warm-up but I was hoping for better in the arena. It was too bad it happened at the Olympic Games, but I’m hoping for a much better day tomorrow.”

Klimke’s vital anchor ride for Germany might also have been blighted by over-enthusiasm, but she managed to get all the fizz under control at just the right moment and pulled off that all-important score that has kept Germany out in front in the race for the team medals. “I was so pleased in the end; he did a fabulous test,” she said of the 12-year-old Bob.

Influencing

Every one of the riders agrees, however, that dressage will not be the all-influencing factor in Eventing at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Pierre Michelet has thought long and hard about how to challenge the most experienced riders in the sport along with those who have relatively less mileage on the clock.

“I want the best to win without asking too big questions of the less experienced riders. The reputation of the sport is important. I want to challenge the riders and I ask them to find clever solutions for the many options on offer. To get on the podium they will need to be brave, accurate and bold,” he said. There has indeed been a lot of course-walking going on over the last few days as riders make their plans and then alter them and settle on new ones that will get them home on the quickest and safest route.

“This course is not about one signature fence; it’s about clearing all of them! I ask the difficult questions from the start; that is my signature. The first water will be fence no. 4 already. The riders need to be ready from step one.”

Track

Talking about creating the lovely track that wends its way up and downhill through the land that surround the Deodoro military complex, he explained, “We started three years ago, first with an architectural firm to map out the track and the walkways and then the track builders started to work with improving the ground. Then we decided the spots for the fences. I came to Brazil in December for a month and the final details took two weeks. The layout was the same for the test event in 2015, but all the fences are new because of the different level of difficulty,” he pointed out.

Cross-country day looks set to be a thriller, and it seems it’s going to be a wide-open race for the medals right down to the final day. There is almost nothing between the Germans and French at the head of affairs, and with the British so close to the Australians who are currently in bronze medal spot and Ireland, New Zealand and USA a real threat to any of those ahead of them who might lose their grip there’s no room for error over a course that, the night before they take it on, may well be giving many of the world’s top event riders a restless night’s sleep.

Quotes:

Pippa Funnell (GBR): “I was really, really pleased with his [Billy the Biz] performance; I was thrilled with him. There were a few little bits here and there, but if I’m honest I think I’m being greedy; if I think of where he came from three years ago I’m thrilled.”

Kitty King (GBR): “It was slightly disappointing because he’s capable of a lot better; he did some good work but he just made a couple of uncharacteristic mistakes. One of his highlights is usually his medium trot, but it’s a massive atmosphere for the horse and he’s only nine. Today wasn’t quite what we’d hoped for but hopefully we’ll pull some back tomorrow.”

Pierre Michelet course designer (FRA), when asked about the Ground Jury’s opinion of his cross-country track: “They said it is fantastic, but they are always polite!”

Nick Turner, Irish Chef d’Equipe, talking about the competitive position of his team after dressage: “We are doing great and now we just need to keep a lid on it. They (the Irish team) just need to keep doing what they’re doing. This result is why these four riders were selected.”

Results after Eventing Dressage, Day 2 here  

FEI OLYMPIC HUB: For further information visit the FEI Olympic Hub which is dedicated to all things Olympic and Paralympic, both old and new: here.

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Equestrian in the Olympics

Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic Games since 1912. Team and individual medals are awarded in three disciplines – Dressage, Eventing and Jumping.

The equestrian events in Rio will be staged in the Deodoro Olympic Park, the second largest Olympic cluster, alongside basketball, BMX, canoe slalom, fencing, hockey, modern pentathlon, mountain biking, rugby sevens and shooting.

The countries represented in Equestrian in Rio are: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Palestine, Poland, Peru, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Republic of South Africa, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

They will compete in:

Jumping: 27 countries, 15 teams, 75 horse/rider combinations
Eventing: 24 countries, 13 teams, 65 horse/rider combinations
Dressage: 25 countries, 11 teams, 60 horse/rider combinations

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

Rio 2016:

Anja Krabbe
Venue Media Manager
anja.krabbe@rio2016.com
+55 (21) 97556 1218

FEI:

Shannon Gibbons
Manager Press Relations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

Michael Jung Makes History at Burghley and Ingrid Klimke Wins Series

One of the all-time greats: Michael Jung and La Biosthetique Sam, winners of the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (GBR), sixth and final leg of the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015. Jung also finished second in the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015 behind his compatriot Ingrid Klimke. (Trevor Meeks/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 6 September 2015 – A huge crowd rose to their feet in appreciation as Michael Jung (GER) and his wonderful horse La Biosthetique Sam jumped the perfect clear round to win the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (GBR), sixth and final leg of the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015.

Jung, who will be defending his European title next weekend, is the first German rider to win a British CCI4*, and he received a great reception from the crowd, who recognised a phenomenal horseman in action and had been surrounding him all weekend asking for ‘selfies’ and autographs.

“To come to Burghley is amazing; to ride the Cross Country was wonderful and to win here at an event which is such a great tradition in the sport is just fantastic. This will be one of the highlights of my life,” said Jung. “I really enjoyed it here and hope I will have horses for it next year.”

This is the 21st international event he has won with the 16-year-old Sam, which he describes as “being like a good friend – every time he gives me 100%.”

Jung also finished second in the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015 behind his compatriot Ingrid Klimke, who was at Burghley to receive her cheque for $US 40,000 in the main arena.

Jung was under huge pressure coming into the arena as Tim Price (NZL) had conjured a beautiful clear round from the improving Ringwood Sky Boy to finish runner-up behind the German for the second time this year, following Kentucky (USA) in April.

“Sky Boy has been improving and I hoped that would show itself on the flat,” explained Tim. “He has always been a good Cross Country horse but to be still here today, in second place, is wonderful. He is not a natural showjumper but he is learning to try hard at the right moment.”

The talented Christopher Burton (AUS), who has never previously completed Burghley, had a perfect day with two clear rounds to finish third and fourth on TS Jamaimo and Haruzac.

“I haven’t had a very good run here before – I came here as a young rider from Australia in 2004 and fell off at the third fence, so just to see the finish flags was a pretty good feeling,” he said.

Jonelle Price (NZL) slipped from third to fifth when Classic Moet hit the first part of the treble, but clear rounds elevated Sir Mark Todd to sixth on Leonidas ll, Cedric Lyard (FRA) to seventh on Cadeau du Roi, Kristina Cook (Star Witness) to eighth and best British rider, and Sam Griffiths (AUS) and Paulank Brockagh to ninth.

William Fox-Pitt (GBR) had a fence down on Fernhill Pimms but still rose three places to 10th. However, for the first time since the inception of the FEI Classics™ in 2008 he missed out on a cash prize. The Badminton winner finished on the same score, 24 points, as Tim Price, but the New Zealander took precedent in fourth place on the final leaderboard as, according to the rules, he had gained his points at fewer competitions.

How the FEI Classics™ was won

Ingrid Klimke (GER) is the first German rider to win the FEI Classics™ since the series began in 2008. She won Pau in 2014 (Horseware Hale Bob) and Luhmühlen (GER) this year on FRH Escada JS, and finished second (on Horseware Hale Bob) at Badminton.

Michael Jung (GER), second, won Kentucky on FischerRocana FST, and was third at Luhmühlen and first at Burghley on La Biosthetique Sam. Jonelle Price was fourth at Pau and second at Luhmühlen (Faerie Dianimo) and fifth at Burghley (Classic Moet). Her husband Tim was second at Kentucky (Wesko) and second at Burghley (Ringwood Sky Boy).

“I didn’t plan this or expect to win it,” said a delighted Klimke after receiving her cheque. “Now it seems that Germans are able to win CCI4*s! Chris Bartle [our trainer] makes us go all over the world and that gives us confidence. It’s great to win extra money like this, which will go straight back into my horses and therefore into the sport.”

About the FEI Classics™ winner

Ingrid Klimke (GER), 47, is enjoying her most successful season in a long and distinguished international career. The daughter of the late Dr Reiner Klimke, one of the most medalled Dressage riders in history, Klimke’s “day job” is producing Dressage horses but she has been a key member of the German Eventing squad since 1999.

With her first top horse, Sleep Late, she represented Germany at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games, won European team and individual bronze medals in 2005 and world team gold in 2006, and set a German record when second at Badminton in 2006.

With FRH Butts Abraxxas, she won Olympic team gold in 2008 and 2012, plus European team gold in 2011, and was fourth at Burghley in 2013. Riding FRH Escada JS, she won European team gold and individual silver medals in 2013 and world team gold in 2014.

Klimke, who is based in Münster, Germany, is married to Andreas and has two daughters, Greta and Philippa. She is in great demand as a trainer and has written books on riding.

About the Burghley winner

Michael Jung (GER), 33, was the first rider in history to hold Olympic, World and European titles simultaneously and the first to win four championship titles consecutively.

He first came to prominence in 2009, when he won the Luhmühlen CCI4*, the FEI World Cup™ Eventing final in Strzegom (POL) and an individual European bronze medal in Fontainebleau (FRA), all on La Biosthetique Sam.

The pair went on to win the world title in Kentucky (USA) in 2010, double European gold in Luhmühlen in 2011 and double Olympic gold in London (GBR) in 2012 and, in 2013, they were second at Badminton CCI4*.

Jung won a second European title, at Malmö (SWE) in 2013 on Halunke, and last year finished second at Luhmühlen and won world team gold and individual silver medals on FisherRocana FST. He lives at Horb, Germany, where his parents, Joachim and Bridgette, own a riding establishment.

Use hashtags #FEIClassics and #Eventing.

See full FEI Classics™ 2014/2015 leaderboard: http://bit.ly/1VHbi8j.

By Kate Green

Burghley Media Contact:

Carole Pendle/Brand Rapport
cpendle@brand-rapport.com
+44 7768 462601

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Outstanding Germans Thrill Home Crowd at Aachen

Ingrid Klimke and Horseware Hale Bob led the German team to victory in the FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing at Aachen (GER) when finishing second in the individual rankings today, behind her winning ride, FRH Escada JS. (FEI/Libby Law)

Lausanne (SUI), 14 August, 2015 – Ingrid Klimke’s brilliant season continued with an outstanding performance at Aachen (GER), where she led the home team to a convincing victory in the fifth leg of the 2015 FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing and finished first and second on the individual leaderboard with FRH Escada JS and her team horse, Horseware Hale Bob.

Although she has competed every year at Aachen since 2005, Klimke has never won the prestigious Eventing competition before, promising: “I want to read my name on the winner’s board one day,” and she made good that promise in real style today.

The New Zealanders, competing in their first FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing this year, finished a close second with three superb jumping performances. The USA, also making their first appearance this season, were third thanks to great Cross Country rounds from Phillip Dutton (Fernhill Cubalawn) and Lauren Kieffer (Veronica).

After Dressage, Germany held an eight-point lead over Britain, who were boosted by the brilliant score of 34.3 produced by the 2014 Young Rider European silver medallists, Holly Woodhead and DHI Lupison.

The Kiwis lay third, but rose to second place within three penalties of the German team after Jumping, when Tim Price (Wesko), his wife Jonelle (Faerie Dianimo) and Sir Mark Todd (NZB Campino) all went clear, whereas Klimke was the only member of the German team to remain fault free over the coloured poles.

Woodhead (GBR) also went clear to rise to second place individually behind Klimke, while Woodhead’s team mate Gemma Tattersall (Quicklook V) incurred just one time penalty to keep Britain in a close third at that stage.

But the British team was eliminated when Flora Harris and Bayano retired on the Cross Country and, after the examination of video footage, Woodhead was discovered to have jumped the wrong side of a flag at the corner in the water. Despite its last-place finish at Aachen, Britain – the only country to have contested all five legs of the series so far – still has a commanding lead over Germany in the FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing leaderboard.

The Cross Country was run in reverse order of merit and built to a crescendo as the crowds watching the finish in the main arena became more and more excited. Rudiger Schwarz’s Cross Country track provided an exhilarating – and exacting – contest as the time of six minutes 40 seconds was tight and the demanding lines caught out a number of riders.

Fence 16b, a brush fence that had to be jumped on the angle following a corner, caused the most problems and Andrew Hoy (AUS), who produced a brilliant performance out of Cheeky Calimbo to put the three-man Australian team into fifth place, wisely took the long route here.

New Zealand team member Jock Paget was unseated after Clifton Lush ran out here, and Britain’s Flora Harris (Bayano), the USA’s Colleen Routledge (Covert Rights), Canada’s Kathryn Robinson (Let It Bee) and the Netherlands’ Tim Lips (Concrex Bayro) all faulted here, as did Holly Woodhead when DHI Lupison over-jumped the preceding element.

Louise Svensson Jahde (SWE) suffered the only horse fall when Wieloch’s Utah Son hit the table fence after the water at fence 9. Vets treated the horse for a cut on its chest, which required stitching. The rider was unhurt in the fall.

Only a handful of riders achieved the optimum time: three were German team members – Klimke, world champion Sandra Auffarth (Opgun Louvo) and Dirk Schrade (Hop and Skip) – and one was a Kiwi, Tim Price.

There were also notably fast rounds from New Zealanders Jonelle Price and Mark Todd, Germany’s Michael Jung (Halunke FBW), Australia’s Paul Tapner (Indian Mill), Canada’s Rebecca Howard (Riddle Master) and Ireland’s Padraig McCarthy (Simon Porloe).

This was a fiercely competitive and thrilling FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing contest, but the result left no one in any doubt as to who the favourites will be for the Longines FEI European Championships at Blair Castle (GBR) next month.

The FEI’s team Eventing series, the FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing, is open to all nations fielding one team composed of 3 or 4 riders at each leg, and runs under FEI Eventing rules at CICO and CCIO 3* level with riders accumulating points under a dedicated system. Visit the FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing series hub here for rules, results and Organiser details.

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Press Relations
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 33

Ingrid Klimke Wins DHL CICO 3* Eventing Prize after Cross-Country Phase

(Aachen, Germany 14 August 2015) A champion team will always be a team of champions. The German team proved this is very much true, after dominating the individual leader-board in the DHL CICO 3* Eventing competition today in Aachen.

Ingrid Klimke occupied first and second position and Sandra Auffarth took third. The competition is the Nations Cup of Eventing, which is running alongside the 2015 FEI European Championships, not to be confused with the FEI Eventing Championships that are taking place at Blair Castle in Scotland this September.

Going into the final stages of the eventing, all eyes were on Ingrid, undoubtedly the favourite, having already secured first place on her horse Horseware Hale Bob earlier in the day. She had the majority of the large home crowds behind her as she stormed through the arena on her second horse, FRH Escada JS, to secure her individual win and team Germany’s victory.

Having proved herself a worthy contender during the show jumping element of the competition, by securing first and fourth place, Ingrid knew the stakes were high and the pressure was on. The duo of Klimke and FRH Escada JS spearheaded the German teams convincing win in the Nations Cup with New Zealand holding onto second place, thanks to a brilliant display of horsemanship from Tim Price (individually lying in fourth), and the United States of America in third.

After Ingrid had finished her final round, it looked as though Great Britain had taken third place, thanks to good rounds from Gemma Tattersall and Holly Woodhead. Unfortunately, after the judges re-looked at Holly’s round and the decision was made to eliminate her, due to her horse’s shoulder jumping outside the fence-flags on the course. This then meant that the United States team, consisting of Phillip Dutton, Lauren Kieffer, Lynn Symansky and Colleen Rutledge, moved into third place.

Following her victory, Ingrid said, “I was so pleased already with the dressage because both horses did a lovely dressage and then they went clear in the jumping, so today they were very motivated and it was easy to gallop them inside the time.” Klimke, ecstatic for her own individual victory, noted how her whole team helped her performance in Aachen. “I must really say though, it is very much team work. We have a whole supporting team behind us, so from my point of view it was just a pleasure to ride. They stand behind you and give you the confidence to go for it!”

For more information on the 2015 FEI European Championships, please visit http://www.aachen2015.de/en/.

Rolex and the European Championships

Rolex is a major supporter of the biennial European Championships, an event which brings together Europe’s best equestrian pairs. For the first time, the FEI European Championships in Aachen, Germany, this summer (11-23 August) unites five equestrian disciplines – Show Jumping, Dressage, Driving, Vaulting and Reining. Competitors test their metal strength and show their equine discipline in front of crowds of up to 40,000.

Rolex is proud to support an occasion where the values that the leading luxury watchmaking brand holds dear – courage, precision, empathy, sportsmanship and passion – will be so clearly demonstrated.

Ingrid Klimke Takes the Lead after the Jumping Test Phase of the CICO 3* Eventing in Aachen

Ingrid Klimke.

(Aachen, Germany, 13 August 2015) – Germany’s Ingrid Klimke holds the lead after the jumping phase of the Eventing at Aachen today, taking the German team into the lead overnight. New Zealand lies in second with Great Britain third.

German team takes the lead

Host nation Germany took the lead today in the Jumping phase of the CICO 3* Eventing Nations Cup at Aachen. The competition is running alongside the 2015 FEI European Championships in dressage, show jumping, reining, vaulting and driving.

Navigating a tough Frank Rothenberger course and contending with some high temperatures, many teams buckled under the pressure and time faults and fence penalties were added to the totals.

Lying in second after the dressage, Sandra Auffarth had a fence down to drop from second to sixth, but this was not enough for Germany to give up the lead. New Zealand moved up to second, thanks to fault-free rides from all of the team.

A young, but daring British team proved worthy opponents to Germany and New Zealand. Holly Woodhead had a fantastic clear round on her horse DHI Lupison, which moved her up to second individually and helped Great Britain into third.

Klimke Dominates Individual

Ingrid Klimke also dominates the Individual leader-board thanks to a clear round on FRH Escada JS. Holly Woodhead goes into second place and Australia’s Andrew Hoy went clear on Cheeky Calimbo to secure him third position.

Quotes

Ingrid Klimke (GER):

Having secured first after her Jumping phase Individually and helping her team to the leading position, Ingrid could not contain her excitement: “I am absolutely delighted!”

For more information on the 2015 European Championships, please visit http://www.aachen2015.de/en/.

Rolex and the European Championships

Rolex is a major supporter of the biennial European Championships, an event which brings together Europe’s best equestrian pairs. For the first time, the FEI European Championships in Aachen, Germany, this summer (11-23 August) unites five equestrian disciplines – Show Jumping, Dressage, Driving, Vaulting and Reining. Competitors test their metal strength and show their equine discipline in front of crowds of up to 40,000.

Rolex is proud to support an occasion where the values that the leading luxury watchmaking brand holds dear – courage, precision, empathy, sportsmanship and passion – will be so clearly demonstrated.

Klimke Is Unbeatable at Luhmühlen

Ingrid Klimke (GER) is flawless to win her second CCI4* of the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015 with a confident clear Jumping round on FRH Escada JS at Luhmühlen (GER) presented by DHL. (Eventing Photo/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 21 June 2015 – Ingrid Klimke (GER) rode brilliantly to produce a clear round under huge pressure to win her home CCI4* at Luhmühlen (GER), presented by DHL, for the first time and set up an unassailable lead in the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015.

In a thrilling finale, her flawless round on the spring-heeled 11-year-old Hannoverian mare FRH Escada JS denied New Zealander Jonelle Price her first CCI4* victory by just one-tenth of a penalty.

Klimke’s trainer, Kurt Gravemeier, had promised that he would come and help her on the final day if she was in the top three. “So I said to him, fill your car up with gas and come here!” said a smiling Klimke.

“We have trained together for so long and when he said to me: ‘You must go for it!’ I was full of confidence. I’m really thrilled with my fantastic horse. She felt so full of herself today.”

When Klimke entered the arena, she could not even afford a single time fault because Price, on her exciting Olympic prospect, the 10-year-old Dressage-bred Faerie Dianimo (by Keystone Dimaggio out of a Catherston Dazzler mare), had ridden a perfect round.

So, too, had Michael Jung (GER) and his wise 15-year-old gelding, La Biosthetique Sam FBW, third, Christopher Burton (AUS) on the rising star Graf Liberty, fourth, and Sir Mark Todd (NZL) with NZB Campino, fifth, which meant that, unusually for this level, there was no change to the top five after Cross Country.

Heiko Wahler’s Jumping course invited forward riding, but there was a tricky treble combination and the time was tight – 12 of the 25 finishers had time faults. Nicky Roncoroni (GBR), lying 17th on Stonedge, was the first to produce a completely penalty-free round and this elevated her to 12th place.

The young New Zealander Jesse Campbell, sixth after Cross Country on Kaapachino, had an unfortunate 21-penalty round which dropped him to 16th place and allowed the American combination of Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen to rise a place to sixth with their clear.

World team bronze medallist Tim Lips (NED) is well known for his prowess in the Jumping ring and a clear on Bayro lifted him five places to seventh. World team gold medallists Dirk Schrade and the aptly named Hop and Skip also rose five places with a fault-free round, to eighth.

Looking towards the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015 finale at Burghley (GBR) in September, Klimke is out in front but her peers, such as second-placed Michael Jung, who has now overtaken four-times series winner William Fox-Pitt, Christopher Burton, Mark Todd and Tim and Jonelle Price, will be in fierce and fascinating competition for the other cash prizes.

Full results on www.luhmuehlen.de.

About the winner

Ingrid Klimke, 47, is enjoying her most successful season in a long and distinguished international career. The daughter of the late Dr Reiner Klimke, one of the most medalled Dressage riders in history, Klimke’s “day job” is producing Dressage horses but she has been a key member of the German Eventing squad since 1999.

With her first top horse, Sleep Late, she represented Germany at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games, won European team and individual bronze medals in 2005 and world team gold in 2006, and set a German record when second at Badminton in 2006.

With FRH Butts Abraxxas, she won Olympic team gold in 2008 and 2012, plus European team gold in 2011, and was fourth at Burghley in 2013. Riding FRH Escada JS, she won European team gold and individual silver medals in 2013 and world team gold in 2014.

Klimke won her first CCI4*, Pau, in 2014 and was second at Badminton this year on Horseware Hale Bob. Klimke, who is based in Munster, Germany, is married to Andreas and has two daughters, Greta and Philippa. She is in great demand as a trainer and has written books on riding.

Download the FEI Classics™ press kit here: www.feipresskits.org/press_kits/subevent/fei-classics.

Use hashtags #FEIClassics and #Eventing.

By Kate Green

Luhmühlen CCI4* Media Contact:

Friederike Stüvel-Huck
media@luhmuehlen.de
+49 171 538 2900

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Klimke Takes Over at Luhmühlen

Ingrid Klimke and FRH Escada JS power into the lead after Cross Country at Luhmühlen (GER), fifth leg of the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015. (Hanna Broms/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 20 June 2015 – Ingrid Klimke (GER) is on course to win her second CCI4* of the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015 after a breathtakingly bold Cross Country round on FRH Escada JS at Luhmühlen (GER), presented by DHL.

“Escada was super fit and she jumps so big that she goes over the top of the hedges,” said a delighted Klimke, who remains on her Dressage score of 32.7. “She loves it so much that we were flying. It was an incredible feeling.”

Jonelle Price (NZL), whose husband, Tim, won here last year, is now within touching distance of her first CCI4* victory after providing a masterclass of Cross Country riding on the quick grey mare Faerie Dianimo. They are now second, only 0.1 of a penalty behind Klimke going into tomorrow’s Jumping finale.

Price overcame an anxious moment when she was mistakenly held in front of the very last fence, but she managed to keep her focus amid the adrenalin high, and completed the course penalty free.

“I had a beautiful round until then with no nervous moments,” said Price. “Dianimo felt much more experienced than she did at Pau last year [where they were fourth].”

Michael Jung (GER) and his old friend La Biosthetique Sam FBW proved exemplary pathfinders, making the big track look a breeze, and are now in third place.

However, proving that even Olympic champions can have an off-moment, Jung retired the fourth-placed fischerRocana FST when the gallant mare floundered on landing in the water at Meβmer water complex and was unable to make the step out onto the bank.

The price of one Jumping rail covers the top five riders. The accomplished Australian Christopher Burton, twice a winner of Adelaide (AUS), moved up two places to fourth on Graf Liberty, a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse having a first CCI4* run.

Sir Mark Todd (NZL) had a superb round on NZB Campino and is now fifth and in with a great chance of adding the Luhmühlen CCI4* to his illustrious CV after competing here for more than 30 years.

Mark Phillips’ revamped track proved a triumph, producing committed riding and confident horses from the star-studded field. There were 21 clear rounds from the 35 Cross Country starters, 14 of which were inside the optimum time of 11 minutes 10 seconds.

These included two from British riders Coral Keen on the Fleetwater Opposition-sired Wellhead Fare Opposition, now in 11th place, and Willa Newton on Newmarket Vasco One, 15th, plus Dirk Schrade (GER) on the experienced Hop and Skip, 13th, and Sweden’s Johan Lundin (Johnny Cash), 18th.

The Dressage leader, newcomer Julien Despontin (BEL), was visibly thrilled with his clear round, only his second at this level, on Waldano 36. He showed admirable stickability when the horse slipped on leaving the arena, but 22.4 time penalties has dropped him to 19th place.

New Zealanders Andrew Nicholson (Qwanza) and Blyth Tait (Xanthus lll), who was achieving his first CCI4* Cross Country completion since 2004, were both going brilliantly when they had frustrating run-outs just two fences from home at fence 28, the Ariat three angled horse-shaped brush.

Clark Montgomery (USA) successfully appealed against elimination for jumping the wrong side of a flag at fence 28 and he is now in seventh place overnight on Loughan Glen.

An angled corner at fence 9 proved the most influential obstacle. The Finnish rider Elmo Jankari (Duchesse Desiree), 11th after Dressage, ran out here, as did Dutch rider Fraser King (Nadal), experienced Irishman Joseph Murphy (Electric Cruise) and Australian triple Olympic gold medallist Andrew Hoy on Algebra, the 17-year-old grey he has taken over from Nathalie Blundell (AUS).

Lizzie Brown (NZL) and Henton Attorney General, 10th after Dressage, retired after a refusal going into the six-effort Meβmer water (fence 17), the centrepiece of the whole course, while Karl-Steffen Meier (GER) suffered the only fall of the day, a soaking in the water when Sunny Side First tripped on landing there.

The FEI Classics™ has been dominated since its inception in 2008 by British riders, with the notable exception of Andrew Nicholson (NZL) in 2013, but it now looks as if the Germans are about to take over; Klimke has the chance to build up a commanding lead and Michael Jung could be close behind by tomorrow.

“Escada is a neat jumper and I will just aim to keep her calm in the warm-up,” said Klimke, who won Pau last year and finished second at Badminton on Horseware Hale Bob last month. “I have never won here before, although I had chances with [FRH Butts] Abraxxas, so it would be nice.”

Jumping action starts at 10.30am local time tomorrow. Follow live on FEI TV www.feitv.org with live results on www.luhmuehlen.de.

Download the FEI Classics™ press kit here: www.feipresskits.org/press_kits/subevent/fei-classics.

Use hashtags #FEIClassics and #Eventing.

By Kate Green

Luhmühlen CCI4* Media Contact:

Friederike Stüvel-Huck
media@luhmuehlen.de
+49 171 538 2900

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Klimke Is in the Driving Seat at Luhmühlen

Ingrid Klimke (GER) is pictured here with Horseware Hale Bob on Cross Country at last year’s FEI Classics™ in Luhmühlen (GER). Klimke is now heading back to her home CCI4* presented by DHL this weekend (18-21 June) with “Bobby”, and with an obvious chance to extend her lead of this year’s prestigious FEI Classics™ series. (Jon Stroud/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 17 June, 2015 – Ingrid Klimke (GER), who is enjoying a great run of form, has an obvious chance to extend her lead in the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015 if she can produce a good result at her home CCI4* at Luhmühlen, presented by DHL, this weekend (18-21 June).

Klimke, who won Pau (FRA) last year and recently finished second at Badminton (GBR) on Horseware Hale Bob, rides FRH Escada JS, the good mare on which she won European team gold and individual silver medals in 2013.

No German has won the FEI Classics™ since its inception in 2008, but, going into the fifth leg, the supremely talented rider already has a four-point lead over three-time series winner and world number one William Fox-Pitt (GBR) who does not have a ride at Luhmühlen.

Klimke’s team mate Michael Jung is also expected to climb the leaderboard, on which he is currently lying third. The reigning Olympic and European champion has entered fisherRocana FST and La Biosthetique Sam FBW, the horses on which he finished first and third at Kentucky (USA) in April.

Established German riders Andreas Dibowski, Peter Thomsen and Dirk Schrade plus young talents Niklas Bschorer and Claas Herman Romeike all have rides and their team chef d’equipe Hans Melzer said that he wants to see as many combinations as possible qualified for next year’s Olympic Games in Rio (BRA) where Germany will be defending their title.

New Zealand holds perhaps the strongest entry of all the 13 nations represented at Luhmühlen. Last year’s winner Tim Price, a runner-up to Jung at Kentucky, rides the promising CCI4* debutant Bango, and the 2013 victor, Andrew Nicholson, has the lovely Spanish-bred mare Qwanza back in action.

Surprisingly, neither of New Zealand’s Olympic champions, Sir Mark Todd and Blyth Tait, can boast a CCI4* victory at Luhmühlen in their CVs, but both their respective mounts NZB Campino and Xanthus lll, recently first and third in the CIC3* at Tattersalls (IRL), could deliver exciting results.

The Kiwis also field the 2013 Boekelo CCI3* (NED) winner Lizzie Brown on Henton Attorney General plus world number five Jonelle Price, acknowledged as one of the world’s best female Cross Country riders, on the attractive grey mare Faerie Dianimo.

Event director Julia Otto has expressed her delight at the high-class entry and Cross Country Course Designer Mark Phillips (GBR) has revealed some radical changes made to his track, which runs in a reverse direction to last year.

“It is a completely new approach,” explains Capt Phillips, adding: “The DHL Water Complex doesn’t come up so early in the course, giving horses and riders a better chance to warm up.” He has also redesigned the famous Meβmer water complex, which is lighter and more open after trees have been cut back, and has increased the use of frangible devices in consultation with Technical Delegate Martin Plewa (GER).

The experienced German official commented: “Another safety aspect that is often overlooked is the ground, but, to my mind, the conditions here in Luhmühlen are fabulous. It’s like walking a golf course.”

The action starts with the first horse into the Dressage arena at 1.30pm local time on Thursday. Follow the competition with live coverage on FEI TV (www.feitv.org) and live results on www.luhmuehlen.de.

Download the FEI Classics™ press kit here: www.feipresskits.org/press_kits/subevent/fei-classics.

Use hashtags #FEIClassics and #Eventing.

By Kate Green

Luhmühlen CCI4* Media Contact:

Friederike Stüvel-Huck
media@luhmuehlen.de
+49 171 538 2900

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45