Tag Archives: Michael Jung

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., FEI

Jung Takes Individual Lead; British Hold Five of Top Six Placings

Michael Jung rides Fischerchipmunk FRH. FEI/Libby Law Photography

German giant Michael Jung swaggered to the top of the individual standings with a superb performance from Fischerchipmunk FRH as the dressage phase drew to a close at the FEI Eventing European Championship 2023 at Haras du Pin (FRA).

As expected, the individual leaderboard got a good shake-up, but it was four of reigning world champion Yasmin Ingham’s British compatriots who ousted her from overnight pole position, before Jung overtook them all with a ride that earned a sensational leading score of 19.4 going into the cross-country challenge.

His advantage is narrow, with a whole tribe of Brits breathing down his neck. Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo are in second (21.3), Tom McEwen is in third (22.0), Laura Collett and London 52 are in fourth (22.4), while Ingham (23.4) has dropped to fifth, ahead of Tom Jackson and Capels Hollow Drift in sixth place (25.7).

The team classification shows the British out in front on a tally of 67.1, with Germany in second on 76.3 and Belgium in third on 90.9. Switzerland and The Netherlands share fourth place with 93.1 on the board, while France (94.4), Sweden (98.9), Italy (99.1), Austria (103.5), and Ireland (105.5) are lining up behind them.

None of the leading pack are feeling complacent about their results so far. All talk is about the challenge that will be presented by Pierre Le Goupil’s cross-country track.

Overtake

McEwen was first to overtake Ingham. The world number two rider produced two big second-place results – at the CCIO4*-NC-L in Boekelo (NED) last October and at the CCI5*-L in Kentucky (USA) in April 2023 – with the 12-year-old JL Dublin since taking up the ride last year.

“He’s simply stunning on the flat!” he said. “He captures the eye, he swings through, and bar the tiniest few things, he was absolutely excellent. I was delighted; I thought the changes were a serious highlight and as per usual that extended trot – if we could do five more of those we’d be in the lead by a little way!” he pointed out.

Collett and London 52, Olympic team gold medallists in Tokyo and three-time 5* winners, then slotted in behind her compatriot, but Jung set a whole new target when third to go of the final tranche of competitors, and despite a powerful challenge from Canter, he couldn’t be budged from the top of the scoreboard.

Analysing his test, he said, “The highlight was definitely the entire canter-work. However, we lost some points in the walk which could be better. Overall, it was one of the best tests we’ve ever done!”

Over the moon

Canter said she was “over the moon with Walter” – Lordships Graffalo’s stable name. “It’s been a long wait for me this last two days… when I got on today, I felt better that I had a job to do at last! Looking back at old videos of Walter in the spring building up to Badminton, I can’t believe how much he has come on since then; he’s truly an amazing horse and I’m very lucky to have him!”

All the riders know that their dressage scores may pale to insignificance, because the cross-country track cannot be underestimated. Jung described it as “big but fair,” adding that “every question needs to be clearly understood by the horses.”

McEwen said, “I think they’ve built a beautiful track – not what I was expecting, but a stunning track, but you have to be on it the whole way around, stay on your game, feel where you’re going, and judge where you are at.”

Very big

Collett said, “Dimensionally, it’s very big; there’s no real let-up for the horses energy-wise, and of course, the ground is going to play a massive part. (The weather) is probably not what we were all expecting going to France. You are going to have to be on your A-game; the first water is a serious test and it comes very early.”

And it has been raining.

Canter said, “The weather and the ground is something we the Brits have had to cope with a lot this year… we’ve ridden on this going so many times, that hopefully we can stay in our bubble and concentrate on our job. The first water is a very big drop in, so it will be interesting to see how they read that. I think it’s more the undulations, the twists, and the turns that are going to create the challenges at the jumps.”

German team member Sandra Auffart is lying individually eleventh after scoring 28.6 with Viamant du Matz. If there is anyone who knows about riding the cross-country track at Haras du Pin in less than ideal conditions, it is the multi-medalled three-time Olympian who took double-gold here at the FEI World Equestrian Games in 2014 with Opgun Luovo. She is not intimidated by the challenge of the cross-country track.

When asked if there was any comparison to the course she tackled so successfully nine years ago, she replied, “Yes, it’s a bit similar here and there, with the last water and again the last hill. I remember every bit of the cross-country from 2014, so I think that’s a little advantage! The first water is also a bit similar, with a drop down the curved line to the skinny one in the water. It’s a tough question at the beginning, but the course is interesting and it’s very exciting!”

Result after Dressage: https://results.worldsporttiming.com/event/162.

by Louise Parkes

press@fei.org
www.fei.org

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Olympic Games

Eventing Leaderboard Gets a Shake-Up before Cross-Country

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Michael Jung riding Chipmunk. (FEI/Libby Law)

The leaderboard began to look a bit more familiar after the final session of Eventing dressage at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Baji Koen. Great Britain remains at the head of affairs, but it is now Team Germany that sits second ahead of New Zealand in third, while the host nation of Japan continues to shine in fourth place going into the cross-country phase.

An amazing score of 21.10 from defending double-champion, Michael Jung, lifted Germany from overnight fifth to just over two points behind the British leaders, whose position at the top of the leaderboard was bolstered by a solid test from Tom McEwen and Toledo de Kerser, who posted a mark of 28.90.

Jung was really pleased with his 13-year-old gelding Chipmunk. “We had a very good partnership; everything worked like I wished. Since the European Championships in 2019, I’ve had more time to train with him. We had a long winter to work more and have had many more competitions this year, so everything is going much better,” he said.

He may not have realised it, but he was being watched by IOC Member HSH Prince Albert II who paid a visit to the Equestrian Park to watch some Eventing Dressage, including the start of Jung’s Olympic title defence. After a traditional Japanese tea ceremony in the Olympic Family Lounge together with fellow IOC Member and FEI President Ingmar De Vos, the Prince was taken on a full tour of the venue, including a visit to the stables and the onsite veterinary clinic.

Dramatic improvement

Meanwhile, world number two, Tim Price, was responsible for the dramatic improvement for Team New Zealand, who rose from sixth to third. His score of 25.60 with Vitali puts his side, which includes his wife Jonelle, on a tally of 86.40, exactly six penalty points behind Germany and just over eight points off pole position. “That’s good; that’s what we want!” Price said when he realised his result had made such a big difference. “We just want to be a solid team; we’re only a little nation with a few riders to choose from,” he pointed out.

Sweden dropped from overnight second to fifth, but Australia was another to rise meteorically thanks to a classic ride from the oldest competitor in Eventing at these Olympic Games. Andrew Hoy (62) and Vassily de Lassos posted 29.60, and all scores below 30 proved highly influential.

“I believe it is the maximum (score) we could have had from today. There were tiny little things that I can always improve. The joy I get from riding this horse is unbelievable, and I use one word to describe what I’m trying to achieve: harmony… when you see the great riders with harmony then it is poetry in motion!” Hoy said.

Chinese team

The Chinese team slipped from fourth to seventh, but pathfinder Alex Hua Tian is sitting in individual bronze spot with Don Geniro going into cross-country day. The 31-year-old made history when becoming the first Chinese athlete to compete in Olympic Eventing at the Beijing Games in 2008. And, based in Cheshire in England since 2013, he took individual silver at the Asian Games in Incheon (KOR) in 2014 before finishing eighth individually at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

He’ll be hoping to hang on to that bronze medal spot at the end of the cross-country contest. As the dressage phase came to an end, Great Britain’s Oliver Townend was in silver medal position behind Jung, who is chasing down his third consecutive individual gold.

But all the athletes are a little in awe of the cross-country challenge that course designer Derek di Grazia (USA) has set for them.

Fantastic

“The ground is fantastic and the fences are beautiful; like at every Olympic Games, the presentation you cannot question. It’s a proper challenge, and I don’t mean just with the height of the fences. The layout of the course, the flow – it’s going to be a challenge to get the time. But I’m sitting on one of the greatest cross-country horses in the world and we’ve got a wonderful relationship, and I believe it’s achievable but only time will tell!” said Andrew Hoy.

“It feels like a proper three-phase test to us this time. Mainly because of what Derek has done, it’s going to be a good competition for us all,” said Tim Price.

However, Germany’s Michael Jung is feeling super-confident, partly because his team has such a good draw. “We have a very good start position; our first rider is number 14, so before she (Julia Krajewski) goes some nice information will have come through which we can use. You need a lot of luck with the weather and other things you can’t control, but definitely it’s good if you start towards the end,” he pointed out.

As German anchorman, he has a great draw himself, going second-last in the field of 61.

Facts and Figures:

There was one withdrawal from the second day of dressage – Katrin Khoddam-Hazrati from Austria.

Lara de Liedekerke-Meier from Belgium, who competed in the first day of Eventing dressage, has also withdrawn.

61 horse-and-rider combinations will tackle Derek di Grazia’s cross-country track at Sea Forest.

Quotes:

Tim Price NZL, talking about his horse Vitali: “He’s had to do everything right, and he’s 95% done that since last year when I first sat on him to now, otherwise I wouldn’t be here. I’m very confident in him but it’s a short time in terms of partnership, because that’s one of the key things on display at the Olympics is the partnership between horse and rider and how they can rely on each other. I’m very confident with him; he’s a very genuine guy and I feel very comfortable on him.”

Michael Jung GER, talking about his horse Chipmunk: “He’s a very powerful horse but very nice to ride cross-country; this helps a lot: you don’t need too much preparation before the fence. The time is very tough tomorrow, so you need good communication with your horse; in the end they have to listen and you need to be focused and to concentrate.”

Andrew Hoy AUS, talking about evolution of the sport of Eventing: “We are light years ahead of where we were when I started out. I rode my first championship in 1978 and it’s changed immensely, I believe for the good. In my lifetime I’ve looked at some of the changes and totally disagreed, but now I’m at the stage – if there’s a change I think about what I have to do to be there. It’s not about fighting change; it’s about working with change.”

Boyd Martin USA, talking about his test that didn’t go to plan: “Thomas (Tsetserleg TSF) has been so good in the dressage for years… some great moments and some disastrous. You come here hoping to give a personal best. Cross-country tomorrow is so difficult it’s so hard to get the time, but I think we (Team USA) are in with a chance if we can deliver three good rounds cross-country with three good seasoned horses that are older and experienced. We’ve nothing to lose by going out there and giving it a crack!”

Results here:  https://tokyo2020.live.fei.org/.

by Louise Parkes

Media contacts:

Grania Willis
Executive Advisor
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Olivia Robinson
Director, Communications
olivia.robinson@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 35

Shannon Gibbons
Manager, Media Relations & Media Operations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46+

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T., Olympic Games

Jung Aims to Make More History with a Hat-Trick of Gold

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Germany’s Michael Jung rides his 2019 European Championship horse fischerChipmunk FRH in Luhmuhlen, (GER) and is aiming to make history with a hat-trick gold in Tokyo (JPN). FEI/ Oliver Hardt/Getty Images.

After Germany’s Michael Jung won the second of his two consecutive Individual Olympic Equestrian Eventing titles at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, he was asked what he had next in his sights. “Tokyo 2020 of course, and the Europeans and maybe the world title along the way!” he replied.

He wasn’t joking of course, because the 38-year-old who made Eventing history by becoming the first to hold the European, Olympic, and World Championship titles at the same time is one of the most formidable athletes in all of equestrian sport.

He didn’t make it to the FEI World Equestrian Games™ in 2018 when his horse had an injury, but at the FEI European Championships the following year, he took team gold and was just pipped at the post for the individual title by team-mate Ingrid Klimke.

This is a man who sets the bar really high for everyone else, and if he can do the individual hat-trick in Tokyo, then he will set a new Olympic record. Charles Pahud de Mortanges from The Netherlands came out on top in Amsterdam in 1928 and again at the following Olympics in Los Angeles in 1932, and New Zealand’s Mark Todd won in Los Angeles in 1984 and again in Seoul in 1988. Both riders partnered the same horse on each occasion, the Dutchman riding Marcroix and the Kiwi riding the legendary Charisma.

Jung was also riding the same horse, the mighty Sam, when coming out on top at London 2012 and the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. This time around he will partner his 2019 European Championship horse Chipmunk, and the world waits to see what more magic he can bring.

Team silver

He’ll be joined on the German team by two of the three athletes who helped clinch team silver in Rio, Sandra Auffarth (Viamant du Matz) and Julia Krajewski (Armande de B’Neville). However, it is the French who line out as defending team champions, with Thomas Carlile (Birmane), Nicolas Touzaint (Absolut Gold HDC), and Christopher Six (Totem de Brecey) flying the flag for Les Bleus.

The British arrive as reigning world champions with the world number one, Oliver Townend (Ballaghmore Class), number five Tom McEwen (Toledo de Kerser), and number 22 Laura Collet (London 52) in their side, backed up last-minute replacement reserve Ros Canter with Allstar B, the horse she rode to individual gold at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018. There’s great strength in depth in this selection, while the Irish world silver medallists, and the Kiwi side that includes husband-and-wife Tim and Jonelle Price, also look highly competitive.

But there are further Olympic records hanging in the balance. Australia’s Andrew Hoy, Shane Rose, and Stuart Tinney have 166 years of life experience and eight Olympic medals between them. And 62-year-old Hoy could make Olympic history by becoming the first athlete to win gold medals an incredible 29 years apart. He won his first team gold in Barcelona in 1992 and if he could do it again, he’d break the all-time record set by Hungarian fencer Aladár Gerevich, who triumphed in 1932 and 1960.

Hoy went on to win two more team golds, at Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000, and just by turning up in Tokyo he will set an Australian record with his eighth Olympic appearance since his debut in Los Angeles in 1984 at the age of 25.

Changes

The sport of Eventing has been subject to many changes down the years, and at the Tokyo 2020 Games there will be a new and shorter Dressage test, which will take just under four minutes to complete. The Dressage and Jumping phases will be staged at Baji Koen Equestrian Centre in the city, while the Cross Country action will be held at Sea Forest Park in Tokyo Bay.

Following the Ready Steady Tokyo Equestrian Test event staged at Sea Forest in August 2019, during which an FEI official climate impact study and horse monitoring project took place, the Cross Country course was shortened to approximately eight minutes.

It’s all a long way from the first time Eventing was included in the Olympic programme back in 1912 in Stockholm when the competition began with Phase A, “an Endurance ride over 55km in four hours,” and Phase B, “Cross-country over 5km in 15 minutes with 12 obstacles.”

After a rest day, the all-military competitors then set out to tackle “Steeplechase over 3,500m in 5 minutes and 50 seconds with 10 obstacles,” while on day four there was “Jumping over 15 obstacles up to 1.30m high and 3.00m wide,” before finally finishing up on day five with “Dressage.” From seven starting teams, four completed and Sweden took both Team and Individual gold.

Times have indeed moved on, but the partnership between horse and athlete remains at the heart of equestrian sport, and in Olympic Eventing that partnership is at its zenith.

How it will play out….

The Team and Individual competitions will run concurrently on consecutive days as follows: Dressage test (over two days, 30/31 July), Cross Country test (1 August), and First Jumping Competition (2 August) to determine the Team classification.

The Individual Final Jumping test will take place after the Team Jumping Final on the same day (2 August), with the top 25 battling it out for the medals.

Eventing Dressage and Jumping will both be staged at Baji Koen Equestrian Centre, with horses travelling to Sea Forest Park for Cross Country day.

To enable a finish by just after 11.00, the start time on Cross Country day will be 07.45 JST.

Horses can be substituted for the team competition, and a horse/athlete combination may be substituted by a reserve combination for medical/veterinarian reasons in any of the three tests after the start of the competition.

The top 25 horse/athlete combinations go through to the Individual Final.

The athlete rides the same horse throughout for the Individual classification.

There will be two horse inspections – on 29 July, the day before the Dressage phase begins, and on 2 August before the final Jumping phase takes place.

A drawn starting order will be used for the Dressage and Cross-Country tests but in the final Jumping test horse/athlete combinations will go in reverse order of merit.

The full list HERE.

FEI Olympic Hub HERE.

by Louise Parkes

Media contacts:

Grania Willis
Executive Advisor
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Olivia Robinson
Director, Communications
olivia.robinson@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 35

Shannon Gibbons
Manager, Media Relations & Media Operations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Championships, Competitions, Eventing/H.T.

German Day in Baborówko

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30 May 2021 was the last day of Equestrian Festival Baborówko. 200 riders with 350 horses from 25 countries all over the world competed for a prize pool unparalleled in Polish eventing – over 90 000 EUR.

In the most important class of the show, the CCI4*-S for the prize of the patron of the event, Mr Roman Roszkiewicz, with a prize pool of 70 000 EUR, the leader after dressage and cross-country was Ingrid Klimke (GER) with SAP HALE BOB OLD. However, the rider had an unlucky but harmless fall in the CCI3*-S cross country, which made it unable for her to compete in the four-star jumping trial. The second and third place after two trials belonged to Michael Jung (GER) with FISCHERCHIPMUNK FRH and FISCHERWILD WAVE. The rider confirmed his fantastic shape and finished the jumping with two clear rounds to take the first and second place. Third went to Sandra Auffarth (GER) with LET’S DANCE 73.

“I am very pleased with of my horses, especially with FISCHERCHIPMUNK FRH and FISCHERWILD WAVE, which are in a great shape. We had some demanding conditions, but that’s just eventing,” said Michael Jung (GER). “It was a hard show, but shows like that are necessary, especially in this season, where we have to take advantage of every occasion to prepare for Tokyo. I’ve been to Baborówko two years ago. Now there are new great arenas. To achieve good results, we need good conditions and that’s what we have here.”

The CCI4*-S also determined the podium for this year’s Polish National Championships, for the third time in Baborówko. We witnessed a great performance by Paweł Spisak with Banderas. The rider finished the class as the best Polish athlete, and secured his 9th gold medal of the National Championships. Mateusz Kiempa defended his silver with Libertina, and bronze went to the home rider of Baborówko Equestrian Association, Paweł Warszawski with Lucinda Ex Ani 4.

“We are very glad that some of the best eventers decided to visit Baborówko. We’re happy that in these difficult times and after a year-long break we managed to safely carry out the event, taking advantage of the potential of our new and modernized infrastructure,” says Henryk Święcicki jr., the director of the show.

There was a change in the lead after the jumping for the CCI4*-L, for the trophy of Lotto. Fouaad Mirza (IND) was in the first and second place with SEIGNEUR MEDICOTT and DAJARA 4. However, he had faults in the jumping trial and so the win went to Aminda Ingulfson (SWE) with HOT CUP VH) after a clear round. Fouaad finished second and third.

In the CCI3*-S, for the trophy of Kuhn, the first three placings went to German riders. Michael Jung was victorious with KILCANDRA OCEAN POWER, second went to Hanna Knüppel riding GEKE EQUIGRIP’S LEVINIO, and third to Peter Thomsen with COOL CHARLY BLUE.

Lotte Palmgren (FIN) with GENIALE 11 took the lead after jumping in the CCI2*-S for the trophy of Concordia Grupa Generali, and kept her position in XC. Felix Etzel (GER) was second with PROMISING PETE TSF, and Esteban Benitez Valle (ESP) with ESCARA GP was third.

The CCI2*-YH for six-year-old horses, for the trophy of Kunowo Stables, ended with the win of Andreas Dibowski (GER) riding CRISTALLIK. Merel Blom (NED) with DENIM took second, and third went to Louise Romeike (SWE) with MADAME D’ ENGELBOURG Z.

The leaderboard of the CCI1*-Intro remained unchanged since Saturday – Jerome Robine (GER) kept his lead with COBY R, Merel Blom (NED) with THE BLACK SWAN was second, and Malin Petersen (SWE) went home with the third riding HULDA.

More information can be found at:
www.festiwal.baborowko.pl

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T., Strzegom

Michael Jung Is a Double Winner in Strzegom

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Photo credit: Leszek Wójcik.

Michael Jung with the 12-year-old fischerChipmunk FRH was the winner of the CCI4*-S class, the highest-ranked one of Strzegom Summer Tour. Polish rider was victorious in the two-star class.

The German multi-medalist was the favourite in the class since the beginning, performing flawlessly throughout all three trials. He got an impressive 19,4 in the dressage, then he finished the cross-country clear as the only one inside the time. A faultless showjumping round only confirmed that the pair is in amazing shape.

Dutch rider Raf Kooremans with Dimitri N.O.P. finished second after a clear jumping trial. Third place went to Lea Siegl (AUT) with Fighting Line.

Mateusz Kiempa riding Libertina, who was second after dressage, gained penalty points after going over the time in the cross-country. He also had one knockdown during the jumping, which made him finish at the 23rd place.

Paweł Spisak riding Banderas, fourth after the XC, can’t count the jumping as a successful one. Four knockdowns and points for time meant that the pair was placed 27th.

More than 300 horses from 18 countries competed in the show. Athletes faced each other in four short-format classes and a 2* class for ponies.

Michael Jung dominated not only the 4* class. He brought three horses to the show and placed at the podium with each of them. With the 8-year-old fischerWild Wave he was the best in the CCI3*, in spite of one knockdown in the jumping. He was third in the same class with Go For S. Second place went to Lea Siegl (AUT) with van Helsing P. A clear round in the XC and jumping made her come up from the 14th place after dressage.

The highest-ranked Polish pair of the class was Julia Gillmaier and Quinton 14. The athlete was 17th after dressage, finished the cross-country a few seconds late and went clear in the showjumping, which made her take the 8th place.

As many as 85 horses competed in the two-star class. The winner was Mateusz Kiempa riding Pitagoras. The Polish rider was fourth after dressage and secured his win with clear showjumping and XC rounds. The next two places went to German riders: Sonja Buck with Carla Bruni R and Vanessa Bölting riding Ready To Go W.

The winner of the CCIP2*-L class was Matti Garlichs from Germany with Andante D. Kato De Smidt (NED) was second with Orchid’s Tigersun, and Emilia Vogel (GER) took home the third place with Tina. The only Polish pair in the class – Julia Witkowska with Chester – finished 9th.

The one-star Intro class belonged to Levi Cordes (GER) with Calesco 3. Second place went to his teammate Carlo Klippel with Carismo 22, and Sterre van Houte (NED) riding Guapo 29 was third.

On-line results: http://eventing.strzegomhorsetrials.pl/results/2020/sst/.

Contact:
www.strzegomhorsetrials.pl
press@strzegomhorsetrials.pl

Competitions, Eventing/H.T., FEI

Germany Wins in Boekelo, Sweden Takes Series Title, and Swiss Book Ticket to Tokyo

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Michael Jung leads German victory lap. (FEI/Libby Law)

In the thrilling finale to the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ 2019 series at Boekelo, The Netherlands, Team Germany posted their fourth win of the season while league leaders Sweden held on to take the series title. However, some of the biggest smiles were on Swiss faces when they pulled Olympic qualification out of the bag.

There were three teams in contention for the single ticket to Tokyo 2020, and Dutch hopes were dashed when they found themselves lying eleventh of the 12 competing nations after Saturday’s cross-country phase. But Switzerland and Belgium slugged it out to the very end, with the final series rankings swinging the pendulum in favour of the Swiss.

The new Olympic format led to plenty of head-scratching during the four-day fixture at which the German team took command at the outset and never flinched. Without a drop score, the multi-medalled Sandra Auffarth (Let’s Dance 73), Michael Jung (fischerRocana FST), and Ingrid Klimke (SAP Asha P) put just 78.10 penalty points on the board after Dressage, with Auffarth also leading the individual rankings on her mark of 24.90. And with a hat-trick of Cross-Country zeros, this phenomenal threesome looked all but unassailable going into the final Jumping phase.

There was plenty of movement below them as the cross-country course designed by Adrian Ditcham played its part. Australia climbed from sixth to second thanks to brilliant clear runs inside the time by Chris Burton (Clever Louis) and Kevin McNab (Fernhill Tabasco), and the Belgians rocketed up from seventh to third, thanks in no small part to a great performance from Lara de Liedekerke-Meier (Alpaga d’Arville) and just 3.6 time penalties for Constantin van Rijckevorsel (Beat It). With a two-phase tally of 117.50, they were lying just over three points behind Australia and just ahead of the Japanese who were in fourth going into the final day, while the Swiss also made serious headway when soaring up from 12th to fifth, their running total of 125.90 leaving them just eight points adrift of their Belgian rivals as the action resumed.

And it was a real roller-coaster in the battle for the team placings, with the 84-seconds time-allowed proving difficult for many to get.

The team partnerships were last to go, and the Belgians dropped down the leaderboard when adding 30.80 to their tally. However, despite the addition of just 0.40 for pathfinder Caroline Gerber (Tresor de Chignan CH) for going over the time, the Swiss also lost their grip when putting 30.00 more on the board. Robin Godel (Grandeur de Lully CH) collected 13.20 on his tour of the 12-fence track while Tiziana Realini (Toubleu de Rueire), who had produced one of those precious cross-country clears, posted 16.4 to bring their team total of 155.9, leaving the Swiss just behind their Belgian rivals in seventh place at the end of the day.

The Olympic spot would be earned by the country lying highest of the unqualified nations in the final FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ 2019 standings. The Swiss lay third coming into this seventh and last leg, and their final total of 370 points left them well clear of the Belgians who completed with 355. Meanwhile, with their closest opposition from Italy not lining out this time around, the leading Swedes, carrying 435 points, had a clear run to the 2019 title despite finishing tenth at this last leg.

At the sharp end, Germany held on for a convincing win on a final scoreline of 94.10, while a clear from Burton, 5.20 for McNab, and just four faults for Samantha Birch (Finduss PFB) secured runner-up spot for Australia on a final tally of 123.50. Japan finished an impressive third, Kazuma Tomoto (Bernadette Utopia) and Atsushi Negishi (Ventura de la Chaule JRA) going clear in both of the final two phases while Yoshiaki Oiwa (Bart L JRA), who had been lying individually second after dressage but who was penalised for a cross-country refusal, had a pole down at the penultimate triple combination. The Japanese finished less than a single penalty point behind the Australians, and it is quite clear they will be a force to be reckoned with on home ground in Tokyo next summer. Fourth went to New Zealand (130.00) and fifth to Great Britain (143.00).

The very last rider into the ring, Germany’s Auffarth, had individual glory in her grasp until hitting the last element of the triple combination, which dropped her to fourth and opened the door for Great Britain’s Laura Collett (London 52) to take the individual honours.

Results here.

by Louise Parkes

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Eventing/H.T., FEI

German Legend Jung Sets Up Germany to Go for Gold Again

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Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FST (FEI/Oliver Hardt for Getty Images)

The German team is on course for another rich medal haul on home turf at the Longines FEI European Eventing Championship at Luhmühlen (GER).

Brilliant Cross Country performances by Michael Jung (GER) on new ride fischerChipmunk FST and defending champion Ingrid Klimke (GER) with the evergreen SAP Hale Bob OLD, who are in individual gold and silver medal positions, ensured the hosts retained their lead over defending champions Great Britain. They now have a three-rail advantage over their rivals going into the final Jumping phase.

“fischerChipmunk is a fantastic horse,” said Jung (37), who was visibly thrilled, but refusing to get ahead of himself by envisaging a record fourth individual European title. “Today was a great feeling. We went a bit fast at the beginning so I slowed down but he was always ahead of the time.

“It was a great feeling around the course everywhere. It was so nice to see so many people here supporting our sport.”

Klimke, 51, described her round as “pure fun – I felt like a passenger.” She commented: “For sure there was pressure. Hans Melzer [team manager] said to me, ‘Don’t pat your horse until you get to the finish line,’ because sometimes when I am so thrilled I pat him all the time. I say, ‘Bobby you are my hero’, so I wanted to really focus. He really loves cross country. It’s his job and he loves it.”

A cluster of early riders, notably British and Irish pathfinders Pippa Funnell (Majas Hope, 21st) and Ciaran Glynn (November Night, 23rd), made Mike Etherington-Smith’s beautifully presented, flowing course look easy, but there was plenty of drama. There were 44 clear rounds, 22 horses came home inside the optimum time of 10 minutes 10 seconds, and a total of 20 of the 71 Cross Country starters remain on their Dressage score – but all nations had their difficult moments and this made for a thrilling day’s sport.

Kai Ruder, second out for Germany, stayed admirably calm when Colani Sunrise inexplicably refused to go into the start box, which cost the pair 16 time penalties, and Britain’s third starter, Kristina Cook, had an expensive run-out with Billy The Red at the skinny brush fence exiting the second water (12c).

“I was having a super ride,” said Cook sadly, “but he’s an experienced horse and I can’t make excuses. At the moment I am just very disappointed, for me and for the whole team.”

Ireland’s Sam Watson will also be kicking himself after crossing his tracks at the bird fence in the final water (20b) with Tullaberg Flamenco. Italy’s anchorwoman Vittoria Panizzon (Super Cilious) incurred 11 penalties for hitting the frangible gate at 10a and Belgian pathfinder Laura Loge on Absolut Allegro fell at the Rathaus fence (17) in the main arena.

Laura Collett (GBR), third after Dressage, was “gutted” to part company with London 52 after a mis-stride before the influential carved bird at the final water. Four others fell here and Dutch pathfinder Merel Bloom (Chiccolino) retired.

Jung, who has never been out of the individual medals in five European Championships, does not have a fence in hand over his compatriot Klimke. In turn, she has no margin for error over Luhmühlen first-timer Lt Col Thibaut Vallette (FRA), who rode superbly on the 15-year-old Qing de Briot – coincidentally this is the same final rider line-up as at Blair Castle (GBR) in 2015.

The cost of one Jumping rail covers the next seven: Tim Lips (NED), currently fourth on Bayro, Oliver Townend, who restored Britain’s fortunes with a perfectly judged round on Cooley Masterclass SRS, in fifth, Ireland’s Cathal Daniels, sixth on his super mare Rioghan Rua, French individual Christopher Six (Totem de Brecy, seventh), Italian team member Pietro Roman (Barraduff, eighth), British team member Piggy French (Quarrycrest Echo, ninth), and British individual Kitty King, 10th on Vendredi Biats.

The team medals are equally close: Britain has nothing in hand over the French team, which only has a one-fence advantage over Italy. The Italians, currently in bronze medal position, have no margin over Sweden – both nations are seeking Olympic qualification – and Ireland is a mere 2.2 penalties behind the Swedes in sixth place.

“I think it was a really great day for the sport and for us in Luhmühlen,” said Event Director Julia Otto. “I would like to thank my whole team – they are just amazing the way they work.”

“We have seen some spectacular riding and some great decisions by people who may be riding at this level for the first time today,” Course Designer Mike Etherington-Smith (GBR) commented.

“I didn’t expect quite so many to get the time, but when you have great weather like this with excellent footing, it happens, but it could have been pouring with rain and, in my view, you have to prepare a course for all weather. It’s all about achieving a standard, so full marks to everyone. For me, it’s been a fascinating day. There’s always something new to learn, and if you think you know it all you might as well give up.”

Follow all the medal action in what’s sure to be a thrilling finale with FEI TV.

For full results and start times, click here.  

Click here for the highlights.

Media contact:

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

Championships, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., FEI

Jung and Klimke Put Team Germany Out in Front at Luhmühlen

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Michael Jung (GER) with fischerChipmunk FST. (FEI/ /Oliver Hardt for Getty images)

Michael Jung (GER), who has smashed pretty much every record in the sport, has just put himself in line for another – a fourth European title on a fourth horse – having taken the lead at the end of the Dressage phase at the Longines FEI European Eventing Championship in Luhmühlen (GER).

The double Olympic champion, who never gives away a mark if he can help it, has a great reputation for getting the best out of all sorts of horses. With his Luhmühlen ride fischerChipmunk FST, he has the added benefit of the 11-year-old by Contendro having been well established at top level by his former rider, Julia Krajewski (GER).

Jung’s outstanding score of 20.9 – despite a break of pace in the free walk – could not be bettered, even by defending champion Ingrid Klimke (GER), and the German team is now 16.8 penalties ahead of the 2017 winners, Great Britain, with a mere 68.9 penalties on the scoreboard.

“Chipmunk is a fantastic horse. He’s so intelligent and extremely well trained,” said Jung, who blamed himself for the mistake. “He has a lot of power and sometimes there’s a difficult balance between that and keeping him relaxed. Maybe I risked a little bit too much in the walk so he accidentally broke into trot.

“I nearly liked everything in the test today, just not really the walk – the extended walk especially!”

Klimke produced a reliably stellar performance on her regular team partner SAP Hale Bob OLD to score 22.2. Their test reflected a beautifully trained horse and a happy partnership, and Klimke even had time to pat her 15-year-old bay gelding in reward for a smooth flying change.

British individual Laura Collett and London 52, the first-day leaders, are now third, ahead of German team member Kai Ruder (Colani Sunrise) and France’s Lt Col Thibaut Vallette (Qing de Briot).

Regular Dutch team rider Tim Lips has slotted into sixth place on Bayro on a score of 26.0 and three British riders occupy the next three places.

They are headed by team anchorman Oliver Townend, who has been grounded for some weeks after a fall. He put in a solid performance, bar a slight stumble in trot, and is in seventh place on his dual Kentucky winner Cooley Master Class (27.6). Individual runner Kitty King (Vendredi Biats) is eighth on 27.9.

The 2009 champion Kristina Cook, currently ninth on 28.3, is back on the team with a well-behaved Billy the Red. They were dropped from the team last year due to the Balou de Rouet gelding putting in some occasionally explosive Dressage performances.

The Belgian team, which is seeking one of the two precious Olympic qualification slots for Tokyo 2020, is in third place with a team total of 90.9; France, Ireland, and Italy follow, with just 3.4 penalties covering the four nations.

Attention is now focused on the Cross Country test designed by Mike Etherington-Smith, who has re-routed the track, allowing plenty of alternative routes while warning that they will cost in time penalties. “It’s beautifully designed and built,” commented Townend.

“I’m a fan of Mike Etherington Smith’s courses. There are no blind questions. If you’re on your line and you and your horse are focused on the job, it should ride well.”

“The way the fences are situated, it’s very easy to make a mistake,” added Townend’s teammate, Kristina Cook, a veteran of nine Europeans and, with pathfinder Pippa Funnell, a member of the winning British quartet 20 years ago here in Luhmühlen.

The overnight leader Michael Jung is also appreciative of the 26-fence track: “It’s a very fair course; to be in the time you have to be fast, you have to take a little bit of a risk, and as faster as you go, as easier you can have somewhere a little mistake.”

Follow the action on FEI TV and click here for full results and start times.

Media contact:

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

Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Olympic Games, Show Jumping

Olympic Champion Jung Claims Ready Steady Tokyo Test Event Honours

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Michael Jung with Fischerwild Wave. (FEI/Yusuke Nakanishi)

Germany’s Michael Jung, Olympic Eventing champion in London 2012 and again in Rio 2016, has already claimed gold in Tokyo one year out from the Olympic Games after taking the honours with Fischerwild Wave at the Ready Steady Tokyo test event which wrapped up at the Equestrian Park.

The 37-year-old, who has three Olympic gold and one silver from two Games appearances with the now retired La Biosthetique Sam FBW, had shadowed the leaders from the outset, even though he was riding the youngest horse on the start list.

Third after Dressage behind the home side’s Yoshiaki Oiwa and Bart L JRA, the German pair moved up to second after cross country, and a superb clear in the final Jumping test with the seven-year-old Fischerwild Wave then put the pressure on overnight leaders, Australia’s Andrew Hoy with Bloom Des Hauts Crets.

The mare had jumped impeccably around Derek Di Grazia’s cross country 24 hours earlier, but became increasingly headstrong over the coloured poles, and when the middle element of the triple combination hit the sand to drop Hoy down the order to fifth, victory went to the German duo.

In mixed weather conditions that veered from heavy rain to hot sunshine, nine horses were foot perfect over Santiago Varela’s 11-fence track, with Japan’s Ryuzo Kitajima on Vick Du Grisors JRA and Dressage leaders Yoshiaki Oiwa and Bart L JRA among them. The home pair moved up to claim podium spots in silver and bronze, heading no less than four Japanese in the top 10.

All 16 horses that started cross country were passed fit at the horse inspection, with all of them beautifully turned out and looking exceptionally well.

The German winner was quick to praise the facilities provided at the two venues, Equestrian Park and Sea Forest. “For me it was very interesting to be here and nice to see how everything works, especially the cross country with the horses. It felt very good. It’s difficult but still possible and I think it’s really not a problem. For sure you need a very good preparation and you have to be very fit before you arrive here, the horses and the riders as well.

“I think it will be very nice next year if you see everything this year and we have one more year to prepare and to make some little details a bit better. I’m really looking forward to next season.”

Second-placed Ryuzo Kitajima, a member of Japan’s gold medal team at last year’s Asian Games in Jakarta (INA), was delighted with the performance of his horse Vick Du Grisors JRA. “It was hard work in the very hot weather, but my horse had a very good reaction in the cross country and in the practice arena he was too fresh today so I’m very happy with a double clear, it’s a fantastic result.”

The overwhelming impression from the 20 National Olympic and Paralympic Committees that were onsite was extremely positive and the general mood was summed up by Sydney 2000 Olympic champion David O’Connor, who chairs the FEI Eventing Committee.

“The facilities are very impressive and we had the chance to test everything we needed to test, which was the purpose of this week’s test event,” he said. “There are some adjustments to be made but they are minor ones, as the Organising Committee has thought through all the details and is right on track to make 2020 a really great Olympic Games for equestrian sport.”

Ready Steady Tokyo equestrian test event (final placings) – 1, Germany’s Fischerwild Wave (Michael Jung), 28.0 penalties; 2, Japan’s Vick Du Grisors JRA (Ryuzo Kitajima), 28.2; 3, Bart L JRA (Yoshiaki Oiwa), 30.1; 4, Great Britain’s Halltown Harley (Georgie Spence), 30.6; 5, Australia’s Bloom Des Hauts Crets (Andrew Hoy), 31.7; 6, Japan’s Swiper JRA (Toshiyuki Tanaka), 32.3.

Media contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Communications
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Shannon Gibbons
Media Relations and Communications Manager
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 4

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T., Strzegom

Michael Jung Wins 4* Class in Strzegom

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Photo of Michael Jung & Highlighter by: Mariusz Chmieliński.

Michael Jung with the 8-year-old Highlighter were the best in the CCI4*-S, the most difficult class of Strzegom Summer Tour.

The rider took the lead during dressage and kept it throughout the whole class. He finished the cross-country without any mistakes on the fences, only ten seconds over the optimum time. He was clear in the jumping and won the class with the score of 31,9. Hanna Knüppel with Carismo took home the second place after a good cross-country and clear jumping. Sandra Auffarth with Viamant du Matz was third. All places on the podium went to riders from Germany.

Polish athletes were left out of the best ten. The best score belonged to Małgorzata Cybulska with Chenaro 2, as they finished on the 11th position.

Strzegom Summer Tour has seen more than 270 horses galloping through the hippodrome in Morawa. Riders from 18 countries were tested during 5 international and 5 national classes with various levels of difficulty.

The podium of the CCI3*-L class also belonged to Germany. Michael Jung with Creevagh Cooley won the class, Pia Münker with Commitment was second, and Dirk Schrade with Dajara 4 was third.

German rider Sandra Auffarth with Let’s Dance 73 took home the first place in the CCI3*-S class. She took the lead after dressage, went clear on the fences in the cross-country, and performed a flawless ride in the showjumping. Second place went to Felix Etzel (GER) with Stalliwa T, and third to Louise Romeike from Sweden with Waikiki 207.

Polish athlete Mariusz Kleniuk has finished the class in the 15th position with Huzar.

The best score in the CCI2*-S class belonged to Andreas Dibowski (GER) with Quizzle. Second and third place went to Merel Blom (NED) with Crossborder Radar Love and Vesuve d’Averyon, respectively. Roksana Fortuniak (POL) with Gea S was sixth.

In the CCI1*-Intro, Swedish rider Louise Romeike took home the first place.

In the national CNC2* class, the best rider proved to be Disa Ottosson (SWE) with Elliot. Ben Leuwer (GER) won the CNC1* with A Cut Above, and Nikola Ecerowa (CZE) with Arleen had the best score in the CNC L. Polish rider Justyna Kociankowska won the L-18 class riding Primavera. The easiest class, CNC LL, belonged to Lisa-Marie Fischer (GER) with Goldmarie.

Online results: http://eventing.strzegomhorsetrials.pl/results/2019/sst/

Contact:
www.strzegomhorsetrials.pl
press@strzegomhorsetrials.pl