Tag Archives: Michael Jung

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T., Kentucky Three-Day

Tim Price Takes the Lead at 2015 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event after Day 3 Cross-Country

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Tim Price and Wesko.

Lexington, USA, 25 April 2015 – New Zealand’s Tim Price put in a perfect performance on his horse Wesko with a superlative ride in the cross-country on his first time competing in the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, with a clean double clear, keeping him in first place going into tomorrow’s final show jumping phase. Germany’s Michael Jung, the joint overnight leader, is in both second and third place on his two rides, with Great Britain’s William Fox-Pitt in fourth.

Despite the challenging conditions on the course with heavy rain throughout the morning, the riders from nine nations delighted the 31,500 fans that attended the Kentucky Horse Park for the cross-country phase.

Michael Jung was the first to go of the top three placed riders on his horse Fischerrocana FST, and gave another impeccable ride completing one of only six double clears. This set the bar high for the other chasing riders. Price was the next of the top placed riders to go mid-morning and he was thrilled with his ride finishing within the optimum time, despite being held out on-course due to a fence needing repairs.

Last year’s Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event winner, William Fox-Pitt, was the 65th rider out on course and yet again he showed his world class with a clear round, but picked up 8.4 time penalties dropping him down one place into fourth position. Jung was 67th to go out, and under the now testing conditions, he guided his Olympic and World Champion horse La Biosthetique – SAM FBW to a clear round with just 0.4 of a time fault. This could cost Jung dearly in tomorrow’s final show jumping phase if Price can go clear and claim his first Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event title – it will also put him on course for the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing prize.

TOP STATISTICS

71 horse and rider partnerships started the cross-country phase; 46 finished; 15 were eliminated; 10 retired and only six went double clear.

TOP 5 PLACINGS AFTER DAY 3 CROSS-COUNTRY

1st    Tim Price (NZL), Wesko, 36.3
2nd   Michael Jung (GER), La Biosthetique – SAM FBW, 36.7
3rd   Michael Jung (GER), Fischerrocanna FST, 39.3
4th   William Fox-Pitt (GBR), Bay My Hero, 46.9
5th   William Levett (AUS), Improvise, 48.6

For full results, please visit: www.rk3de.org/results.

RIDER QUOTES

Tim Price: “That was good, I think! I came home clear and in the time so that’s always the primary task. [I went the long way on fences 8 and 9] the last couple of years he has been a very honest horse – when he was coming up through to advanced level he had a couple of blips at little questions like that so I just thought it was one place to mind myself a little bit as it’s early on; he was fresh and can catch them out a little bit at the hollow – I just had a bit of a gut feeling and he’s very quick on the long way round; he’s tight on his turns and still had plenty of gas in the tank.”

Michael Jung and La Biosthetique - SAM FBW
Michael Jung and La Biosthetique – SAM FBW

Michael Jung, speaking after his ride on Sam: “I am very happy – he was really wonderful. He had a long break; he was finished after Aachen. My feeling here in the cross-country was very good. He was a bit looking also like my other horse at the hollow but on the other fences he was very, very good. He was galloping very well in the end – I was a little bit too easy and a little bit too slow but I am very happy about my round.”

William Fox-Pitt: “I am delighted with him. I was worried about the ground for him today; going at the end of the day the ground had really deteriorated – he is not a thoroughbred horse and hasn’t got the scopiest gallop and so I knew it was going to be hard work. He really worked hard all the way – he was fab; I was chuffed to bits with him; he was perfect over the fences working really hard all the way. Hopefully he will be feeling good tomorrow and he’ll jump well!”

THE ROLEX GRAND SLAM OF EVENTING

When Rolex was inspired to link the three foremost eventing competitions in the world into a Grand Slam in 2001, it was immediately apparent that it would require a series of outstanding performances from a remarkable athlete to complete the challenge.

Kentucky and Badminton – the British horse trials on which the modern sport of eventing was founded – run two weeks apart in the spring, and Burghley, in the east of England, is the autumn highlight of the global sport. All three have stunning settings and attract vast crowds over the four days of competition.

To date, only one rider – Rolex Eventing Testimonee Pippa Funnell – has won this most prestigious series. In 2003 the much-medalled mainstay of British teams for many years took the Rolex Kentucky crown on Primmore’s Pride. She progressed to Badminton a week later and won there on Supreme Rock, her double European Champion, and added the Burghley title that autumn on Primmore’s Pride – beating Zara Phillips into second place on her four-star debut at the same time. Pippa Funnell immediately joined the ranks of sporting greats, respected by her peers and the media alike as an exceptional athlete.

Michael Jung and Fischerrocanna FST
Michael Jung and Fischerrocanna FST

Since then, two of the three legs of the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing have been won by four riders: the Australian Andrew Hoy, Britain’s William Fox-Pitt and Oliver Townend, and the New Zealand hero of six Olympic Games and current live Rolex Grand Slam contender, Andrew Nicholson. None of these top-class riders have yet succeeded in triumphing over the series and winning the final element of the Rolex Grand Slam.

ABOUT ROLEX

Leading brand of the Swiss watch industry, Rolex, headquartered in Geneva, enjoys an unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise the world over. Its Oyster watches, all certified as chronometers for their precision, are symbols of excellence, performance and prestige. Pioneer in the development of the wristwatch as early as 1905, the brand is at the origin of numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism introduced in 1931. Rolex has registered over 400 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated and independent manufacturing company, Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house all the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Rolex also actively supports the arts, sports, exploration, the spirit of enterprise, and the environment through a broad palette of sponsoring activities, as well as philanthropic programmes.

Website:
www.rolex.com

Revolution Sports + Entertainment
Merrick Haydon
merrick@revolutionsports.co.uk
+44 77481 868 33

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Kentucky Three-Day

Michael Jung Dominates Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event on Day 2 Dressage

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Michael Jung and La Biosthetique – SAM FBW.

Lexington, USA, 24 April 2015 – Michael Jung stamped his class on the 2015 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event on Day 2 of the dressage phase by taking the joint lead on his second ride of the competition on La Biosthetique – SAM FBW. Jung also lies in fourth position on his other horse Fischerrocana FST, who was yesterday’s overnight leader. Jung is tied in first place with New Zealand’s Tim Price and Great Britain’s William Fox-Pitt is in third.

Unfortunately just minutes before Rolex Eventing Testimonee Zara Phillips was due to compete in her first Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in the dressage phase, Phillips had to withdraw due to her horse High Kingdom being lame, having picked up a minor injury earlier in the morning.

Jung has happy memories of the Kentucky Horse Park, having become World Champion there in 2010 and now has a double chance of claiming the Rolex title with both his rides going into the cross-country phase tomorrow in top form. However, Great Britain’s William Fox-Pitt who has won the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event title three times – in 2010, 2012 and 2014 – is in a strong position lying just 2.2 points behind Jung on his Bay My Hero, and is ready to defend his title.

The competition is extremely tight with 37 horse and rider partnerships within just one cross-country fence penalty so everything is to play for.

TOP 5 PLACINGS AFTER DAY 2 DRESSAGE

1st=   Michael Jung (GER), La Biosthetique – SAM FBW, 36.3
1st=   Tim Price (NZL), Wesko, 36.3
3rd     William Fox-Pitt (GBR), Bay My Hero, 38.5
4th     Michael Jung (GER), Fischerrocanna FST, 39.3
5th     Colleen Rutledge (USA), Covert Rights, 42.3

For full results, please visit: www.rk3de.org/results.

RIDER QUOTES

Michael Jung: “I feel very happy; both my horses have done a wonderful job. Sam was a little bit nervous but everything works well. It was a very big atmosphere and we are only at the beginning of the season and I am very happy about it.”

Tim Price and Wesko
Tim Price and Wesko

Tim Price: “I was very aware that it was a very strong field this year and that made the challenge quite serious – I came to do what I did today because he is a very capable horse and I just wanted to put my best foot forward. The preparation prior to the test over the last three days – just the suppleness of the horse and when we got into the ring today and the atmosphere gave him the lift and the extra dynamic I think to use to our advantage.”

Great Britain Performance Manager, Yogi Breisner, talking about the withdrawal from the competition by Zara Phillips riding High Kingdom: “Basically he is fine; about an hour before he was starting his warm up for the dressage test he kicked in the stable and split the skin (in his fetlock) so he had a wound which we tended to immediately straight away, but as Zara started to warm up it was quite clear that the horse was not 100% so we made the decision to withdraw him which was very very sad for Zara.”

ZARA PHILLIPS UNVEILS ROLEX GRAND SLAM OF EVENTING TROPHY

The first ever Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing Trophy was officially unveiled today by Zara Phillips at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event. The magnificent silver trophy standing 60cm was specially commissioned in London and features four stars at the top, with three handles, each representing the three legs of the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing made up of Kentucky, Badminton and Burghley.

THE ROLEX GRAND SLAM OF EVENTING

When Rolex was inspired to link the three foremost eventing competitions in the world into a Grand Slam in 2001, it was immediately apparent that it would require a series of outstanding performances from a remarkable athlete to complete the challenge.

William Fox-Pitt and Bay My Hero
William Fox-Pitt and Bay My Hero

Kentucky and Badminton – the British horse trials on which the modern sport of eventing was founded – run two weeks apart in the spring, and Burghley, in the east of England, is the autumn highlight of the global sport. All three have stunning settings and attract vast crowds over the four days of competition.

To date, only one rider – Rolex Eventing Testimonee Pippa Funnell – has won this most prestigious series. In 2003 the much-medalled mainstay of British teams for many years took the Rolex Kentucky crown on Primmore’s Pride. She progressed to Badminton a week later and won there on Supreme Rock, her double European Champion, and added the Burghley title that autumn on Primmore’s Pride – beating Zara Phillips into second place on her four-star debut at the same time. Pippa Funnell immediately joined the ranks of sporting greats, respected by her peers and the media alike as an exceptional athlete.

Since then, two of the three legs of the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing have been won by four riders: the Australian Andrew Hoy, Britain’s William Fox-Pitt and Oliver Townend, and the New Zealand hero of six Olympic Games and current live Rolex Grand Slam contender, Andrew Nicholson. None of these top-class riders have yet succeeded in triumphing over the series and winning the final element of the Rolex Grand Slam.

ABOUT ROLEX

Leading brand of the Swiss watch industry, Rolex, headquartered in Geneva, enjoys an unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise the world over. Its Oyster watches, all certified as chronometers for their precision, are symbols of excellence, performance and prestige. Pioneer in the development of the wristwatch as early as 1905, the brand is at the origin of numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism introduced in 1931. Rolex has registered over 400 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated and independent manufacturing company, Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house all the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Rolex also actively supports the arts, sports, exploration, the spirit of enterprise, and the environment through a broad palette of sponsoring activities, as well as philanthropic programmes.

Website:
www.rolex.com

Revolution Sports + Entertainment
Merrick Haydon
merrick@revolutionsports.co.uk
+44 77481 868 33

Dressage, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Kentucky Three-Day

Top Names Jostle for Pole Position at Kentucky

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Tim Price (NZL) on Wesko (pictured) is now joint leader with Michael Jung (GER) on La Biosthetique Sam FBW after Dressage at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (USA), third leg of FEI Classics™ 2014/2015. (Anthony Trollope/FEI).

Lausanne (SUI), 25 April 2015 – A fascinating competition is assured at this weekend’s Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (USA), third leg of the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015, with three of the biggest names in the sport heading the leaderboard after the Dressage phase.

New Zealander Tim Price, riding Wesko, and Germany’s Michael Jung on the 15-year-old La Biosthetique Sam FBW are tied in first place on a score of 36.3. Last year’s winning combination, a beaming William Fox-Pitt (GBR) on the handsome Cult Hero gelding Bay My Hero, is less than two penalties away in third on 38.5.

Jung is also in fourth place on the 10-year-old mare FisherRocana FST, on which he was second at Luhmühlen CCI4* last year and won world team gold and individual medals.

The pair set the standard on the first day and the German maestro predicted that Sam might find it difficult to beat her excellent mark of 39.3. But the 15-year-old bay gelding presented a delightful picture of lightness and softness to thrill a capacity audience.

“I have very good memories of Kentucky,” said Jung, who is returning here for the first time since he won the world title here on Sam. “It’s a really nice place with good conditions for the horses and the cross-country fences are friendly and clear for the horses.”

Wesko, a white-faced Dutch gelding bred for Jumping on which Price scored his first CCI4* victory, at Luhmühlen (GER) last year, is one of the most elegant horses in the business and the up-and-coming New Zealander one of the most accurate riders; the pair presented an attractive picture scored highly for smart trot work and flying changes.

Colleen Rutledge (USA), a regular competitor at this level on Shiraz, is best of the home riders in fifth place on Covert Rights, a first-timer at this level, just ahead of CCI4* debutant Mackenna Shea (USA) (Landioso) who, at 22, is the youngest of the 75 starters.

“I tried not to think of this as any different from any other show,” said Shea. “This is the biggest atmosphere we’ve been in before but he was really good. He’s a calm and collected horse so I just tried to trust him and do my best.”

Fellow Americans Laine Ashkar (Anthony Patch), 2014 runners-up Lauren Kieffer and Veronica, and Marilyn Little (RF Demeter) are in seventh, eighth and ninth places, separated by just 0.4 of a penalty.

Swedish rider Jennie Jarnstrom had the misfortune to be eliminated when her horse Cape Town repeatedly reared and resisted in the Dressage arena and there was huge disappointment when Zara Phillips (GBR), paying her first visit to Kentucky, had to withdraw minutes before her Dressage test on High Kingdom because the gelding had struck into himself in the stable.

Cross Country Course Designer Derek di Grazia (USA) says he has given the Kentucky track “a new twist”. He adds: “Some of the old favourites will be jumped in a different order and therefore could ride in a different way to before. I hope riders use their brains out there. The big issues will be time management and knowing their horse.”

The first serious question comes at fence 4 on undulating ground, where riders will encounter a big spread followed by five strides to a rail where the ground drops away and then another five strides to a narrow brush fence.

Fence 7 is the first of the three water complexes on the course, with a drop into the water and then a large table on the other side of the pond. The famous Head of the Lake at 13 only involves one passage through water this time, but it features a couple of skinny brushes.

The keyhole combination at fence 16 and a difficult line to the ‘c’ element, a corner, at the Land Rover Hollow (fence 18) will both have riders thinking hard. And there will be no relaxing for riders on the home stretch. There’s an oxer-corner complex at 24 which has a deceptively tight line and a final water at 26 (which was the fifth fence last year) with a huge carved duck.

Trainer and former Olympian Jimmy Wofford, who won at Kentucky in 1981, gives his verdict on the course: “This is not a course you can skip round. If you want to do well at Rolex 2015 you will have to ride forward.”

Follow all the action with live coverage of Cross Country and Jumping on www.feitv.org, live results on www.rk3de.org and interviews on FEI YouTube. Watch Dressage roundup on FEI YouTube: https://youtu.be/PDTD1whdu-4.

*NB: Cross Country will now start 15 minutes earlier than scheduled, at 9.45am Kentucky time.

Use hashtags #FEIClassics and #Eventing.

By Kate Green

Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Media Contact:

Marty Baumann
marty@classic-communications.com
+001 5088782394

At FEI:

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

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Kentucky Three-Day

Michael Jung Leads 2015 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event after Day 1 Dressage

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Michael Jung and Fischerrocana FST.

Lexington, USA, 23 April 2015 – Michael Jung made the best possible start to the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day event in his bid to repeat his success of 2010 by taking the lead after Day 1 of the Dressage phase riding Fischerrocana FST. USA’s Laine Ashker and Phillip Dutton lie in second and third place overnight having delighted the 7,000+ fans watching from the magnificent Rolex Stadium.

On a score of 39.5 Jung, who won individual gold at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky in 2010 and who is the current Olympic title holder, still has arguably his strongest ride to come tomorrow with his other horse La Biosthestique – SAM FBW. On 31 July 2012, his 30th birthday, Jung made eventing history becoming the first rider to ever hold the Olympic, World and European championship titles at the same time.

Boasting a record 88 entries from the world’s top eventing riders, the 2015 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event continues to go from strength to strength. For the first time in her Eventing career, Rolex Eventing Testimonee and 2006 World Champion Zara Phillips will be competing at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event tomorrow on her horse, High Kingdom, who she won silver medals with at the 2012 Olympic Games and 2014 World Equestrian Games. Other contenders still to go include Great Britain’s William Fox-Pitt who has won the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event trophy three times – in 2010, 2012 and 2014 – and he returns with Bay My Hero to defend his title.

TOP 5 PLACINGS AFTER DAY 1 DRESSAGE

1st   Michael Jung (GER), Fischerrocanna FST, 39.3
2nd  Laine Ashker (USA), Anthony Patch, 44.2
3rd   Phillip Dutton (USA), Fugitive, 47.3
4th   Francis Whittington (GBR), Easy Target, 47.6
5th   Jolie Wentworth (USA), Goodknight, 50.6

For full results, please visit: www.rk3de.org/results.

RIDER QUOTES

Michael Jung: “It is a very nice stadium, a quiet stadium and very good that we can work in the stadium before the dressage – it helps a lot for the horses. Today my horse gave me a really good feeling – she was calm and quiet – I could do everything that I wanted. She was fantastic to ride and one of the best tests she has done. Today she is the leader but tomorrow Sam is in very good form, but you never know.”

Laine Ashker: “I feel amazing. It feels like a dream come true – this is my eighth Rolex, but my first time in the press conference! I am extremely elated with Al’s performance and it seemed to all come together today so I couldn’t ask for anything better. He was a total workman, so rideable today I felt like I could have just kept going – we were dancing – I had a lot of fun.”

Phillip Dutton and Fernnhill Fugitive
Phillip Dutton and Fernnhill Fugitive

Phillip Dutton: “I was pleased’ish – Fernnhill Fugitive is the greenest of all my rides; he is a very laid back character so I didn’t ride him this morning which goes against all my instincts. We go down to the arena and he was a little on the fresh side but then he worked in well and he did about the best test he has ever done. There are still a lot of good horses to come tomorrow, so it is shaping up to be an exciting competition.”

THE ROLEX GRAND SLAM OF EVENTING

When Rolex was inspired to link the three foremost eventing competitions in the world into a Grand Slam in 2001, it was immediately apparent that it would require a series of outstanding performances from a remarkable athlete to complete the challenge.

Kentucky and Badminton – the British horse trials on which the modern sport of eventing was founded – run two weeks apart in the spring, and Burghley, in the east of England, is the autumn highlight of the global sport. All three have stunning settings and attract vast crowds over the four days of competition.

To date, only one rider – Rolex Eventing Testimonee Pippa Funnell – has won this most prestigious series. In 2003 the much-medalled mainstay of British teams for many years took the Rolex Kentucky crown on Primmore’s Pride. She progressed to Badminton a week later and won there on Supreme Rock, her double European Champion, and added the Burghley title that autumn on Primmore’s Pride – beating Zara Phillips into second place on her four-star debut at the same time. Pippa Funnell immediately joined the ranks of sporting greats, respected by her peers and the media alike as an exceptional athlete.

Since then, two of the three legs of the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing have been won by four riders: the Australian Andrew Hoy, Britain’s William Fox-Pitt and Oliver Townend, and the New Zealand hero of six Olympic Games and current live Rolex Grand Slam contender, Andrew Nicholson. None of these top-class riders have yet succeeded in triumphing over the series and winning the final element of the Rolex Grand Slam.

ABOUT ROLEX

Leading brand of the Swiss watch industry, Rolex, headquartered in Geneva, enjoys an unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise the world over. Its Oyster watches, all certified as chronometers for their precision, are symbols of excellence, performance and prestige. Pioneer in the development of the wristwatch as early as 1905, the brand is at the origin of numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism introduced in 1931. Rolex has registered over 400 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated and independent manufacturing company, Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house all the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Rolex also actively supports the arts, sports, exploration, the spirit of enterprise, and the environment through a broad palette of sponsoring activities, as well as philanthropic programmes.

Website:
www.rolex.com

Revolution Sports + Entertainment
Merrick Haydon
merrick@revolutionsports.co.uk
+44 77481 868 33

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

Michael Jung Takes Cross Country Lead at Luhmühlen

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Michael Jung (GER) produces another star in the nine-year-old fischerRoscana FST to lead after the Cross Country phase on home ground at Luhmühlen. Photo: www.eventingphoto.com/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 14 June 2014 – Michael Jung (GER) produced a typically brilliant performance to take the lead in the Cross Country phase at Luhmühlen, presented by DHL Paket, the fifth and penultimate leg of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014. But celebrations will be far from his and other riders’ minds following the tragic news that the talented young German rider Benjamin Winter had died following a fall (see FEI statement here).

Winter, 25, was already lying 12th after a good first round on Wild Thing Z, when he had a horse fall with his second ride, Ispo, at fence 20, a table fence which had caused no other problems. He was taken by helicopter to Borberg Hospital in Hamburg but was pronounced dead on arrival from his head injuries.

Following a meeting between the event organisers and competitors, and at the request of Benjamin Winter’s family, it was agreed that the competition should continue at Luhmühlen tomorrow. Riders will wear black armbands for the Jumping phase and a short memorial ceremony will be held.

Michael Jung, who won the Luhmühlen CCI4* at his first attempt five years ago and again in 2012, was the last rider out on the Cross Country and was held at the start while doctors were attending to Benjamin Winter. Unaware of the tragic events and despite the hold on course, he rode with tremendous flair and accuracy, all the while giving confidence to his relatively inexperienced mare, fischerRoscana FST.

Tomorrow, the Olympic, World and European Champion will have to keep the cool head for which he is well known as he does not have a Jumping fence in hand over the next three placed riders.

New Zealander Tim Price has risen from seventh place after Dressage to second on the smart Jumping-bred Wesko. Bettina Hoy (GER), who was visibly elated at the end of her brilliant round on Designer 10 has moved up two places to third, and Britain’s Oliver Townend, has moved up five places to be fourth on Black Tie.

There was some debate over whether Price had missed a flag on a brush arrowhead in the main arena, but by the end of the day his 20 penalties had been removed.

The next three riders are all within a Jumping fence of Price. Phillip Dutton (USA) riding the stunning 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse Mighty Nice, Bill Levett (AUS) on Improvise and Boyd Martin (USA) with the former Ludwig Svennerstal (SWE) ride Shamwari 4 have moved up from 10th, 11th and 12th after Dressage to fifth, sixth and seventh places respectively.

CCI4* first-timer Elaine Pen (NED) has dropped four places to eighth on Vira after collecting 4.8 time penalties in an otherwise excellent round but she is still in close contention.

Dressage leader Lucinda Fredericks (AUS) suffered an unlucky mishap when Flying Finish jumped into the middle of a brush oxer (fence 22) and Christopher Burton (AUS), who is third in the FEI Classics™, had a fall with Tempranillo in the Jeep water complex at 19.

Ingrid Klimke (GER), third after Dressage on Horseware Hale Bob, plummeted to 29th place after a run-out at the influential brush arrowhead in the arena (fence 10) and a second refusal when the 10-year-old gelding took a dislike to the cascading water at the log in the Jeep water complex (18b).

Five horses were withdrawn before Cross Country, including FEI Classics™ leader William Fox-Pitt’s (GBR) Cool Mountain, sixth after Dressage.

Seven competitors retired on course, and that number included Tom Crisp (GBR), whose horse Liberal died after collapsing near fence eight. Crisp explained that Liberal had set off well on the Cross Country but then didn’t feel right after fence seven and, as he went to pull up, the horse collapsed. “We’re all very sad,” he said. “It’s a tough day.”

Britain’s Chef de Mission Will Connell thanked the organisers for their prompt response to the incident. “It happened very early on the course and was nothing to do with the fence. It was one of those very sad, regretful instances that happens in life.”

A post mortem will be conducted to establish the cause of death.

Thirty-two of the 47 Cross Country starters completed, with 23 clear rounds, 10 of which were inside the optimum time of 11 minutes 24 seconds.

See review of today’s event on FEI YouTube here.

Full results on www.luhmuehlen.de.

See full standings here.

Prize money

At the end of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014 season, the five riders with the highest number of points collected across the six FEI Classics™ events will share a total prize fund of US$120,000 split as follows: 1st – US$40,000 (Series Champion); 2nd – US$35,000; 3rd – US$25,000; 4th – US$15,000; 5th – US$5,000.

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter.

Our signature Twitter hashtags for this series are #Classics and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #FEIClassics #Eventing.

By Kate Green

Media Contacts:

At Luhmühlen:

Friederike Stüvel-Huck
+49 171 5382900
media@luhmuehlen.de

At FEI:

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

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

Magnificent Jung Makes It Another Golden Day for Germany

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The victorious German team at the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships in Malmö (SWE): Hans Melzer (chef d’equipe), Michael Jung (individual gold), Dirk Schrade, Ingrid Klimke (individual silver) and Andreas Dibowski (Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI).

Lausanne (SUI), 1 September 2013 – The spectators at Malmö (SWE) burst into noisy celebrations as Michael Jung (GER) produced yet another brilliant piece of riding to retain his individual title at the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships and lead his German team mates to a second consecutive gold medal.

“I feel wonderful,” said Jung simply. “And the best thing is that I have a truly great horse for the future.”

The Germans arrived at Malmö (SWE) as clear favourites and they more than justified it, showing fantastic horsemanship over the four days of competition to win team gold by 20 penalties from the host nation, Sweden.

France took team bronze, with Nicolas Touzaint their highest placed rider in 11th place on the stallion Lesbos.

Ingrid Klimke (GER), one of the most delightful personalities in Eventing, was a popular winner of the individual silver medal and William Fox-Pitt salvaged British pride with individual bronze on the handsome stallion Chilli Morning.

Jung had already set a new record when he became the first rider to hold Olympic, World and European Championship titles simultaneously. And today he set another standard by becoming the first rider to win four individual gold medals in succession.

His mount, the magnificent black gelding Halunke, owned by Siegried Brietmayer, Anette Schmid and Hung’s parents, Joachim and Brigitte, is the first nine-year-old to win the title since Nicolas Touzaint’s Galan de Sauvagere in 2003.

The pair’s faultless performance in the first two phases ensured Jung had a generous margin to win, but there was a nervous moment when Halunke hit the first rail in the Jumping arena before going on to leave the rest of the fences up.

“He was a little bit too forward at the first fence and I was a little bit nervous after that, but I knew I had to close him up a bit more and then it works better,” said Jung. “But all the team did an incredible job.”

Ingrid Klimke laughed that it was a pleasant surprise for her to move up the leader board on the final day, a reference to her former team horse FRH Butts Abraxxas’s difficulties with the final Jumping phase. This time she finished on her Dressage score of 39.4 on new ride FRH Escada JS, a nine-year-old mare bred on Jumping bloodlines by Embassy.

“I’m very proud and happy with my fantastic horse,” said Klimke. “Our aim as a team was to get in front right from the start and to stay there. We really wanted to win this European Championships. It’s not that we expect it, it’s not that we’re laid back and think it’s a present we get every year; we work hard for it. We have very good trainers, and we all work together as a team, and that’s why we are unbeatable!”

William Fox-Pitt joked that he was resigned to having to wait a little longer for his first individual title. “There has been a bit of banter in the British camp because both my friends, Pippa [Funnell] and Tina [Cook] have won the title before. I guess I’ll just have to keep trying. I’m really delighted to get a medal at all and thrilled with my horse.

“It’s the first time we’ve not won a (team) medal for 20 years, and we’re not used to it, but it’s been a fantastic week and it’s shown the sport in a great light.”

One of the best results of the Championships was the team silver for Sweden, their first team medal since bronze in 1997. Their chances of individual medals sadly evaporated when Ludwig Svennerstal hit two fences on Shamwari, but the overall team performance shows that the nation is really on its way up after fourth place at the London Olympic Games last year.

“We’re very excited,” said Niklas Lindback, who finished fourth on his Dressage score with Mister Pooh. “Fourth place isn’t the most fun place, admittedly, but I couldn’t have done any more. I hope Sweden can now build on this, because we have worked so hard to prepare for the Championships.”

Malmö’s Sport Director Per Magnussen (SWE) commented: “We fought very hard for Sweden to win the right to hold a European Championship and it’s been great for a small country [in Eventing] to get the chance to show what we can do. It’s going to be great for the sport in Sweden.”

About the medallists:

Individual gold

Michael Jung (GER), 31, has set new standards in Eventing with his natural talent and attention to detail. He is 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. This year they were second at Badminton CCI4* at their first attempt. Jung lives at Horb, Germany, where his family owns a riding establishment.

Individual silver

Ingrid Klimke (GER), 45, is Germany’s most successful female event rider. She has now won five Eventing team gold medals: two at Olympic level (2008 and 2012 on FRH Butts Abraxxas), one World (2006 on Sleep Late) and two European (2011 and 2013), as well as European team bronze and individual silver on Sleep Late in 2005. She was the runner-up at Badminton CCI4* in 2004 on Sleep Late and at Luhmühlen CCI4* in 2010 on FRH Butts Abraxxas. Klimke, who was only the second woman to be awarded the title of Riding Master, lives in Munster, Germany. Her late father, Dr Reiner Klimke, was one of the nation’s most successful Dressage riders. She is married to Andreas and has two daughters, Greta and Philippa.

Individual bronze

William Fox-Pitt (GBR), 44, has won a record 51 CCIs and has been world number one in the FEI Eventing rankings, but has yet to win an individual title. He has ridden for the senior British team 16 times in the last 20 years, winning three Olympic team medals (two silvers and a bronze), three World team medals (gold, silver and bronze), plus six European team golds and one bronze. This is his fourth individual medal, following World silver in 2010 and European individual silvers in 1997 and 2005. Fox-Pitt has won 11 CCI4*s, including Burghley a record six times, and is the only rider to have won five out of the world’s six CCI4*s. He lives near Sturminster Newton, Dorset, with his wife Alice, a television presenter for racing, and their three young children Oliver, Thomas and Chloe.

Full results on: http://malmoeventing.com.

Download the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships press kit: www.feipresskits.org.

HSBC & Equestrian Sport

HSBC, the platinum partner of the FEI and global sponsor of Eventing, has supported the world’s largest events on the international Eventing circuit since 2008. These events include the:

  • HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships 2011 (Luhmühlen, Germany)
  • HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships 2013 (Malmö, Sweden)
  • HSBC FEI Classics Series, which unites the top end of the international Eventing circuit, and offers the biggest prize pot in the sport of Eventing on an annual basis.

For more information on HSBC and equestrian sport, go to the HSBC FEI hub here, where you can also access information on:

HSBC Rankings

The HSBC Rankings – the global Eventing rankings – were launched in 2008, when HSBC became the global sponsor of FEI Eventing. The rider at the top of the HSBC Rankings at the end of the 2012/2013 Eventing season receives a 50,000 USD bonus. The current leader of the HSBC Rankings is Andrew Nicholson (NZ).

HSBC Training Bursary

As part of HSBC’s support of the HSBC FEI Classics Series, a Training Bursary is presented to the highest placed rider at each event never to have previously completed a 4-star level event. The training voucher is to the value of $1,000 and goes towards performance development with a trainer of the rider’s choice, approved by the FEI and National Federation. Winners of the HSBC Training Bursary are profiled in the HSBC FEI hub.

By Kate Green

Media Contacts:

At Malmö:

Lotta Amnestal
+46 709 795635
lotta.amnestal@ridsport.se

At FEI:

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

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

Brilliant Jung Lines Germany Up for Double Gold

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Michael Jung (GER) rides like a true champion across country at the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships in Malmö (SWE) to maintain his individual lead on Halunke FBW and keep Germany ahead in the team standings. (Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI).

Lausanne (SUI), 31 August 2013 – Michael Jung and the German team gave an outstanding display of Cross Country riding at the HSBC FEI European Championships to remain in gold medal position, as all four riders came home triumphantly clear and inside the optimum time.

The flamboyant Swedish quartet also made it look easy, flying through the direct routes with confidence, to the delight of an enthusiastic, flag-waving crowd clearly revelling in the spectacular sight of horses galloping alongside the beach at Malmö (SWE).

The home side matched the Germans round for round, adding a mere 0.4 of a penalty when Ludwig Svennerstal, still in individual bronze position on Shamwari 4, finished just one second over the optimum time of 10 minutes 30 seconds.

It was also a great day for the French and they have moved up a place to bronze medal position with four fast clear rounds. Former European Champion Nicolas Touzaint, riding the stallion Lesbos, is also within reach of an individual medal in seventh place.

The Olympic, World and European Champion Michael Jung (GER) was again flawless, riding an assured clear round on the inexperienced Halunke FBW, despite setting off in a torrential downpour. He now has two fences in hand over William Fox-Pitt (GBR) to win a second consecutive European title.

“My reins and saddle were wet and slippery, but the going was perfect,” said Jung. “I was a little bit behind the time at each minute marker but step by step I got closer. Halunke is a wonderful horse; he is not the fastest, but he takes big strides.”

It has been 20 years since Britain returned from a European Championships without a team medal, but they had a disastrous day. Pippa Funnell was battling with steering problems on Mirage d’Elle and eventually had a run-out at the downhill brush corner fence at 22b, and Lucy Wiegersma fell when Simon Porloe caught a leg over the boat at 8.

Kristina Cook was superb on Miners Frolic and is in ninth place, but the team is a distant sixth and Britain’s medal hopes now rest on anchorman Fox-Pitt, who gave a master-class of riding on the chestnut stallion Chilli Morning.

“When the bubble bursts, it can be hard to pick yourself up,” admitted Fox-Pitt. “I certainly felt sick for several hours before my round. Still, things could only get better. Chilli can be opinionated but he was magical today. He is an exceptional horse, a cool chap. I was very worried about the twists and turns because I was on a strong horse, but it rode very comfortably and that is the sign of a good track.”

Per Magnusson (SWE), Sport Director at Malmö, said: “I am very proud that we produced such good pictures for Swedish television. I think today will do a lot for the sport in this country.”

Dirk Schrade (GER), the first rider out on Rüdiger Schwarz’s (GER) much-praised track, gave everyone confidence when he produced an easy, neat clear on Hop and Skip. He took two long routes, avoiding the sharp turn out of the water to a corner (10b) and taking the circuitous route at 30, and still finished eight seconds inside the time.

Frida Andersen (SWE) got the host team off to a brilliant start on the home-bred Herta. She only took one long route, at fence 8, and finished an incredible 31 seconds inside the optimum time, despite the distraction of both her boots coming unzipped.

“She is a really fast horse,” said Andersen, who has been based at Warendorf in Germany with Frank and Sara Ostholt since April “It felt so easy that I smiled the whole way round.”

Andersen explained that she had ordered new boots but they were too small. “So I borrowed Sara’s, but I forgot to zip them up properly when I left the stables. I could feel them coming down by fence 3, but it didn’t bother me.”

Twenty of the 61 starters achieved the optimum time, there were 42 clear rounds and 52 completed.

Swiss team member Felix Vogg (Onfire) and Belgium’s Xavier Snackers (Ramses de Hurtebise Ewalco) both retired after two refusals; the Netherlands’ Althea Bleekman was eliminated after she fell from Ziomf at the keyhole fence at 12, and Ireland’s Joseph Murphy (Electric Cruise) was eliminated for failing to jump fence 27a when he re-routed after a run-out.

The Belarusian team was unfortunately eliminated after Viachaslau Poita fell with Dervish at the table at fence 16, and Aliaksandr Faminou was eliminated for three refusals on Ekstrakt.

Ludwig Svennerstal said the mood in the Swedish camp was one of elation. “We were under a lot of pressure on home ground, but this has been a great day for the sport and a great day for the sport in Sweden.”

Sweden looks to have a hard job to overhaul the German superstars tomorrow, but supporters can certainly go to bed happy tonight in anticipation of seeing their riders on the medal podium in what promises to be a thrilling finale. Jumping starts at 11.00 (CEST).

Full results on: http://malmoeventing.com.

Download the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships press kit: www.feipresskits.org.

Watch the action LIVE on FEI TV: www.feitv.org/live:
1 September – Jumping Part: 1 start time 10:55
1 September – Jumping Part: 2 start time 13:25

HSBC & Equestrian Sport

HSBC, the platinum partner of the FEI and global sponsor of Eventing, has supported the world’s largest events on the international Eventing circuit since 2008. These events include the:

  • HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships 2011 (Luhmühlen, Germany)
  • HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships 2013 (Malmö, Sweden)
  • HSBC FEI Classics Series, which unites the top end of the international Eventing circuit, and offers the biggest prize pot in the sport of Eventing on an annual basis.

For more information on HSBC and equestrian sport, go to the HSBC FEI hub here, where you can also access information on:

HSBC Rankings

The HSBC Rankings – the global Eventing rankings – were launched in 2008, when HSBC became the global sponsor of FEI Eventing. The rider at the top of the HSBC Rankings at the end of the 2012/2013 Eventing season receives a 50,000 USD bonus. The current leader of the HSBC Rankings is Andrew Nicholson (NZ).

HSBC Training Bursary

As part of HSBC’s support of the HSBC FEI Classics Series, a Training Bursary is presented to the highest placed rider at each event never to have previously completed a 4-star level event. The training voucher is to the value of $1,000 and goes towards performance development with a trainer of the rider’s choice, approved by the FEI and National Federation. Winners of the HSBC Training Bursary are profiled in the HSBC FEI hub.

By Kate Green

Media Contacts:

At Malmö:

Lotta Amnestal
+46 709 795635
lotta.amnestal@ridsport.se

At FEI:

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

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

Unstoppable Jung Sets a New Standard

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Defending champion Michael Jung is outstanding in the Dressage arena on the youngster Halunke FBW to establish a clear lead in the individual standings and keep Germany at the top of the team leader board. (Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI).

Lausanne (SUI), 30 August 2013 – Michael Jung (GER) was in a class of his own in the Dressage arena at the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships at Malmö (SWE) today, effortlessly taking the lead on an outstanding mark of 28.8 with his exciting new team ride Halunke FBW.

The defending European Champion was awarded a 10 for his riding from Christian Landolt (SUI), the judge at B, and has a significant eight-penalty advantage over second-placed William Fox-Pitt (GBR).

Jung’s thrilling performance also helped the German team maintain their modest advantage over the host nation, Sweden. Great Britain is still in third place, with less than one Cross Country penalty covering the top three teams.

Halunke, a magnificent dark bay by Heraldik, is a superior mover to Jung’s Olympic, World and European Champion La Biosthetique Sam and is remarkably well established for a nine-year-old. In Jung’s sympathetic hands the gelding exuded quality, lightness and correctness in a test that was full of contrast.

“I am very happy,” said a beaming Jung afterwards. “Halunke is not experienced but he is a very good dressage horse with great movement. He’s been very relaxed and he gave me a good feeling. I think the important point to make, though, is that I’ve had the opportunity to concentrate on just one horse during our team training in Luhmühlen, and that has definitely helped.”

Britain’s experienced anchorman William Fox-Pitt scored several eights and a few nines, but paid the penalty for a missed final flying-change in an otherwise beautifully-presented test on the good-looking chestnut stallion Chilli Morning.

“The flying change was annoying because that’s one of his best movements, but he can also be anxious in walk and that went fine,” commented Fox-Pitt.

“Chilli is very handsome and he knows it. He’s quite a challenge because he can be boisterous and yet you need to be gentle with him. You have to humour him. But I very much enjoy riding him.”

There are seven stallions at Malmö, including Lesbos, lying seventh on 40.8 for French anchorman Nicolas Touzaint; and the youngest horse in the field, the seven-year-old Dervish ridden by Viachaslau Poita for Belarus’s first senior championship team.

Swedish supporters had plenty to cheer about with great performances from Ludwig Svennerstal (Shamwari 4), currently in third position on a personal best score of 37.6, and Sara Algotsson-Ostholt, who is equal fifth on her new team ride, the nine-year-old mare Reality 39.

“It’s amazing to be at a home championships,” said Olympic silver medallist Algotsson-Ostholt. “There’s no other place like it in Eventing.”

Good tests and personal bests came thick and fast on this second day of Dressage at Malmö.

Althea Bleekman (NED), the youngest competitor in the field, was overcome with emotion after scoring 53.2 on Ziomf. “It’s at least eight marks better than anything we’ve ever done before,” she said.

The 21-year-old, who is making her debut for her father’s country, the Netherlands, has the benefit of plenty of wise advice from her mother Clissy (nee Strachan), a member of Britain’s European gold medal team in 1977.

British individual Izzy Taylor was thrilled with 42.0 on the little mare KBIS Briarlands Matilda to hold equal ninth place with Niklas Lindback (SWE) and Mister Pooh. And Joseph Murphy gave the Irish team a great boost with a mark of 44.4 on the lovely Cruising-sired Electric Cruise. He is now in equal 14th with Italy’s Vittoria Panizzon on the popular grey mare Borough Pennyz.

Riders’ thoughts are swiftly turning to tomorrow and all are treating Rüdiger Schwarz’s impressive Cross Country course with its many turns and changes of pace with the utmost respect.

The action starts at 10am (CEST) tomorrow and, as today’s leader, Michael Jung anticipates: “The going is perfect and it should be a great day of sport.”

“I think it’s going to be very exciting,” agrees William Fox-Pitt. “You certainly need a horse that is good at following string! It’s far removed from what we’re used to, but that’s part of the fun and the challenge of the sport.”

And when asked whether Michael Jung is beatable, Fox-Pitt replied: “We’re certainly planning to make him work hard for it!”

Follow the action with live results here: www.rechenstelle.de/2013/malmo/live/leaderboard01.html & information: http://malmoeventing.com.

Download the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships press kit: www.feipresskits.org.

Watch the action LIVE on FEI TV: www.feitv.org/live:
31 August – Cross Country: start time 09:55
1 September – Jumping Part: 1 start time 10:55
1 September – Jumping Part: 2 start time 13:25

HSBC & Equestrian Sport

HSBC, the platinum partner of the FEI and global sponsor of Eventing, has supported the world’s largest events on the international Eventing circuit since 2008. These events include the:

HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships 2011 (Luhmühlen, Germany)

HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships 2013 (Malmö, Sweden)

HSBC FEI Classics Series, which unites the top end of the international Eventing circuit, and offers the biggest prize pot in the sport of Eventing on an annual basis.

For more information on HSBC and equestrian sport, go to the HSBC FEI hub here, where you can also access information on:

HSBC Rankings

The HSBC Rankings – the global Eventing rankings – were launched in 2008, when HSBC became the global sponsor of FEI Eventing. The rider at the top of the HSBC Rankings at the end of the 2012/2013 Eventing season receives a 50,000 USD bonus. The current leader of the HSBC Rankings is Andrew Nicholson (NZ).

HSBC Training Bursary

As part of HSBC’s support of the HSBC FEI Classics Series, a Training Bursary is presented to the highest placed rider at each event never to have previously completed a 4-star level event. The training voucher is to the value of $1,000 and goes towards performance development with a trainer of the rider’s choice, approved by the FEI and National Federation. Winners of the HSBC Training Bursary are profiled in the HSBC FEI hub.

By Kate Green

Media Contacts:

At Malmö:

Lotta Amnestal
+46 709 795635
lotta.amnestal@ridsport.se

At FEI:

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

Competitions, Eventing/H.T.

Superb Jung Leaves Opposition Standing at Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials

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Michael Jung and La Biosthetique Sam FBW, leaders after the Cross Country at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI).

Lausanne (SUI), 5 May 2013 – The huge crowd at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), fourth leg of the HSBC FEI Classics, roared home Michael Jung (GER), cheering loudly at the finish of the Cross Country to show their appreciation of a true horseman.

However, although the Olympic, World and European champion has retained his lead on La Biosthetique Sam FBW after the first two phases, he will need all his famous reserves of calm tomorrow. He does not have a fence in hand over New Zealander Jock Paget, who was immaculate on Clifton Promise and lies in second place.

The two Rolex Grand Slam contenders, William Fox-Pitt (GBR) on Parklane Hawk and Andrew Nicholson (NZL) on Nereo, have moved into closer contention in third and fourth places, still separated by just 0.2 of a penalty after faultless performances.

Badminton is the world’s oldest and richest CCI4* and attracts more than 150,000 spectators on Cross Country day, the most 30-year-old Jung has encountered in his career so far. “There are so many people here and they lift you over the fences,” he said happily. “The atmosphere is fantastic. I have wanted to come here since I was a young boy, so to be in this position feels amazing.”

Jung, who had a refusal at the skinny brush at the top of the Savills’ Staircase (fence 22) on his first ride Leopin, also had a nervous moment on Sam. The 13-year-old gelding twisted over the imposing timber into Badminton’s famous Lake (fence 9) and landed facing in the wrong direction for the two small brush fences which came next, with Jung close to completely losing his reins.

The crowd gasped loudly, but somehow Jung, showing amazingly quick reactions, managed to set his horse back on track. “I gave him time to find his balance again and it was fine,” he said, apparently not at all fazed by this near miss.

The pair finished 14 seconds inside the optimum time of 11 minutes 13 seconds, despite taking a long route at the Staircase this time.

Jung’s Olympic team mate Sandra Auffarth was equally impressive on her Badminton debut and she is now in fifth place on Opgun Louvo, having added just 1.2 time penalties.

Stefano Breccarioli (ITA) produced the ride of his life on the elegant Apollo VD Wendi Kurt Hoeve, having clearly benefited from the advice of his mentor Andrew Nicholson, and he is now in sixth place with six time penalties, his best Cross Country result at CCI4* level.

“I am very happy,” said Brecciaroli excitedly afterwards. “I was trying very hard. The competition is so exciting, and the atmosphere fantastic. I’m feeling very proud to be at the top of the leaderboard with Olympic champions.”

Sam Griffiths (AUS) has moved up three places to seventh, ahead of Nicholson on Avebury, the only rider with two horses in the top 12.

Hugh Thomas’s Cross Country course jumped exceptionally well, with 69 clear rounds and more than 25% of the field – 25 riders – finishing inside the optimum time thanks to the perfect going.

“The ground is superb and the course felt lovely to ride,” said Nicholson, who coped with the hazard of being chased by two different dogs during his round on Avebury. “It helped sharpen Avebury up. He probably thought I’d arranged it on purpose!” he joked.

Not everyone made the track look quite so easy, however, and there were some high-profile mistakes. Kristina Cook (GBR) gave notice that the new HSBC Market Place complex (fence 21) would be influential when Du Novo News ran out at the second open corner, and William Fox-Pitt with first ride Oslo and Mark Todd (Ravenstar) also had problems here.

Dirk Schrade (GER), third after Dressage on King Artus, retired when the horse refused at the rails into the Lake (fence 9), while fellow Germany Kai Rüder (Le Prince des Bois) and Britain’s Zara Phillips (High Kingdom) both ran past one of the small brush fences in the Lake.

The latter seems to be perpetually unlucky at Badminton and is yet to better her 16th place in 2008. “I made a mistake and you pay the price,” Phillips said. “It’s frustrating after all the hard work, but he’s such a great horse.”

Pippa Funnell, who had done such a fantastic job to bring Redesigned back to top level after three years on the sidelines, had an even more frustrating run-out, at the top of the Savills Staircase. It cost her fifth place at this stage.

Susanna Bordone (ITA) was unseated when Blue Moss hit the rails going into the Shogun Hollow (fence 18) and Bettina Hoy (GER) was unshipped when Lanfranco TSF twisted over the final element of Huntsman’s Close (fence 7).

Mary King (GBR) continued unawares after Kings Temptress took out the flag at the open corner at the Rodney Powell Products Farmyard (fence 13), but the Ground Jury reviewed the CCTV footage and decided that she had not jumped between the flags so she was stopped.

William Fox-Pitt, who timed his Cross Country round to perfection on Parklane Hawk, finishing one second inside the optimum time after opting for a cautious route at fence 21 this time, conceded that he may be facing an uphill task in his pursuit of Grand Slam glory in tomorrow’s Jumping phase.

“There’s no way it’s going to be a normal day at Badminton with so much at stake,” he said cheerfully. “Even if I jump clear on Parklane Hawk – and that certainly isn’t guaranteed – I’m still relying on others to make mistakes, and that isn’t very likely either. Especially as this chap [Michael Jung] doesn’t make many!”

Don’t miss a hoofbeat. Follow the live action on www.feitv.org.

Follow live results: www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

View full standings here.

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter.

Our signature Twitter hashtags for this series are #HSBC and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #HSBC FEI Classics #Eventing.

By Kate Green

Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials Media Contact:

Julian Seaman
j.seaman2@sky.com
+44 7831 515736

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

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T.

Michael Jung Holds Off Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing Challengers at Badminton Horse Trials

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Michael Jung riding La Biosthetique Sam.

(Badminton, UK, 5 May 2013) Michael Jung (GER) riding La Biosthetique Sam remains in 1st place after the Cross-Country phase at the 2013 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials. Jonathan Paget (NZL) riding Clifton Promise is in 2nd place, with Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing challengers William Fox-Pitt (GBR) riding Parklane Hawk in 3rd place, and Andrew Nicholson (NZL) riding Nereo in 4th place.

Rider Quotes

Michael Jung riding Sam

Q. Michael, superb round – you’ve managed to do it so far!

Yes, we had a little mistake at the first water but the good thing is that the water was in the beginning and not in the end so he was fresh enough to manage everything and he was directly after the mistake he to listen to me what you have to do now and the rest of it was really perfect.

Q. How do you feel when something like [the mistake] that happens?

That’s cross country! For 11 minutes in the cross country and not everything working on the correct way but I am very happy!

Q. Here you are maintaining the lead to tomorrow?

He is in very good form. He is very fresh at the end and he is ready for tomorrow.

Q. How did he feel coming over the finish?

Amazing!  The spectators help on the last jumps – they lift you over the last fences and its wonderful when you gallop the ten minutes through the course as everywhere are spectators – it’s really special.

Q. Will Sam be up to the Show Jumping after today?

Yes, he’s in really good form – he was fresh at the finish and I hope we are lucky enough for tomorrow.

Q. So you could spoil the Rolex Grand Slam party?

Maybe, yes!

Jonathan Paget riding Clifton Promise

Q. Jonathan – that looked amazing?

I was grateful to have another great horse to ride around this morning to help set me up for the horse that has such great dressage. Luckily for me I am on two great gallopers and jumpers – two New Zealand thoroughbreds so they know their job.

Q. How does this horse fare with the Show Jumping – is he careful?

He is careful, but I have never yet finished on my dressage score in a three day, but he is very careful and it wouldn’t surprise me if he jumped clear

William Fox-Pitt riding Parklane Hawk

Q. William, a great opportunity for you now exists [for the Rolex Grand Slam] – how are you feeling?

I’m feeling delighted. That was better, wasn’t it? He was class round there and pleasure to ride – he’s such a galloping machine. As I’ve said all along, I’d wished for the ground to be soft and muddy so then he would have done the time when some of the others wouldn’t as he’s such a good galloper – he’s breed to race.

He felt fantastic at the end and I knew I had to be quite close to the time and I know that I am exactly four points behind Michael – so IF Michael were to have a fence down and IF I was to jump clear it would have been really annoying to know I had been going a bit too fast today so very, very fortunate that Michael was a little bit quicker – but hey he’s got to go and jump the jumps tomorrow and he’s got to be OK after today.

This is a Rolex dream isn’t it – it’s not the riders dream!

Q. Well it could be a big earner, potentially?

I’m not even thinking about that – you’ve got to jump the blinking show jumps, you’ve got to trot up, there’s so far to go – that’s not his strongest phase but he’ll hopefully do his best.

Q. Any ‘heart in mouth’ moments going round there today?

No, not really. I think the course was more interesting to ride than it walked. A few of the strides didn’t come up you expected. The only time where he didn’t go exactly as I planned was where I did two little strides coming out of the pond – and that’s not like him, he would normally be a brave long striding horse so it’s rather good to know he can be a bit clever and nimble because he is brave as a lion.

Andrew Nicholson riding Nereo

Q. Another great round Andrew?

He was very, very good. He pulled really hard when he normally doesn’t pull, but with William finishing just before I started and the crowd cheering, which is quite right – he just got a little bit excited and he was pulling quite hard for five minutes which was probably just makes me huff and puff a bit!

Q. Nevertheless you were round within the time?

He does the time very easily. He lost a shoe, which made turning into the last corner a bit skiddy and slippery but he jumped it ok.

Q. Where you aware of losing the shoe on the way round?

Yes, you know pretty quickly, especially when the grass is green and you slide a little bit, but they get the hang of it.

Q. Does it take a certain amount of expertise to keep the horse balanced?

Ah, he’s got four legs hasn’t he – that’s his job – I just steer him!

Q. So, an enormous amount of pressure on you going into the Show Jumping tomorrow?

Yes, we’ve had it all week – you’ve just got to do what you’ve got to do. I’ve got two nice jumpers. Nereo has moved up, Avebury has moved up – it’s another day!

Results after Cross Country

1 Michael Jung/Sam (GER) 36.0
2 Jonathan Paget/Clifton Promise (NZL) 39.7
3 William Fox-Pitt/Parklane Hawk (GBR) 40.0
4 Andrew Nicholson/Nereo (NZL) 40.2
5 Sandra Auffarth/Opgun Louvo (GER) 42.5

For more information on the 2013 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and full Results/Leaderboard, please visit www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

Two Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing Contenders

With two of three successive wins of the Rolex Grand Slam – the 2012 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and the 2011 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials – William Fox-Pitt is the current live contender of the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. Due to adverse weather conditions, the 2012 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials was unfortunately cancelled. Therefore, Fox-Pitt has had to wait until the 2013 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials before he can contend for the coveted US$ 350,000 Rolex Grand Slam Prize.

However, now that Andrew Nicholson, who won the 2012 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials has also accomplished the feat of successively winning the 2013 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, there are now uniquely be two live contenders for the sport’s most coveted prize at the 2013 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials.

Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing

In 2001, Rolex created the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. This trophy is awarded to the rider who manages to win the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials event in any consecutive order. Until now, only British rider Pippa Funnell has managed this staggering achievement, winning the title in 2003.

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