(FRA, 31 August 2014) Sandra Auffarth riding Opgun Louvo was today crowned double Individual and Team Gold medallist, with Michael Jung (GER) riding Fischerrocana FST in Individual Silver and Team Gold and William Fox-Pitt (GBR) riding Chilli Morning, taking Individual Bronze and Team Silver, at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, in Normandy.
Results, Individual Show Jumping, Eventing
1. Sandra Auffarth/Opgun Louvo (GER) 52.0
2. Michael Jung/FischerRocana FST (GER) 52.3
3. William Fox-Pitt/Chilli Morning (GBR) 54.3
4. Jonelle Price/Classic Monet (NZL) 56.5
5. Maxime Livio/Qalao Des Mers (FRA) 58.5
6. Karin Donckers/Fletcha Van’t Verahof (BEL) 59.9
7. Peter Thomsen/Horseware’s Barny (GER) 60.3
8. Boyd Martin/Shamwari 4 (USA) 63.9
9. Andrew Nicholson/Nereo (NZL) 64.5
10. Andreas Ostholt/So Is Et (GER) 64.7
Results, Team Show Jumping, Eventing
Gold: Germany, 177.9
Silver: Great Britain, 198.9
Bronze: Netherlands, 246.8
4th: France, 251.5
5th: Australia, 262.5
6th: Ireland, 319.3
Sandra Auffarth Crowned Double World Champion as Germany Reign Supreme
Germany’s 27-year-old Sandra Auffarth was today crowned double World Champion taking both the Individual and Team Gold medals in Eventing after a thrilling final round of show jumping, following four days of intense competition in the Eventing discipline.
The medals were all to play for when the final three riders came into the magnificent Stade D’Ornaro in Caen in front of a packed 20,000 crowd, with none of the final three competitors affording the chance to make a mistake. The whole German team was outstanding with all four riders going clear in the show jumping. Michael Jung riding Fischerrocana FST came into the stadium lying in third place and produced an immaculate jumping display. Fellow teammate Auffarth was next into the arena, and she too held her nerve with another master class in jumping clearing every fence in 89 seconds, well below the time allowed of 93 seconds.
“I didn’t think I could go and become double World Champion – it’s very amazing and still unbelievable,” said a jubilant Auffarth after the medal ceremony. One pole was all it took for Auffarth to claim the individual title after overnight leader William Fox-Pitt riding Chilli Morning just tipped the front rail of the second fence 10 seconds into his round. As a result, Fox-Pitt dropped to individual Bronze and Germany’s Michael Jung moved up to individual Silver.
Auffarth and Opgun Louvo won the Bronze medal in the individual event at the London 2012 Olympic Games and won Silver at the European, so it was a dream come true for Auffarth to go one better and take double Gold. Auffart’s performance also contributed to Germany’s victory in the Team competition, ahead of Great Britain taking Silver and the Netherlands in Bronze position.
Sixty riders made it through to start of the final show jumping phase from the original 87 competitors who went cross-country, with an impressive range of international competitors competing for their Nations. The show jumping concluded an outstanding Eventing competition held over two sites, with the dressage and cross-country staged at the beautiful Haras du Pin, and the show jumping in Caen’s Stade D’Ornano. The top six nations of Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, France, Australia and Ireland have now all qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Rolex Testimonee Zara Phillips Takes Silver
Competing for Team Great Britain, Rolex Testimonee Zara Phillips, riding High Kingdom, produced the only double clear of the British team in both the cross-country and show jumping disciplines after another extraordinary display of horsemanship. Lying in 15th position overnight coming into the final show jumping phase, Phillips produced another faultless round to the delight of the packed stadium and finished in 11th position, with her score helping Great Britain secure the Team Silver.
Commenting on her experience, Phillips said: “It’s a great atmosphere and it’s all so close. Luckily my horse had been to London 2012 and had experienced a big atmosphere, so we just had to go out there and go clear. Today my horse has proved that he can cope with the big atmosphere and jump, and I am chuffed to bits with him.”
Quotes:
Sandra Auffarth (GER):
I knew that my horse was good enough and that over the years he has always done an amazing job at all the competitions, but I didn’t think I could go and become double World Champion – it’s very amazing and still unbelievable. I have had my horse since he was five years old and it was just fun with him. I didn’t think he was a world champion horse, but always so much fun and such a great attitude. I tried to keep him (after a year) and so I bought him with the German Olympic Committee. The first time I thought he could be a really good horse was when he was seven years old.
The atmosphere here in the stadium was amazing and because I knew he was a good jumper it was OK and I was relaxed to go to the end. All team members did a great job, all clear rounds – it was an amazing team result for us!
William Fox-Pitt (GBR):
I feel very lucky to have won a bronze medal when the competition is that tight, especially after the cross-country. It was really close and we could so easily have lost any sort of medal. I’m delighted with Chilli (Morning); he was fantastic yesterday and perhaps today he was a little bit heavy legged, a little bit less reactive, than he normally is and he just flicked that pole, but I was certainly lucky to jump round the rest of the course clear and get a bronze medal.
The atmosphere in Caen has been crazy, very akin to the London Olympics and the horses are really lifted by that, and it’s fantastic to have such support here and such a turnout. It’s brilliant for the sport and I think it has been a terrific day. We were not coming here expecting to medal; we were certainly outsiders.
Michael Jung (GER):
My horse was very calm and relaxed today, as she was in the dressage too.
The course was very good for my horse. I had enough space between the fences which gave me enough time to prepare for the next one, and the ground was perfect; the horses were able to jump with a lot of energy, so overall I am so happy.
For more information on the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and full results, please visit www.normandy2014.com.
Rolex and the World Equestrian Games
Rolex’s association with the World Equestrian Games began in 2002 in Jerez, Spain and the brand is at the forefront of the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, which takes place between 23 August and 7 September in Caen, France where a record 74 nations intend to take part.
The exceptional bond between Rolex and the World Equestrian Games has no doubt been instrumental in attracting 12 new countries to make their debut this year; a glorious achievement in the development of the sport on a global scale. Across the 15 days, approximately 1,200 media will follow 1,000 competitors as they compete across eight official disciplines including the Olympic sports of Show Jumping, Dressage and Eventing in front of over 500,000 spectators.
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