Speed demon leads showjumping World Championships as favourites face a disappointing start
Julien Epaillard put in his customary fast round, despite his horse’s inexperience, while big names had fences down on the opening day in Aachen
Fast Frenchman Julien Epaillard leads the showjumping World Championships results after the speed leg in Aachen today.
Riding the 11-year-old chestnut Fringan De Vesquerie, Julien whisked round the course more than a second quicker than the next clear round to take the early advantage.
“I’m getting slower every day and younger riders are getting faster!” said the 49-year-old, who put his speed down to working on communication with his horses so they respond to his body movements.
Julien said this horse is relatively inexperienced and he is focusing very much on the team result first, with France sitting fifth at this stage.
“My horse has a lot of blood. He’s very focused on the surroundings, so it’s not always easy to have him focus on the fences and to use his energy with me,” he said.
“He has a lot of personality, but it’s why he’s a super horse – because he is very curious, looking for everything, and it’s really nice to work him every day. Every day is different.”
Julien said although his round was smooth, the stride patterns didn’t quite work out as he expected over Frank Rothenberger’s track.
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He explained: “I planned to do nine to the wall at fence seven and eight after to the oxer, but the five strides to the oxer before the wall were very long. I had to put on a lot of pressure, so I felt my horse really open up. So after that I decided to change my plan and collect a little bit for the wall and for the oxer before the double of verticals.”
Today’s track was the easiest we can expect to see this week on the jumping side and there were more than 50 clear rounds from a whopping start list of 145. Jumping penalties were converted to seconds to give the results.
As the leader, Julien now sits on zero, with the difference between his time and that of each rider behind him halved to give each rider a score to carry forward into tomorrow’s competition.
Harrie Smolders holds second, on Mr. Tac, and is best-placed of the Dutch team in sixth.
“Mr. Tac did exactly what we were thinking according to the plan – we had three solid rounds for the team by the time I went in, so I could take a bit more risk,” he said.
“Mr Tac was also here in May, to practise, but now he was more confident in the ring. He stayed more on the track and had a very solid, smooth round.”
Harrie added that the Dutch are in a rebuilding phase and have struggled with horsepower this year. Their first aim is to qualify for Friday night’s team final, by being in the top 10 teams, and their second to gain an Olympic ticket, on offer to the top seven teams here excluding the USA, who qualify automatically as hosts.
Britain’s Scott Brash sits third individually and leads the British team to the fourth position at this early stage.
World Championships speed leg results: Germany lead
Germany lead the team standings, with Sophie Hinners fourth individually on Iron Dames Singclair.
“We know that his stride is not the biggest, so we really used our route and turns to do the right thing without over rushing him,” said Sophie.
“He was also so focused. I know sometimes the left turns can be a little bit more difficult and the last line went to the left away from the in gate. I saw some horses slipping there already and he stayed so calm and focused – I was so happy how he did that today. So I was really proud of him.”
Sophie Hinners and Iron Dames Singclair en route to finishing fourth in the World Championships speed leg in Aachen
Belgium hold second, led by Nicola Philippaerts in eighth on Katanga Van Het Dingeshof.
The USA currently sit in bronze position as a team, their effort spearheaded by pathfinder Laura Kraut on Paris 2024 team silver medallist Baloutinue in 11th.
“I’m just thrilled. I think it was hard to go sixth – I’d wanted to go early, but not that early,” she said. ”My horse was just brilliant. He just answered every question perfectly. He knew why he was in there.
“I couldn't have asked more of him and I’m really excited that I get to enjoy the rest of the day now,” added Laura, who swapped in her Olympic medallist when intended ride Bisquetta suffered a “tiny injury”.
“She’s 12 years old and has a lot of front of her. This is going to be a difficult week and I thought I’m better to conserve and take care of her 100%. I’m one of the luckiest people in the world because I don’t think many people have a back-up that’s as strong as Baloutinue. So it was an easy decision to look after her and bring him in.”
Faults for big names
A number of big names had fences down today, putting them on the back foot as they move forward through this championship.
Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam sits 26th on James Kann Cruz, who had down the oxer into the blue double at fence 12. His time would have put him in second without the rolled pole. Shane had to contend with riding at the end of the day when it was raining heavily.
“Conditions obviously were a little bit harder, but I was in around the time I wanted to be. It was just a cheap rail coming home cost us a little bit, but he jumped really well,” he said.
“I tried to stay tight in the turn back to that double, so maybe he didn’t get a good view. But that’s the thing with speed classes and it was a very slight touch – but touched the wrong way.”
The Irish team share seventh with Italy, counting scores from Bertram Allen (18th on Qonquest De Rigo), Shane (26th) and Darragh Kenny (50th on Eddy Blue).
Germany’s European champion and title favourite Richard Vogel had the upright at fence 11 down with United Touch S.
He explained: “I am quite disappointed with myself. I should have done five strides from that oxer to the vertical and I added up on six. I was just way too deep on that vertical and I gave my horse no chance to clear it. So it was quite disappointing from my side, but nevertheless, he jumped incredibly.”
While Steve Guerdat sits fifth for Switzerland on Dynamix De Belheme, his compatriot Martin Fuchs and Conner Jei took the back rail off the oxer into the white, green and red double at fence 3a.
“I probably went a little bit too much out and gave him too much space there [so he was too far from the fence], and he didn't really understand what I was asking from him,” said Martin.
“After that, I had to ride quite forward and then he was fantastic in the second half of the course – really in front of me, really pulling and going and playing with me.
“It’s always difficult the first day. So my tactic was to to have a nice, fluent, quick round, which obviously I changed after the big mistake I had at 3a. Then I just tried to play it more safe and didn’t leave out strides.
“Obviously, I would have wished for a better start, but there are many days to come and it’s not a catastrophic result.”
Switzerland hold 13th at this stage.
All teams and individuals jump again tomorrow (Thursday), with the top 10 teams and the top 60 individuals progressing to Friday’s team final.
World Championships speed leg results
Individual
1. Julien Epaillard (FRA) on Fringan De Vesquerie 0
2. Harrie Smolders (NED) on Mr. Tac 0.68
3. Scott Brash (GBR) on Hello Mango 0.8
4. Sophie Hinners (GER) on Iron Dames Singclair 0.84
5=. Steve Guerdat (SUI) on Dynamix De Belheme 0.86
5=. Daniel Deusser (GER) on Otello De Guldenboom 0.86
7. Mark Bluman (ISR) on Landon De Nyze 0.95
8. Ben Maher (GBR) on Point Break 1.01
Team
1. Germany (Marcus Ehning, Sophie Hinners, Daniel Deusser, Richard Vogel) 3.48
2. Belgium (Abdel Saïd, Pieter Devos, Nicola Phillippaerts, Thibeau Spits) 3.69
3. USA (Laura Kraut, McLain Ward, Lillie Keenan, Katie Dinan) 4.85
4. Great Britain (Ben Maher, Harry Charles, Scott Brash, Adrian Whiteway) 4.98
5. France (Nina Mallevaey, Olivier Perreau, Antoine Ermann, Julien Epaillard) 4.99
6. Netherlands (Michael Greeve, Bas Moerings, Willem Greve, Harrie Smolders) 5.08
7=. Italy (Emanuele Camilli, Giacomo Casadei, Giulia Martinengo Marquet, Piergiorgio Bucci) 7.69
7=. Ireland (Darragh Kenny, Bertram Allen, Cian O’Connor, Shane Sweetnam) 7.69
Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.