Laura Tomlinson shares her thoughts on her home-bred horses debuts and a sweltering Nations Cup in Lier, Belgium

I have to start by adding my congratulations to Ros Canter and her brilliant partner, Lordships Graffalo (Walter), on their Mars Badminton win. What an incredible role model Ros is as a rider but also as a mother. She is breaking both records and boundaries of what is achievable as a woman.

Although she may make it all look so easy, it’s worth remembering that creating such a picture of ease and harmony takes an enormous amount of hard work and dedication day in, day out.

It’s also a testament to the team around them, especially when coming back from pregnancy. I know both my eldest daughter and I left Badminton feeling hugely inspired by so many awesome partnerships and fabulous riding.

I also feel my claim to fame here is that Walter’s grandfather was my old horse, Polarion, who I took from juniors through to our first grand prix together.

Since Badminton, I’ve had the privilege of competing another home-bred, Forest Hill, at his first international at Hickstead. It was emotional for me to have another horse at that level for the first time, and at a show that my father loved so much.

The atmosphere was wonderful, and the team there did a great job of combining so many classes across so many levels, both nationally and internationally.

Forest Hill had only two grand prix tests at a local venue under his belt before going down the centre line there, and so I was delighted with his top-three placing. There’s so much more to come from him.

The thing that struck me about him was how uncomplicated he felt and how happy he was to do his job – he was totally undistracted. The special was trickier as we had not practised it, but he gave it a good bash. The first half felt great; we came a little unstuck in the canter, but I felt all the things I wanted to feel for the future.

I also had a newer horse, Ostmarks Digal, out in the prix st georges (PSG) and was able to take the win there. Australian rider Tyla Schou, who works for me at home, took a six-year-old mare of ours, Vallemagia, to win the six-year-old classes with over 95%!

Lots to like in Lier

From Hickstead, it was on to the Nations Cup in Lier, where again, the Belgians put on a fabulous competition – although it did feel like riding in an oven with the heatwave having struck in full force.

Sadly, Full Moon really struggled to settle in his stable, which was right by the main thoroughfare of horses passing in each direction. We had some great moments, but we definitely took too much of that tension into the ring, which translated into silly mistakes that curbed the marks from reflecting his improvements elsewhere.

He’s getting stronger at this level now, but we need to do some homework on getting through the canter work clean or else the scores won’t improve.

But it was great fun to be on the team, as ever well looked after by Caroline Griffith and the World Class staff. Sadie Smith, Susan Pape and Lewis Carrier all put in superb grand prix tests, and I couldn’t have been prouder of how the team rode – each producing a lovely, harmonious picture with a happy athlete under saddle – or of our second-place finish.

I went from there to the National Schools Equestrian Association arena eventing championships at Hickstead with my eldest daughter to sweat some more. Luckily, she managed to win more rosettes than I did, and I was delighted to see so many children having fun and getting a taste for competing on such amazing grounds.

At the time of writing, next up is the international at Wellington, with Forest Hill in the grand prix and Ostmarks Digal in the PSG, and possibly a ride on the six-year-old mare potentially to qualify her for the World Breeding Championships, as Tyla cannot ride her for Australia.

It all seems rather like a whirlwind at the moment, but very exciting to be busy with such lovely horses that my team and I have put so much work into over the years.

● Who is the rider or role model who’s inspired you most this season? Let us know your thoughts at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine

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Two further fixtures have followed Aachen in withdrawing from the FEI Dressage Nations Cup series this year, in favour of running their own team competitions.

The news means that the 2024 FEI series is down to three legs, from its original six. The remaining legs are Wellington in the US, which took place in February, Compiegne in France (2 to 4 May) and Pilisjászfalu in Hungary (8 to 12 May). Aachen, Falsterbø and Rotterdam will all go ahead with their own team competitions, not part of the FEI series, at their respective shows.

The split has come about because of an updated rule, which now requires organisers to extend invitations to all national federations. If the number of teams applying would mean too many starters, the organiser must accept the best teams based on the average of world ranking points of participating riders.

An FEI statement said that the “promoting inclusivity and transparency” were the reasons behind the changes.

Patrick van der Meer, dressage sports director of CHIO Rotterdam, said the rule change would mean the show would “only be able to admit teams two weeks before”.

“For us the interest of the athletes prevail. We had already invited teams before the rules changed, and especially in an Olympic year, you cannot keep participants in uncertainty for so long,” he said.

“This was a very difficult decision for us, and we understand that it is disappointing for the FEI’s plans. For the last weeks we had good discussions and have been working together to find a suitable solution. Unfortunately, one has not been found for 2024, but we trust to find a workable solution together for the next season.”

The FEI spokesperson added that all stakeholders will convene after this year’s series to “explore future possibilities” and that there remains “an optimistic outlook for its future success”.

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Major pre-Olympic fixture pulls plug on FEI’s Nations Cup after rule change

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Aachen has parted ways with the FEI Dressage Nations Cup series after a decade – and will instead host its own elite team dressage competition at the 2024 World Equestrian Festival (28 June to 7 July).

The show takes place less than a month before the Olympics, when the build-up to Paris 2024 will be at its peak, and concludes the day ahead of the final entry deadline for this summer’s Games (8 July).

The news, first reported by Eurodressage, comes amid changes to the FEI Nations Cup rules for 2024. This year, organisers of competitions in the FEI Nations Cup series must invite all national federations, which has brought about the split.

“We have withdrawn from the FEI Nations Cup Series 2024 due to the changed invitation mode,” an Aachen spokesman told H&H. “Aachen organisers will confirm invitations as soon as possible, which is contrary to the FEI Dressage Nations Cup Rules 2024.”

Aachen’s schedule shows it will be inviting the seven top-placed teams from the 2023 European Championships, plus the best non-European team from the 2022 World Dressage Championships.

This means that Britain, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, the USA, Austria, Denmark, France and Sweden are expected to be on the list of invitations for Aachen’s own inter-nation team dressage competition.

Aachen’s team showjumping and eventing competitions are already run on the show’s own terms and are known as Nations Cups, but without the FEI prefix as they have not been part of the FEI-owned series for some time.

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The pressure was on Christoph Koschel as Germany took the win in the FEI Nations Cup CDIO3* at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival for the second year in a row.

Christoph was unaware of what he needed to score in order to propel Germany to the top spot on the podium. He pointed out an expensive mistake in the half-pass.

“I knew that my score would drop a lot,” he acknowledged. “I was aware that there was no mistake allowed in the canter, so I tried to do my best there. It worked out.”

Leading the team as a rider as well as the chef d’equipe was Michael Klimke alongside teammates Christoph, Lars Ligus, and Frederic Wandres.

“Last year it was a really big surprise, and it motivated us for this year,” Michael said. “We all had a top day yesterday, and today it got very close again, a little bit like last year where Christoph had to ride to a certain point to win. It was a lot of fun to ride here again with these colleagues. We are very happy that we won.”

Germany took the top spot with a final team score of 433.337%, while the team from USA were just behind in 432.265% for silver. Canada won the bronze medal with 409.091% in a contest over two days.

“The first day, I had a really good and clear test. I was very happy,” said Michael, who said Harmony’s Sanrino RHP is competing in only its third CDI.

“He’s a little bit nervous. I must say I was also really happy until the half-pass to the right,” he said of yesterday’s performance attaining scores of 72.652% in the grand prix CDIO3* and 70.755% in the grand prix special CDIO3* (both scores including the +1.5% for competing in the large tour classes).

“I lost it a little bit in the change to the right,” he continued. “I was a bit disorganized. He’s already 13, but he has not much experience. I was more happy with my horse today than with me.”

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Michael Klimke pulled off a personal best with Harmony’s Sanrino RHP of 71.152% as Germany established the lead over the USA and Canada on day one of the FEI Nations Cup CDIO3* at the Global Dressage Festival.

Lightning strikes closed the showground during the grand prix and Michael was among the riders forced to wait out the weather.

“They had to stop the tests, so Michael had to go back to the barn and wait for an hour,” said team mate Frederic Wandres. “The temperature fell from 31 to the higher 20sm but you felt the difference and it is not easy for some horses. But he had a very nice test and I felt very happy for him – he showed beautiful piaffes.”

Frederic was second with Dolciario in the prix st-georges CDIO3* to USA’s Bianca Berktold on Imperial. Frederic’s compatriot Lars Ligus placed third on Soccer City.

“It was Las’ international prix st-georges debut on a horse he rode just four times before,” said Frederic. “He had a really nice score and without mistakes. And also Dolciario is just eight years old and it was his second international prix st georges so I had a small mistake, but he showed a very fancy and expressive trot – also in the extended walk he got an average of 8.4.”

The format at the Global Dressage Festival allows teams to combine small tour and grand prix combinations, with the latter garnering a 1.5% bonus for the more difficult test. Thursday’s action included prix st georges and grand prix, with small tour riders progressing to the intermediate I test today, and the big tour riders tackling the grand prix special, after which the team medals will be awarded.

“It’s the second day and everyone has to start new,” said Frederic. “Dolciaro is not that experienced on the intermediate I level, and Lars’ horse too. Everyone has to handle the situation again from the beginning and then we will see – fingers crossed.”

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Today sees the start of the CDIO3* Nations Cup at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Palm Beach, Florida. Susan Dutta is no stranger to Nations Cup teams, but this one will be special as she reaches a milestone with Don Design DC, selected to represent the USA on a horse she bought as a five-year-old and has been on a journey with ever since.

“He was a project,” she said. “This particular horse, he’s not always been the easiest along the way.” Susan studied under Rudolf Zeilinger in Europe so that she could make her own horses. “I am very grateful for that and most of the time I buy horses and make them.”

She enlisted the help of Holga Finken in Germany in the early days of training Don Design DC. “He was probably the most influential in helping me make him,” Susan said. “The horse was a bit scary to ride – he had so much power – and he did a really good job of taming the tiger.”

Don Design DC’s training continued in the USA when he landed here as a seven-year-old. Now 12, all Susan’s hard work and tenacity is paying off. “Last year he was one of the top horses for the Olympic trials,” said Susan, who also had Figeac DC on that list – another horse she made herself.

This week’s competition sees three nations compete – USA, Germany, and Canada. The US team features a mixture of seasoned and upcoming riders including Ben Ebeling, 21, and Katie Duerrhammer, 34. “For sure these two are going to be the future of our sport,” said Susan, 53. Bianca Berktold is the fourth team member, riding Imperial. “It’s a beautiful horse for the future, so I’m really glad to see that one on the team,” said Susan.

“I love the Nations Cup teams or any kind of teams. It’s a true honour [to represent your country]. There were a couple of times when I was shaking my head [during the photoshoot on Wednesday], thinking I cannot believe it. My baby has grown up. It’s amazing. I am thrilled.”

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Britain claimed Nations Cup glory at Compiègne CDIO5*, France, this weekend, beating a strong Swedish team by just three points.

The British team of Gareth Hughes, Carl Hester, Richard Davison and senior team debutante Lottie Fry led overnight after the grand prix, in which Carl and Hawtins Delicato finished second to Sweden’s Patrik Kittel and Well Done De La Roche CMF, with Gareth and Classic Briolinca in fifth and Richard in seventh on Bubblingh.

The following day, with Sweden on their heels, Britain had all to fight for, and a fantastic plus-77% personal best from Gareth and the Trento B mare Briolinca in the grand prix special helped clinch victory.

“In the special she gave me a gorgeous ride — at the end I felt as though I could have turned around and done it all again,” Gareth told H&H. “She feels really solid in all the lines now.”

Carl and his World Equestrian Games ride Del finished third in the special — the horse’s third ever — just 0.32% behind Patrik Kittel.

“Del still gets nervous in the ring, and there is quite a decent atmosphere in Compiègne,” Carl said of the 11-year-old Diamond Hit son. “It’s just silly things really, but the talent is there.”

Richard and Lottie both put in solid performances for the team in the grand prix freestyle, with Richard finishing on plus-75% for sixth and Lottie in eighth on Dark Legend, her reigning under-25 European champion.

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In addition to receiving her senior flag for her first team appearance, Lottie enjoyed a successful weekend with two exciting Lord Leatherdale sons.

The eight-year-old Glamourdale scored plus-77% to win both the prix st georges and inter I, while 10-year-old Everdale — making his international debut at senior grand prix — triumphed in the three-star freestyle with over 76%.

Don’t miss the 23 May issue of Horse & Hound for the full report from Compiègne.

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A top dressage horse who was facing the threat of death or deportation after he failed tests for glanders has been released from quarantine as it has been proved the test results were false.

Sagacious HF was returning to the US after a successful European tour under rider Chase Hickok when he was held, having returned a false positive test for the disease while in quarantine in Miami.

The 18-year-old gelding has a glittering international record on both sides of the Atlantic.

He won team gold and individual silver at the 2007 Pan-Am Games under previous rider Lauren Sammis and he has been competing internationally for 11 years.

His most recent international start was in the Nations Cup at Hickstead last month, where he finished second in the grand prix and third in the special, helping the team to a bronze medal.

Earlier that month, the combination also competed on the US Nations Cup team at Falsterbo in Sweden, where they finished fourth in the grand prix, second in the freestyle and fourth as a team.

Chase was on her way to collect the horse from quarantine when she was told that he had tested positive for the disease.

In order for a horse to be allowed out of quarantine, it must test negative for a number of diseases, including glanders.

The other options would be to return him to the country he flew in from, in this case Amsterdam, or euthanasia.

Owner Al Guden quickly enlisted the help of lawyer Chapman Hopkins, who has recently dealt with a similar case involving a racehorse.

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Glanders is a serious bacterial infection that has been largely wiped out, but reappeared in Brazil around 15 years ago. The last reported case in the UK was in 1928 and it is not present in the US.

Glanders causes nodules and ulcers in the respiratory tract and spreads through contaminated feed, water, skin lesions, coughing and sneezing, aerosol emissions or via shared tack. The disease can also be passed to humans.

The complement fixation test (CFT) is the standard test used by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish the presence of glanders.

The horse tested positive in two CFT tests, but was showing no signs of illness or infection.

On 11 August, he was tested using an alternative system — the Western blot method — which came back negative. However, the horse needed to return negative tests via both methods in order to be released.

On 23 August, the horse tested negative for glanders in both CFT and Western blot tests and was allowed to return home.

Mr Guden told H&H he is very relieved.

“He is doing fine,” said Mr Guden, adding Sagacious is a “horse in a lifetime”.

“[When he was released from quarantine] he looked like his groom had just finished with him — he looked beautiful.”

Both Mr Guden and Chase have called for the process to be reviewed to help others avoid finding themselves in a similar situation.

H&H has contacted the USDA for comment.

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday

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The British team for the sole leg of the Nations Cup to take place on home soil has been announced.

The team will be made up of Hayley Watson-Greaves on Rubins Nite, Alice Oppenheimer on Headmore Delegate, Henriette Andersen on Warlocks Charm and Spencer Wilton aboard Numberto.

Hickstead’s international meeting takes place from 16-18 July and is the last chance for riders to prove themselves in front of selectors ahead of the European Championships at Aachen, Germany, in August.

The Nations Cup result will comprise team riders’ results from the grand prix and the special or freestyle: all riders contest the grand prix, then Hayley and Henrietta will ride the kür, while Alice and Spencer will compete in the special. The results of the rider with the lowest placings will be dropped.

But from a selection perspective, the grand prix results will be crucial, as it is this test which determines the team medals at the Europeans.

Hayley Watson-Greaves has had a cracking second international grand prix season with her 11-year-old Gribaldi gelding Rubins Nite.

Their scores peaked last weekend at Hartpury, culminating with 72.75% in the kür for third place behind Carl Hester (Nip Tuck) and Henriette Andersen (Warlocks Charm).

In turn, Henriette has been slowly building Warlocks Charm’s confidence and the results have been inching up to prove it. Their 75% at Hartpury was by far their best yet at the level — and only the second time they had broken the 70% barrier in the freestyle at the level.

Alice Oppenheimer’s home-bred Headmore Delegate has quite a bit to prove to catch selectors’ eye; the pair have only topped 70% at international grand prix once.

Spencer Wilton is still getting to know the 14-year-old Negro gelding Numberto, but the horse doubtless has talent; he scored a perfect 10 for his one-time changes at Aachen’s five-star show in 2013 under his former Spanish rider Severo Jurado Lopez. No pressure, Spencer…

Barring incident, the British dressage team for the Europeans is expected to be announced on Monday (20 July).

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As promised, here is an update on my trip to Saumur as part of the Nations Cup GB junior dressage team.

We set off in beautiful sunshine on Sunday evening towards Portsmouth for the overnight ferry. Although it is a long ferry journey, it makes the road journey much shorter and we feel that is easier on the horses. Kaja travelled well, merrily eating hay and drinking her full tub of water overnight on the ferry.

We arrived in lovely sunshine to a quiet showground and really enjoyed time to get the stable and equipment out and settled with time to stretch Kaja’s legs with a hand graze.

Next day was again bathed in glorious sunshine and we rode in the morning, hand grazed and then it was into the books for my AS exam revision in the afternoon as the rest of the team were arriving for trot-up the next day.

On the day of trot-up it was still bright and we had high hopes for a sunny Saumur. I rode in the main arena in the morning as I was doing my first test in there. Then I walked Kaja off in the arena I would be competing in after the first day — this was a good chance to let Kaja get used to her surroundings.

It can be very busy on days like this and it has taken a couple of years to really understand my horse, what she copes with, what she likes and what she dislikes. I now consider this in all my preparation for shows. It has taken a while with a sensitive mare like Kaja, but we are getting there.

We have also received a lot of help from Equifeast with tailoring her supplements in a flexible way, which has been tremendously helpful. It all takes time and attention to detail and I was hoping we had got it right for Saumur.

The trot-up was a success for all British riders and then the rain came! When I say rain, I mean torrential, persistent rain.

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Team test day in torrential rain

The team test is the only test that counts for the Nations Cup so you have to be ready on day one to be at your best.

The rain was not helpful and all competitors were warming up indoors to avoid the 10 minute arena, which was a little boggy. I know my horse has a great movement and rideability if I can get her to the arena in a calm frame of mind so I took to the wet, outdoor arena to avoid the crowds and go solo!

I had already got up early before competition started at 8am to ride in the indoor arena and do 20 minutes work so I did not have too long to warm up in the pouring rain.

I am delighted that Kaja did the clear round I was hoping for, despite the puddles in the arena and we ended in fourth place in the whole class and had the best British score.

Naturally, I was delighted that the work I had put in in every aspect had paid off. The team came third overall so it was great to be on the podium.

Prize-giving was a wet affair and I laughed at the state of my mum holding my horse with wet through hair and clothing. We had come together with mum as driver, groom, chef and general everything, but we are a good team.

Thankfully we had a day off next day so had the chance to dry everything as much as we could. Due to the driving rain the main arena was abandoned and tests moved indoors for young riders, small and big tour, but sadly juniors and ponies were still fighting the elements.

The individual test was in a pure sand arena which had a splashy surface that felt like a gel sucking at every step of your horse. It was difficult to have the best cadence you can deliver, but I was so happy with a fifth place to make the prize-giving again.

Every prize-giving is an education for my horse. She can get over excited and it’s a worry that she could damage herself, but she was remarkably calm amid the clapping and cheering. I felt like she knew she had done well.

On the last day, the kur was in the afternoon and it was still raining! Kaja had stood up well physically to the elements so far.

We had been rained into our stables everyday, but Saumur gave us free shavings as we had to redo our beds a few times a day to keep them dry. This was exhausting for me and mum, who had now taken to wearing her waterproof trousers at all times.

The kur was in the same waterlogged arena and Kaja was still feeling very enthusiastic. She gave me an energetic ride and I was so delighted to find I had scored a personal best of 72% coming third in the class. This gave us a rapid turnaround of mounted prize-giving and whirlwind pack-up to make a quick dash to catch the ferry in Caen on time.

Exhausted, we arrived home Monday afternoon after dropping Kaja straight into her field at the yard.

There was no time for rest as I had AS exams starting two days later so I had to make up for lost revision time.

To finish a great week off nicely, I returned home to find I had been long-listed for the European team in July, so I am delighted.

Wish me luck in my exams and I will let you know how they went when I am out the other side.

Chloe

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The German team stormed to victory in the Aachen Nations Cup with an average counting team score of 77.383%. The four-strong British team couldn’t match last week’s fabulous form, when the Brits won the team event in Rotterdam, but this was valuable match practice for emerging combinations.

Germany filled the top two spots individually with Helen Langehanenberg (Damon Hill, pictured) pulling off 81.12% to take the lead from fellow Annabel Balkenhol (Dablino), who scored 77.04%. Their final counting score was Isabell Werth’s 73.97%, while their drop score of 71.83% was more that 3% higher than the best British score of 68.68%.

Three of the top four horses individually are by Donnerhall, while the fourth, Dablino, is by his son De Niro.

Costly mistakes

Best of the Brits, Michael Eilberg suffered costly mistakes in the two-time changes thanks to a persistent fly landing on Marakov’s head.

“He’s a fidget with things like flies,” said Michael. “But I was pleased with how he behaved in this big atmosphere. We haven’t been here before and it’s an important show.”

Pathfinder Anna Ross Davies scored 66.51% on Pegasus MK, on whom she now permanently has the ride after Jane Sewell bought him from Peter Bowles.

“I was going for a safe clear,” said Anna. “The mistakes in the one-times were all mine – I was doing the human windmill with my legs.”

Nikki Crisp was last of all 37 competitors in front of the 5,000-stong crowd. She was trending above 70% on Pasoa until mistakes crept in and she finished on 68.42%. Her score complete the counting trio with an average of 66.11%.

Britain finished eighth of the nine nations – an improvement on the nation’s performance here last year.

Hannah Biggs was the drop score on Weltzin after a tricky ride in which the usually compliant stallion was uncooperative in piaffe. Hannah was “gutted” with 61.1%, but this isn’t the last we’ll see of this pair.

View full results

• Don’t miss the full report from Aachen in H&H magazine, out Thursday 4 July

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Britain was unable to contest the opening leg of the FEI Nations Cup pilot season at Vidauban, France last Saturday (18 May) — after one team member’s horse was held at the first horse inspection.

The three-rider team of Sarah Millis (HP Frontier), Kay Maxted (Privaldi) and Daniel Watson (Fideramber) was ruled out of contention after HP Frontier was unsound and was asked to represent the following day. Connections felt the gelding was not 100% sound, so declined to re-present him.

As Britain had only sent three combinations (four are permitted, with one becoming the drop score), the team could not contest the Nations Cup. It was particularly galling for Kay Maxted who, at the age of 63, was fulfilling a lifelong ambition of a team place with her 16-year-old Gribaldi-sired gelding.

The Netherlands were the eventual winners with Sweden second and France third.

Winning team member, Laurens van Lieren said afterwards: “There was a combination of strong riders as well as young riders getting experience here, so that made for a great competition”.

The FEI is running the pilot Nations Cup dressage series to assess the attractiveness of the event to spectators, organisers, the media and riders.

Further legs will be held at Rotterdam CDIO5* and Aachen CDIO5* (27 June), culminating at Hickstead CDIO3* (4 August).

Each fixture must host either a grand prix or a grand prix freestyle competition in which the teams can earn points towards the FEI Nations Cup dressage standings.

Vidauban, Rotterdam and Aachen all plumped to stage a grand prix competition, but Hickstead has chosen to stage a freestyle to music competition to bring the series to a close.

For more on this story, see Brits Abroad in the 30 May issue of H&H.

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International team dressage to launch next year

Hickstead is considering adding a leg of the new FEI Nations Cup dressage series to its 2013 international show (1-4 August).

Director of Dressage at Hickstead Dane Rawlins told H&H that he was trying to find sponsors.

The new series — where riders compete as national teams — was announced at the FEI General Assembly last week.

FEI dressage committee chairman Frank Kempermann said: “We believe this could provide new opportunities for dressage. We hope it will be a new highlight.”

Wayne Channon of the International Dressage Riders Club welcomed the concept, saying it was important for more riders to compete at grand prix level. But he believed top riders would be unlikely to take part.

“They are already competing at between six and eight competitions a year — they will not be able to add on another five Nations Cups,” he said.

Confirmed dates so far are: three-star competitions at Vidauban, France (17-20 May) and Rotterdam (20-24 June) and a five-star at Aachen (3-8 July).

New ‘blood rule’ approved

A new rule stating what action should be taken if blood is seen on a horse during an international-level dressage test was unanimously approved by the General Assembly.

The judge at C now has responsibility for deciding if a horse should be eliminated. If the horse shows fresh blood, it will be eliminated. If the blood is old, the horse may be allowed to continue.

An FEI vet will examine the horse before its next test if it is due to compete in the next few days of the show.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (15 November 2012)

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Germany took the Aachen nations cup on home ground, with Nadine Capellmann’s exciting new grand prix ride Elvis leading the charge.

In the absence of The Netherlands’ top team Germany were hardly threatened, scoring 222.374 to second placed Denmark’s 209.875. The team had four strong performances — their drop score was that of Hubertus Schmidt on 71.375% — with Nadine wowing the crowd and scoring 10 for her extended trot.

“I had a very good feeling from Elvis today, he was especially good in the piaffe and passage and the pirouettes were good, too,” said Nadine. “We had a mistake in the changes, but that was my fault not his, I prepared him too much for the change.”

Elvis is only eight years old and has made huge progress in the past year. “In December he was still at prix st georges level and then in May he won his first grand prix with 75%,” said Nadine of the Hannovarian chestnut gelding.

Another horse of the same description, Isabell Werth’s ride Warum Nicht, finished one per cent behind Elvis to cement Germany’s lead. It was only ‘Hannes’s second outing outdoors — the pair finishing a strong indoor season with second place at the World Cup in April.

“We had a few little mistakes where he was a bit tense,” said Isabell. “He needs a few more tests outdoors to get more relaxed. He is only 10 and just needs to learn not to be afraid outdoors with the new distractions like flowers blowing in the wind.”

Both Nadine and Isabell are hopeful for the World Equestrian Games after this team win.

“The result will have given us confidence for sure, but then the Dutch were not here with their full team,” said Nadine, with Isabell adding: “The World Equestrian Games are another situation altogether and I’m sure it will be very close.”

Team Great Britain finished sixth, with Emma Hindle and Lancet best of the British effort. The pair proved they are now a solid partnership with an accurate and consistent test. They had just one mistake in the one-time changes, leaving them on 69.333%.

Sandy Phillips’s Lara 106 handled the pressure in the main arena for a respectable 67.729.

“It was raining in the warm up and Lara was disconcerted by the umbrellas, but she went into the main arena and settled,” said Sandy. “She comes out better every time, for example the pirouettes were better today, and the judges love the way she moves.”

Laura Bechtolsheimer, by far the youngest team member at 21, had a slightly disappointing test with her parent’s Douglas Dorsey — the pair being capable of more than their 66.5%.

Richard Davison was the drop score with Hiscox Karachi, who showed excellent work that was thwarted by tension and a few small mistakes including a break in the changes. It was bad timing, as the Wild West Show was taking place in the show jumping arena as a nervous Karachi started his test.

“With guns going off and the public screaming it unsettled him and meant we didn’t get the halt and there was tension in the walk,” said Richard. “He’s got to learn to cope with these things but he is genuinely frightened. Technically he is very correct and he only makes mistakes when he’s scared.”

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now