Aachen eventing: Britain rises to third in eventful showjumping; German team falter
Britain’s team has moved up to third after the showjumping in the eventing Nations Cup at Aachen this evening (Friday, 15 July), having been fourth after dressage.
The first out for Britain, Laura Collett, had a lovely clear with Diana Chappell’s Grand Manoeuvre. She is now 10th individually, from 19th after dressage.
Next up was Franky Reid-Warrilow, who incurred eight faults when Dolley Whisper knocked a brick out of the wall at fence nine and the top rail off the upright at fence 11. Sitting 23rd, she is now the team drop score.
Tina Cook and Calvino II, owned by Pip and Ailsa Wates and Equine Aqua Training, also fell foul of the wall for four faults, but still rose a place to 13th.
Finally, Nicola Wilson pulled off a great fault-free round with Gerry and Mary Kemp and Janine Shewan’s One Two Many, which moved her up from 21st to 11th.
Britain’s individual Zara Tindall had the upright at fence 11 down with Trevor Hemmings’ High Kingdom and climbed up one place to 38th.
Individual leader changes
It is all change at the top of the individual and team leader board.
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Bettina Hoy had the front rails off the oxers at fence 10 and 12 with the dressage leader Seigneur Medicott to drop to equal fourth. And she also incurred a cricket score with Designer 10, third after dressage — 17 faults for four down and one time-penalty left him 25th.
New Zealand’s Jonelle Price and Faerie Dianimo, the dressage runners-up, had four faults at the final part of the treble at fence four, plus four more at the wall. They slipped down to seventh individually.
Meanwhile clears for German individuals Julia Krajewski (Samourai Du Thot), Michael Jung (FischerTakinou) and Sandra Auffarth (Opgun Louvo) elevated them from fifth, fourth and sixth after dressage to first, second and third. Julia and Michael are on the same score.
In the team standings Australia retains first, although Shane Rose (equal fourth on CP Qualified) was the only one of the quartet to go clear. New Zealand moves up to second, with clears from Jock Paget (Clifton Signature) and Blyth Tait (Xanthus III) added to Jonelle’s eight faults.
Britain sits ahead of Germany, which slipped from second down to fourth with some poor rounds today. Ingrid Klimke went clear on SAP Escada FRH (sixth individually), but Michael Jung had three time-faults on La Biosthetique-Sam FBW (now ninth), Dirk Schrade had two down on Hop And Skip and Andreas Ostholt three with So Is Et.
German team implications
The Germans have yet to finally name their eventing team for the Rio Olympics, although they gave an indication after Luhmühlen. However, tonight’s results raises questions. Sandra looks secure, as does Michael (who has three horses named but has said he is likely to ride FischerTakinou) and Ingrid’s one down on Horseware Hale Bob OLD is unlikely to be a concern. However, Andreas’s 12 faults may be a worry to the team trainers.
Previously, the Germans had said the travelling reserve was likely to be either Designer 10 (Bettina Hoy), Hop And Skip (Dirk Schrade) or Samourai Du Thot (Julia Krajewski). It looks like Julia will be the one getting the nod for that spot after today — or could she even supplant Andreas in the team?
Finally, it would not be a huge surprise if Julia does not run across country tomorrow as Samourai Du Thot completed a full four-star just four weeks ago.
Dramatic incidents
There were two dramatic incidents in tonight’s showjumping. Firstly, there was a huge crashing of plates behind the grandstand as Chris Burton and Nobilis 18 were between fences one and two. To their credit, neither appeared at all distracted and they cleared the fence (and all the rest until they had the final two down).
Secondly, France’s Gwendolen Fer had two run-outs at the double of water trays at fence six with Romantic Love — and in the course of shying away from the fence, knocked over an official. Fortunately he stood up quickly and appeared unharmed.
Full report of Aachen in H&H next week, out Thursday, 21 August.
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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.