There was much talk on day one of the European Showjumping Championships at the San Siro racecourse in Milan, Italy (30 August-3 September) about the state of the footing. Several horses slipped in the grass arena in the centre of the racecourse, particularly towards the end of the first day’s action.
Ireland’s individual contender at these championships, Denis Lynch, who jumped clear on day one, just added four faults to his score on day two riding the impressive stallion Vistogrand, who is ridden at home by Denis’s teenage daughter. They currently sit top 10 in the individual standings at this early stage of the second qualifying competition for individuals and final teams at the European Showjumping Championships with a coefficient total of 6.70.
Denis put today’s fault down to rider error.
“I’m obviously disappointed in my riding there. Like I said yesterday, he’s got an awful lot of blood and temperament and maybe six months ago I had to ride for back rails a bit more, whereas now I can really sit quiet,” said Denis. “But he gave a fantastic jump over the wall and then he does get aggressive and really silly like that sometimes, he is only 10.
“That’s where my experience has to come in to just try and switch him off again. But I was trying to do the front rail and the back rail and everything else – there was slightly too much determination on my part! But I think he finished up very well – he relaxed. That last line would have been a difficult line for him even four months ago, so he did that well. I’m very proud of him again.”
Describing today’s much more technical track set by Uliano Vezzani, which weaves round the arena with dog legs and strings of related distances for riders to navigate, Denis said: “It’s a very fair track, a good track.
“I’m sure we’re going to expect more this week. He’s done it in a way that for a short-striding horse or a big-striding horse, it’ll fit in. It’s the accuracy of the rider that’s being questioned and obviously there’s the pressure of the teams.”
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European Showjumping Championships: “20 years ago, this was great ground”
Denis continued: “It’s a decent 1.60m and the ground in there is good, it’s fine. But again, like yesterday, I’m lucky that I’m early to go. We have become incredibly particular over the ground over the past decade because we ride a lot more on sand now, whereas I find this ground to be fine.
“You know, 20 years ago, this was great ground and horses love jumping on grass. It is a little soft for sure, so maybe it doesn’t suit every horse but it suits a lot of horses and that’s what we knew before we got here. So you have to put up with that. I think it’s fine – they’ve done the best they can.”
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Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.
