Michael Jung (GER) riding La Biosthetique Sam FBW ; during Badminton Horse Trials at Badminton House in the Village of Badminton in South Gloucestershire in the UK on the 3rd May 2017
Olympic champion eventer Michael Jung will be out of action for a while after a fall during the young horse World Championships at Le Lion d’Angers on Saturday (20 October).
Michael was in the lead after the dressage in the seven-year-olds class on Choclat, with a score of 25 penalties, when the Hanoverian gelding fell after an open ditch on the cross-country.
Choclat was unharmed in the fall but Michael was taken to hospital, where it was found he had broken his humerus and “broken a piece out of the socket of his shoulder joint”.
Both are clean breaks and Michael will not need surgery, but he said: “Now it’s patience and waiting… which unfortunately doesn’t count as one of my strengths.”
Michael said the day had started well as his six-year-old Holsteiner gelding Wild Wave had jumped a “great round” across country within the time.
“He gave me a great feeling and was super in shape until the end,” he added.
“Also Choclat started super, but then it happened.”
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Michael said Choclat did not judge the ditch, which was in front of a hedge, correctly, and “we went down”.
“Unfortunately, Wild Wave no longer has the chance to finish, but he will show next year what he can do, the same as Choclat,” he added.
Choclat has already won three international events: a CIC1* in Strzegom last October, a CIC2* in Jardy this July and another CIC1* at Strzegom in August.
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In this week’s edition (25 October), read the full report from the championships at Le Lion d’Angers, along with much more.
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
