Story by Christopher Hector & Photos by Roslyn Neave
It was our chance to get a showjumping team to the Olympic Games in Rio next year. Riders from Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Thailand all assembled at Hof Kasselmann in Hagen at the Teutoburg Forest to fight for the right to go to Rio. 29 riders from 12 nations of Group G.
There was in truth, only one country that we were up against – Japan. The Japanese have a long history of involvement in showjumping. Takeichi Nishi riding Uranus won individual gold at the 1932 Games – and the current squad has the not inconsiderable advantage of being based with Paul Schockemöhle.
In the end, this was literally the case, with only those two teams finishing with a team score.
Australia’s showjumping stocks took a tumble with the news that James Paterson-Robinson had left his home of seven years, the stables of Ger Poels, who was also the father of James’ former partner. I reflect once again how precariously dependent Australian showjumping success is on the domestic arrangements of our riders… Right now James was enjoying a little break, helping the Aussies at Hagen before looking for a new stable.
Our host, Ulli Kasselmann assures Roslyn that the rain will go away for the event… and she believes him! Now Madam I think we have the perfect horse for you just over here…
The qualifier begins and it is kinda scary watching mega-talented, mega-prepared horses with novice riders perched on top of them. They jump straight out from under the rider, leaving them in upright nineteenth century hunting position over the top of a 1.50 fence. Scary. Nice to watch. No.
Still it is nice to see the first Japanese rider out, Toshiki Masui riding Taloubetdarco (and now you know its breeding too) deck three rails.
Edwina and Lintea Tequila
Nicer still to see Edwina Tops-Alexander go clear on Lintea Tequila (by the Contender son, Campbell out of a Corrado II mare). The bay Holsteiner mare is very much the modern type, with the prettiest head. It has been a bit embarrassing in the week before the Regional Trial, with the EA website gushing as if the pair had won the Grand Prix at Valkenswaard, instead of a supporting 1.55 class. The mare was successfully campaigned by Lincinio Grossi in 2012 and 12013, and since Edwina has had the rider, she has won the Grand Prix of Doha, and collected a string of top level placings.
The next Japanese rider, Daisuke Fukushima rides the most handsome son of Cornet Obolensky, Cornet (out of an Ars Vivendi mare), they have the last rail of the treble down. YES.
As we wait for Scott Keach to begin his ride on Fedor (Kashmir van Schuttershof / Orkaan) the ominous storm cloud that has been hovering on the hill is moving closer. The rain is starting to tumble, as Fedor tumbles the Butterfly vertical and then it starts to pour, Scott leaves all the rest standing, although the Butterfly fence self destructs with the force of the storm. The crowd flees to the back of the stand, and the action comes to a halt.
Jumping in the rain – Scott and Fedor
Rain clears, and Mr Kasselmann’s personally designed surface, now on the market, is perfect. Japan’s Tadahiro Hayashi has one down and one time on Concept (Untouchable / Impuls) and we are looking fairly flash – especially when Julia Hargreaves has just the first rail of the treble down on Vedor (Indoctro / Fedor).
Taizo Sugitani goes clear on Avenzio (Animo / Erdball xx) while Jamie Kermond has the last down with Quite Cassini (Cassini I / Quidam de Revel). Australia leads by just one time fault.
Individual qualifiers, Isheau Wong and Zadarijke V
In the middle of some seriously unpleasant (non) riding, Isheau Wong from Chinese Taipei, has a lovely clear on the dressage bred, Zadarijke V (San Remo / Havidoff). After the team qualifiers are decided, Isheau rides off against Kiwi, Samantha McIntosh on Estina (Heartbreaker / Libero H). Samantha fights her mare every stride of the way, while Isheau lets her mare travel sweetly. Not surprisingly, Isheau is faster and wins the individual place at Rio.
In the second round, the first Japanese rider goes clear, while Edwina has a rail. The second Japanese rider goes clear, Scott has two rails. The third Japanese rider goes clear as does Julia Hargreaves, who has a wonderful ride on Vedor.
Clear for Julia and Vedor
Since the Japanese have won the contest the last Japanese combination does not jump and neither does Jamie and Quite Cassini. Mission accomplished, sort of. By coming second we won Rio but lost a place in next year’s Nations Cups – and really the lack of competition opportunities for our riders is becoming more and more a problem, as the ‘sport’ is more and more confined to a small privileged elite who jump for fabulous money in privately run shows…
One down for Kermo and Quite Cassini
Consider the promo for the Glock extravaganza to be held the weekend after the regional qualifier. For a mere €300 entry you can enjoy:
Gourmet entertainment by and with Alfons Schuhbeck; Top-class international show acts; Styling Lounge with star stylist Eren Bektas and his team; Kids Lounge with creative supervision; Cinema Lounge for little cinema fans; Wellness Lounge (manicure, pedicure, massage);Dog Wellness – the very finest dog massage with Manfred Kellenc. Oh yeah, and there’s some jumping too, with €600,000 up for the select little group that gets a start.
Showjumping is changing, rapidly, unfortunately.
Talking with Julia Hargreaves
Good news for Australia was to see Julia walking the course with Alois Pollmann-Schueckhorst. Alois is one of Germany’s most respected riders and trainers, having competed in five World Cup finals. Interestingly one of his stars was the stallion, Power Light, dam sire of one of the stars of the Euros, Flora de Mariposa, while he also starred with another stallion, Chacco-Blue who sired the largest group of progeny at the Champs.
“I’ve been with Alois for almost a year now, and he has made a huge difference to everything. My horses are so happy with him and he has changed my riding a lot in a nice way. He has given me a lot of confidence, which is quite similar to how George Sanna was with me in Oz. George was the same, he got the best out of me because he kept me really confident. Alois is much the same, he simplifies it a lot, he doesn’t make it complicated. All the work we do with the horses is just nice, forward, and the horses are all happy, they respond so well.”
He is into a classical style of riding…
“Yes, we are extremely lucky to have him.
It was almost there in the first round…
“Yeah, I came a little direct to the treble and didn’t give him enough time at the oxer, it fell late, he only just touched it, bit unlucky, but I could have ridden it better.”
The second round, everything came up perfectly?
“The second round he was super, from start to finish, warmup everything. In the first round, we had a bit of stress in the warmup at our last oxer, and that probably caused a little bit of tension, but in the second round he was perfect.”
What is the program now?
“We have the Nations Cup final in Barcelona in about a month. So Vedor does that, then we go to Portugal for a few weeks, might do a couple of indoor shows, then in December we will head home for four to six weeks.”
How many horses have you and Georgie (Harvey) got in work?
“Between Georgie and I, we’ve got twelve. It’s grown in the last couple of months. We are getting more and more busy, but there is not one in the stable that we don’t really want, they are all super nice horses.”
Julia and Georgie
You are still enjoying the buzz of the European circuit?
“I am, obviously, it would be lovely to be able to do it from home but with the sport changing rapidly and getting more difficult and going to higher levels, it’s so hard to keep up with it. I find for myself as a rider, I have to be here. I’m not naturally gifted, so I can’t just wing it, I have to be in the circuit constantly.”
Is there another Vedor in the wings?
“I’ve got three I think. Blinky Bill is probably my stand out at the moment because he has been going really well. He’s an eight year old stallion by Berlin out of a Heartbreaker mare. He’s really well bred, he’s been excellent…”
Was he called Blinky Bill when you bought him?
“No we changed it, it was some weird name and we didn’t like it. We got him as a five year old. Then there’s Copabella Vegas, who is still definitely in the mix, he’s nine now, and Que Cera, a nine year old by Quinar, he jumped as a second horse in the five star shows last year, and a little bit this year. He’s a fighter, like all three of them are quite different, but any of them could be my top horse, they are all exceptional horses.”
Rio is now an attainable goal?
“I think so, it is really good that we got the job done here because it gives a lot of motivation for next year. When you are so far away from home, to be here you want something to fight for, otherwise you just want to go home…!”
This article first appeared in the October 2015 issue of THM.