Chris Hector talks to Frank Rothenberger, Course Designer, about Aachen, and the state of showjumping

Stefano Grasso/CHI Al Shaqab

Does it ever worry you that the sport has become so much about so much money?

“It’s nice if money is involved in the sport, it means we get good facilities, good conditions, super footings, the surfaces are very good. We have nice jumps and we can educate young course designers and that helps a lot.

“We course designers try to build nice flowing courses, they must be challenging of course, but it is always very easy to over-do it at this level. Sometimes it is a little bit too tough, sometimes a little bit too small, fifteen, sixteen clear rounds, if it is too tough, just one or two, it becomes very difficult to build just at the right level. It was much easier twenty five years ago – then you had 40 riders, ten or twelve could win the class, now out of 50, 30 can win the class. The education is very good and the level is very high.”

Is there any course, any competition that really stands out in your memory?

“At the 2006 WEG with the final 25 at Aachen, that was one of my best courses I think I ever built. We had 25 riders, and except for one, they all had jumps down for a top result, for me that was one of my best courses. We had the wall, we had open water, with a dry ditch, with a liverpool, a narrow gate, a bush oxer, we had a white oxer, a triple bar, we had a plank on top, we had all kinds of different jumps that I built for this class. That was to me, one of the nicest courses.”

Here is a selection of fences from the 2006, and some of the great horse and rider combinations who competed at the 2006 Aachen, WEG.

The main arena in 2006

Beezie Madden for the USA and Authentic (Guidam/TB/ Lucky Boy) show how close the crowd is at times.

First de Launay for France though a maze of Warsteiner planks at the treble

Gerco Schröder and the stallion, Berlin (Cassini/Caretino)

Cumano and Jos Lansink, the combination who ‘got it right’ for Frank in the last 25 round. Cumano was also by Cassini, out of a Landgraf mare.

Jeroen Dubbeldam and Up and Down, by Ohio van de Padenborre by Quidam de Revel/Chin Chin

L’Espoir and Ludger Beerbaum. L’Espoir was also by a Landgraf son, and Wendekreis/Alme on the dam side

Parco and Ludo Philippaerts. Parco ( Darco/Attack Z/Alme)

Parco over the water

Sapphire and McLain Ward for the US over an optical

Meredith Michaels Beerbaum and Shutterfly (Silvio/Forrest xx), who caused enormous trouble in the final three-way horse change over for the various Chef d’Equipes as he was virtually unable to be saddled or mounted in the open.

Australia’s Chef, Stephen Lamb, had to launch Edwina Alexander into the air and guess, correctly, where the horse was going to be next…

Medal winners, Jos Lansink and Cumamo