Christopher Hector reports
Photos by… er well actually the person who said they would take the pix for me has disappeared. So what do I do? Decided to put up the words with a file photo, never done that before and it hurts…
I’ll never forget the first year eventing came to Aachen, and an elegant German couple took their seats in the hallowed dressage arena, and did a double if not triple take as a skinny Thoroughbred looking creature started performing some novicey moves in the 60 / 20. Mein Gott – What is that…
It is true that eventing dressage is something of an acquired taste and we had the full spectrum, from the mind numbing boredom of total mediocrity to tests that shone and reflected horsemanship of a very superior level.
On the subject of mediocrity, mention must be made of the judging. We had three judges with four ‘winners’. The eventual winner, Ingrid Klimke’s Hale Bob was first with Australian judge, Peter Shaw, second with German judge, Martin Plewa and third with Denmark’s Anne-Mette Binder. Second placed Michael Jung with fischerChipmunk FRH, was first with Martin, second with Anne-Mette and seventh with Peter. Third place Laura Collett on London was first with Anne-Mette, third with Martin, and fifth with Peter, while Holland’s Tim Lips on Bayo was sixth with Anne-Mette, seventh with Martin, and first with Peter who was having a bit of a two-way wager.
What about Australia’s front-liner, Christopher Burton? Was he fourth? (Plewa), ninth? (Shaw) or eighteenth? (Binder). Go look at the score card, they are all over the shop…
For we Australians the day started early, first rider in Isabell English and Feldale Mouse. The little grey will never be a great mover but Bella was accurate and focused and came home with a 34.4 and after riders from New Zealand (Dan Jocelyn), France (Alexis Goury) and Great Britain (Imogen Murray) had strutted their stuff, Bella was still in the lead.
Then along came Michael Jung on his team ride, Star Connection. Suddenly the judges had to find where the 7 button was. Michael rides so completely in the moment, it was not one of his finest displays, I don’t think the judges found the eight yet, but solid. 26.9 to finish 11th. Ninth with Plewa, fifteenth with Binder.
Christopher Burton really knows how to make an entry, and the black gelding, Polystar oozes charisma. There’s an 8 and an 8.2 for a super medium trot. It’s the first time you are reaching for the adjective ‘beautiful’. They finish on 26.5 and seventh spot.
I loved the test from the American combination of Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z. An 8.2 for a great extended trot, 8 for the extended walk, but the flying changes let them down. Still it was such an attractive picture, Martin had it 5th, while Peter had them 16th. Go figure. They finished the day on 26.5 in eighth.
Laura Collett had a test that was all class with London, such a lovely flow, there’s even an 8.5 for the extended trot! Just super and as mentioned earlier they come home third with the usual oddities in ranking.
Kevin McNabb was also doing the Aussie flag proud with his ride on Willunga, lovely shoulder in, half pass and super medium trot – stylish, professional to finish in equal 11th with Michael Jung and Star Connection. But was he 5th? (Shaw), 13th? (Plewa) or 23rd? (Binder).
Tim Lips’ Bayo is an expansive mover and it was a fine calculated ride, although they lost marks in the walk. He will go into the jumping tonight in fourth place.
The word is that the transfer of fischerChipmunk FRH from Julia Krajewski’s stable to Michael Jung’s, took a cool €800,000 (some of which went to Julia) to ease the pain. The horse is bred for the job, he is by the current WBFSH number one eventing stallion, Contendro, out of a mare by former, many times, number one, Heraldik xx. The horse has really hit it off with magical Michi and comes to Aachen already a winner with him. The test is simply beautiful, all of it, I can relate to Martin Plewa’s sub-20 score of 17.9, the other two were on 21. They take the lead for now, but Ingrid is to come…
Christopher Burton’s test on Quality Purdey lacks the usual Burto spark, the finish in 14th on 27.
Andrew Hoy and Vassily de Lasso never quite get it together and they will finish the day in 18th on 28.3.
Tim Price and Wesko are another class act, the horse so relaxed, the rider so cool, they finish fifth on 23.8.
Ingrid and Bobby can they pull it off? Of course they can, this is not one of the scopiest creatures in the equine world, but the rider is a genius at taking everything that is on offer, and serving it at the right spot, at the right time. They take the lead on 20.6 and this has been a great first course in what will be a feast of eventing…
