Luhmühlen: tight at the top

After a hot day of five-star dressage at Luhmühlen, three New Zealand combinations are in the top 10. IMAGES: LIBBY LAW

The scores almost couldn’t be closer in the Longines CCI5* at Luhmühlen, with less than two penalties separating the top five, and 0.2 between the top three.

Tim Price and Ascona M

Tim Price holds second and third spots, scoring 29.1 penalties on the defending champ Ascona M, and 29.2 on his former Burghley winner, Ringwood Sky Boy.

“Ascona’s always on the edge of being extremely pissed off that I’m asking her all these questions, but she held it together and stayed with me, so we were able to have a nice, flowing test,” says Tim with a laugh about his ‘extremely talented — and just extreme’ mare.

“And Ringwood Sky Boy is just an old saint – even if he’s feeling particularly energetic or distracted, he knows to try hard and to focus. I can’t ask for more from him; he doesn’t like to stand still, but he tried and didn’t do too badly, and the rest was really good. I’m really pleased with him.”

Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy

Jonelle is also competing on a previous winner, Faerie Dianimo; though her score of 32.5 was only just enough to make the top 10 today, with the mare’s speed and reliability both across the country and over the coloured poles, she’s sure to make a big march up the leaderboard by the close of play Sunday.

Jonelle Price and Faerie Dianimo

The other Kiwi in the five-star field is Samantha Lissington, who was one of a few to take advantage of a last minute decision by the German government to allow British-based riders to make the trip without having to quarantine.

She and Ricker Ridge Rui put a solid 34.9 on the board for 13th place overnight.

Sam Lissington and Ricker Ridge Rui
Can the Prices capture another Luhmühlen crown? Here is hoping!
The Kiwi contingent course walk; Tim, Jonelle and Sam with eventing HP manager Graeme Thom

The field this year started out with a staggering 70 entries, including more than 40 of Great Britain’s most well-performing combinations, but when the Delta variant of Covid-19 began spreading in England, several European countries including Germany, brought in a hardline ban on travel from the UK.

Riders could, however, get into Germany with a lot of paperwork and by agreeing to quarantine for 10 days in another country.

So mass withdrawals took place – Tim and Jonelle the among the few that managed a workaround, by travelling via ferry from Ireland.

Just a handful of British riders remain in the competition – none of the big names – and somewhat surprised to find herself in the lead after dressage is 23-year-old Mollie Summerland, riding her 10-year-old self-produced Charly van der Heiden in just his second five-star, for a score of 29.

Mollie Summerland and Charly van der Heiden

Though the horse is beautiful on the flat, and Mollie trains with none other than Carl Hester, she says she was actually a little disappointed with her test, as she knew she’d fluffed one of the flying changes.

“It’s not ideal, as crazy as that sounds, to be in the lead, because it’s a hell of a lot of pressure to deal with tomorrow to go out in that position. But I’m just going to try to enjoy the moment and then forget about it,” she says. 

“He’s young and I’m very inexperienced myself, so I’m going to try not to let it go to my head too much. I know there’s very experienced horses and riders close behind me… I don’t expect to be in this position tomorrow and certainly not Sunday, but it’s nice to take the lead now.”

In fourth place — and best of the home side — is Michael Jung, who posted a 30.1 with nine-year-old five-star debutant fischerWild Wave. He’s followed by France’s Maxime Livio, whose own five-star first-timer Vegas des Boursons scored 30.9.

Michael Jung and fischerWildWave

Michael Jung and his top horse, fischerChipmunk FRH, are at the top of the leaderboard in the CCI4*-S class, which is the German National Championship, with a whopping score of 78.65% for 21.4 penalties.

Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH

Two of his likely Tokyo teamates, Sandra Auffath with Let’s Dance 73, and Julia Krajewski and Amande de b’Neville, are second and third.

Julia Krajewski and Amande de b’Neville

Tim is sitting a handy fourth with Vitali, a beautifully-bred Holsteiner by Contender out of a Heraldik mare, who is owned in partnership with Alex and Joseph Giannamore.

Tim and the lovely Vitali

In the big class of 66 entries, Jonelle is in 19th place on McClaren, the horse Sir Mark Todd rode at the last World Games; the pair scored 31.6 penalties. 

Jonelle getting to grips with McClaren

Sam Lissington is not far behind her, with a score of 32.4 for 23rd place on Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ, and Tim is 26th on Senza Fine.

Sam and Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ
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