WEG eventing: there’s still all to play for

New Zealand is sitting in sixth place in the all-important teams table after the first phase of eventing at the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon. Can we head off the Germans, the Brits and the Americans, who hold the top three spots? Germany has certainly got off to a solid start, and posted some impressive scores in the arena today.

Germany is on 73.4pen, which is the lowest team score ever posted after dressage at WEG, with Great Britain doing a great job for 80.8. USA is on 83 with France narrowly behind them on 83.8. Australia is on 85 with New Zealand on 86.9, a mere 13.5pen behind the leaders.

Germany also hold the top two spots in the individual results. Nobody was able to match Julia Krajewski on Chipmunk FRH’s score of 19.9 on the first day. The next best is her team mate Ingrid Klimke and SAP Hale Bob OLD, who did a super test for a score of 23.3. We picked Great Britain’s Ros Canter as one to watch, and she certainly was, scoring 24.6 on Allstar B to be in third place.

Dan Jocelyn was our first rider out of the day, and he did a test which was a personal best for his horse Grovine de Reve. His score of 32.8 leaves them in 51st place, but the field is so tight that it is only 12.9pen between him and the leader.

Sir Mark Todd is 39th on 31.4, but still within reach of the leaders on his small McClaren. Jonelle Price is in 30th on 30pen after her test this afternoon.

Blyth Tait is in 28th on 29.7. Tim Price is the best-placed Kiwi in 9th equal place on 27.2m; he rode at a very hot part of the day but didn’t let that stop him putting in a great performance.

The top three riders attended a press conference where it was announced that the German team score had set a new a World Equestrian Games record.

As to whether Julia thought her horse was capable of such a brilliant test, she confirmed that he has previously done “19 point something” twice before. “I felt quite a bit of pressure to produce it again. People joked about it, saying ‘do a 19 again.’ I can’t just push a button and there is the 19. It is about having him right on the exact day.”

She knew he was feeling good, as he was relaxed. “I could really ride for all points. He was calm and collected like a real pro, even though he is only 10 years old.”

She said the beginning of the test felt really good, and she was hoping that it would continue that way. “You never know how the judges see it and when I finished the audience went really crazy, so I thought then it might be some really good points. I was very very happy to see the 19 there on the scoreboard.”

Ingrid Klimke always praises her horses effusively, and SAP Hale Bob delighted her today. “He was so relaxed and so smooth and I could really ride in the way I wanted. He came in and right away could start, so I was thinking, ‘Why don’t they ring the bell now?’ But as soon as he entered the ring, it was as if he knows his programme and he listened and waited. There was nothing he could do better and I was very pleased with him.”

World number-three Ros Canter has had a really consistent season, including finishing third at Badminton. She says her horse, Allstar B, has been consistent throughout his career. “He has an amazing temperament. If anything he is lazy, so it is all about winding him up and hoping he wants to go forward on the day. He never pre-empts the movements; he always waits to be told what to do which makes my life real easy, so the pressure is on me so that I ride it and tell him exactly what to do, and when to do it.”

And on to the cross-country course: the riders were asked which fence they thought would give the most trouble.

Julia: “Probably the second water, as we have five options and it goes from A to G which I have never seen before. There are quite a few possibilities and you have to know what you have to do if something happens, and just be prepared.”

“Also fence 9A & B, with the wall  and then the skinny down the hill. Another tough question is the corners, at 14, there are quite a few fences where you have to have your line right and be very concentrated. There are many fences with several options. We hopefully have done the best job to find the way for each horse in the team so everyone has the chance to do their best tomorrow.”

Ingrid: “I also think fence number 9 when it goes downhill to the narrow fence, we will have to see how the ground is, and if everything stays well and you have your line it is easy but there are some possibilities for a run-out so the rider has to be very focused. They are lovely fences and a wonderful course and I am happy it has the hill at the end, and so it is a true course and that is why we are here.”

Ros: “The spread curving to the squirrels (fence 18) – the land is tricky there, it just drops right away from you and there is no real straight line to part B . It is getting on towards the end of the course where you have to have a lot of control, and make sure you have your steering in place.”

So, tomorrow will be a very influential day, and there is a lot of uncertainty about the weather and when Florence, the storm, will arrive. Most predictions seem to be that there is a chance there will be rain in the afternoon, so let’s hope it isn’t one of those downpours we have already experienced!

Tonight the skies look amazing, and fingers crossed the weather holds so we can get this cross-country done! Go Kiwis. And come home safe everyone, please.

Team scores:

1	GERMANY	73,40
2	GREAT BRITAIN	80,80
3	UNITED STATES OF AMERICA	83,00
4	FRANCE	83,80
5	AUSTRALIA	85,00
6	NEW ZEALAND	86,90
7	IRELAND	87,50
8	NETHERLANDS	88,80
9	ITALY	91,70
10	JAPAN	92,40
11	BELGIUM	96,00
12	SWEDEN	96,80
13	CANADA	98,10
14	SWITZERLAND	100,50
15	BRAZIL	103,70
16	SPAIN	104,70

Top 30 Individual scores:

1	Julia KRAJEWSKI	Chipmunk FRH	19,90
2	Ingrid KLIMKE	SAP Hale Bob OLD	23,30
3	Rosalind CANTER	Allstar B	24,60
4	Thibaut VALLETTE LT COL	Qing du Briot ENE HN	25,60
5	Sara ALGOTSSON OSTHOLT	Wega	25,90
6	Sarah ENNIS	Horseware Stellor Rebound	26,30
7	Emma MCNAB	Fernhill Tabasco	27,00
8	Boyd MARTIN	Tsetserleg	27,10
9	Astier NICOLAS	Vinci de la Vigne	27,20
10	Padraig MCCARTHY	Mr Chunky	27,20
11	Tim PRICE	Cekatinka	27,20
12	Phillip DUTTON	Z	27,60
13	Karin DONCKERS	Fletcha van’t Verahof	27,60
14	Raf KOOREMANS	Henri Z	27,70
15	Piggy FRENCH	Quarrycrest Echo	27,80
16	Yoshiaki OIWA	Calle 44	28,20
17	Lynn SYMANSKY	Donner	28,30
18	Stefano BRECCIAROLI	Byrnesgrove First Diamond	28,40
19	Tom MCEWEN	Toledo de Kerser	28,40
20	Christopher BURTON	Cooley Lands	28,60
20	Felix VOGG	Colero	28,60
22	Sidney DUFRESNE	Tresor Mail	28,90
23	Kristina COOK	Billy the Red	29,10
24	Donatien SCHAULY ADJ	Pivoine des Touches	29,30
25	Shane ROSE	Virgil	29,40
25	Marcio CARVALHO JORGE	Coronel MCJ	29,40
27	Renske KROEZE	Jane Z	29,50
28	Blyth TAIT	Dassett Courage	29,70
29	Andrew HOY	Vassily de Lassos	29,80
30	Jonelle PRICE	Classic Moet	30,00

This is what a 19.9 test sheet looks like: