The atmosphere became electric as Australian Boyd Exell defiantly launched his campaign to win a record sixth FEI Driving World Championship.  The buoyant crowd had waited all day to see a sub-40 score appear on the massive digital boards flanking the Dressage arena.  Their patience was rewarded as moments after Boyd’s masterful black Warmbloods exited, the score of 34.13 was met with cheers.  From the second they hit the centre line, the horses showed power and panache, and proceeded to flow through the movements in a class of their own.  

“I love Driving, the score is only the icing on the cake. My right leader is Checkmate and today he was the showpiece.  He was a wheeler in Normandy and Tryon and now he’s a leader. He’s always been a really special horse. Celviro is my left leader, he’s the solid one and every time he delivers. I have a new wheeler called Hero and he did well - he’s a marathon specialist. 

I have a nice lead but it’s a three-day competition and a lot can go wrong. We had problems in Aachen in the cross-country and a five-point lead is not enough so it’s not over until Sunday afternoon" Boyd Exell explained.

In what was quickly turning into a fairy tale finale for fans, opened so imperiously by Boyd, next in was his greatest rival, the legendary Ijsbrand Chardon (NED), a four-time FEI Driving World Champion.  Never one cowed by what has gone before, Ijsbrand harnessed all his experience and verve to produce a rewarding 42.98, not only putting himself into medal contention in 5th place individually, but ensuring that The Netherlands have every chance of winning a record 10th world gold medal.  

Continuing the climactic parade of champions, next in was 2004 gold medallist, the flamboyant Zoltán Lázár (HUN), making a welcome return to top tier competition.  Not missing a beat, he steered his handsome horses into contention, his 44.85 putting him in 6th place.  

“I’m still recovering after a knee operation, so this is only the third event I’ve done this year. My team of horses is great, and I love them! One of them made a little mistake today but I think we can do better later in the event. The horse that made a mistake didn’t like the atmosphere and needs some time to get used to it. In the team I have two Dutch horses, one German-bred and one I bred on my own Lázár Farm near Budapest. I breed jumping horses, and this is the only one I have bred for carriage driving." Zoltán Lázár said.

As the late afternoon sun bathed all it touched in a golden hue, especially Driving’s leading lady Mareike Harm’s rippling bay horses, she maintained her consistency in this opening phase by also going below 40 and moving herself into 2nd place overnight with 38.85.  Her fantastic mark also pushed the national team into first place, which added to Michael Brauchle’s morning score of 49.18, giving them a total of 88.03.  

“I’m really happy! I had a little bit of pressure because I had to do the Dressage score for the team and we made it. It’s totally different than when you are driving just for yourself, a lot more pressure. 

It’s a mixed team of horses, Dutch Warmblood, Oldenburger, Westphalian. They are aged between 11 and 16. I started riding, my mum also rode and had problems with her back, so she started driving and one day I took the reins and started driving pony singles and in 2010 I was here for the World Singles Championship and won the gold medal with the German team - so this is a good place for me. After that I had four single horses and we put them together in a team and in beginning everybody said you can’t do that as a woman, it’s too strong and too hard in the Marathon. And the Marathon is hard because the men are stronger for sure. But I can do a good Dressage and good Cones and try to lose not too many points in the Marathon.” Mareike Harm explained.

The Germans are only a slither ahead of the Dutch by 1.2, who were not only pre-event favourites for gold but are also aiming for a record-breaking 10th world title. Reigning European and FEI World Cup™ Champion, Bram Chardon (NED), posted a decent score of 46.25 in the opening session which may have been more than he had hoped for, but combined with his father’s mark to give 89.23, it’s enough to keep the team event tight at the top.

Potentially stalling the dominance of the European national teams, Boyd’s score plus Tor Van Den Berge’s earlier 57.37 has put Australia overnight into 3rd, comfortably in front of Belgium on 102.75, but only just ahead of Hungary on 103.29 and France on 103.61.  These positions will chop and change during the Marathon on Saturday and the battle to take a podium place promises to be enthralling. 

On a day when the drivers were having to really earn their marks from the five international judges, it seemed that Chester Weber’s (USA) 41.52 from day one, which initially had felt below expectations, grew in strength as the time progressed.  Having done enough to go into the Marathon in 3rd, he has given himself a fighting chance of once again being in the medals individually. Tucked in 4th place behind Chester remains Anna Sandmann (GER), who impressed so much with 42.52 on day one, a remarkable opening gambit at what is her first Four-in-Hand World Championship.

With 37 drivers preparing to tackle Josef Middendorf’s (GER) eight new obstacles on the Marathon, it’s all to play for in Pratoni!  

For more information on the FEI World Championships 2022 in Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA), go to: https://pratoni2022.it/en 

FULL RESULTS

Having watched the early drivers navigate their tests on the first of two days of Dressage at Pratoni, Chester Weber (USA), who anchored his team to win gold as well as securing individual silver at the FEI World Equestrian Games ^TM in Tryon four years ago, entered the glorious grass arena during the mid-afternoon slot with intent. Clocking the day’s lowest score of 41.52 to top the leader board, he set out his stall to be in the medals at a World Championship.

With his team of well-matched and lithe bay KWPN geldings, he satisfied the five judges with a smooth and correct test.  Despite that, he didn’t end with the sort of score that pleases him. 

“I’m not happy, as only the first half of the test was really on point….I live in Ocala, Florida which is a beautiful area for driving horses and we can show at different venues in the area all winter, so it’s a good place to train. My horses are all Dutch Warmbloods and two of them were in my Tryon team, the left leader and right leader. Typically, I’m trying to score in mid 30s but that’s the score now and everyone else has to beat it.” Chester Weber said.

A performance that impressed from start to finish came from Anna Sandmann, making her horse fours debut for a strong German squad as an individual.  More accustomed to competing at international level with a horse pair, having won individual bronze and team silver at last year’s Pairs World Championship in Kronenberg (NED), she ended only one point behind Chester on 42.52.  From one of Germany’s leading driving families, she and her fine quality horses produced an even test which showed plenty of flair through the 22 movements.  Aged 27, she is the youngest competitor alongside Belgium’s Dries Degrieck, and she firmly laid down her gauntlet as one to watch for the future in the horse fours.

“This is my first FEI World Championship with the team so I’m really happy with the score. This was the best test I’ve ever done with my horses; the extended trot and the rein back were really good. I’ve had this team two years now, they all have a lot of movement and I think that makes them special. The family is here, my father took the horses just now and my mother (Karin Sandmann) is a groom on the carriage. I’ve been training with Boyd Exell since 2016, I’m based in Lehden near the Dutch border. I drive also in Pairs competitions, and I have competed in five World Championships for Pairs, but this is my first Four-in-Hand Championship and it’s very exciting!” Anna Sandmann explained.

Anna’s German compatriot, the vastly experienced Georg Von Stein, who reopened proceedings after lunch, put his national team on track for a near certain medal finish as he was the first of the day to break the 50 mark, ending on 49.44 and opening the challenge to the dominance of the Dutch team. Going into day two lying third, Georg is a German national champion and regular member of the team since 2010.

“In the beginning we had a bit of a mistake with the left leader. I think he had flies on his head, and he went too fast, so I stopped a little bit. After that he was good, and my team was perfect and nice and easy to drive. It’s a young team; three horses are seven-year-olds and the other two have been together for two years at this big level. My best discipline is normally the Marathon. The course here is fast and technical but it’s similar to my home terrain near Frankfurt so we will see.” Georg Von Stein said.

The first starry name to enter the arena during the morning session was Koos de Ronde with his athletic team of KWPN geldings.  Although ranked number two going into the competition, he has had a season of ups and downs and surely hoped for a lower score than 54.24, which placed him in sixth.  However, Koos can always be counted on to lead the charge during the Marathon and no doubt he will be climbing up the places on Saturday.  Another of the big names who won’t have ended where he hoped is Hungary’s József Dobrovitz. Closing the morning programme, his leaders were unsettled and did not produce a balanced test, which resulted in a score of 63.63.

One of the happiest drivers of the day was the sole representative of a traditional stronghold in the sport, Sweden’s Fredrik Persson, who finished fourth on 49.98.

“This is a completely new team and three of my five horses here are at their first international show! I bought them two years ago and stayed home training them. Three of them are American-Dutch harness horses.  Today is a big relief; coming here was a very late decision but I’m so emotional now we are here. I had the goal to go under 50 and I got 49.98 so I’m delighted!” Fredrik Persson explained.

Showcasing the variety of horse breeds that can be harmoniously driven together, day one set the tone for what is already an exciting championship.  It remains to be seen where the judges scale their marks tomorrow as day two promises to be even more captivating with reigning World Champion Boyd Exell (AUS) launching his bid for a record sixth world title.  But amongst those determined to break the cycle will be the Dutch supremos, father and son Ijsbrand and Bram Chardon, who know all about what it takes to win championships.

It’s all to play for in Pratoni!

FULL RESULTS

As the sun broke through the early morning mist hanging over the Rocca di Papa parkland, horses quietly made their way down the hill from the stabling area in single file.  Ready to be presented for the first inspection, each one in a bridle being led by their drivers and handlers, their coats gleamed with good health. All the anticipation of an exhilarating FEI World Championship became a reality.

It was a slick operation as the squads came forward in their nations, and the 37 athletes presented their five match-fit horses to a Ground Jury member and vet.  A total of 185 horses had to be inspected and passed as fit to compete.  With two sand lanes in operation, lined with flowers, those watching as the horses stood then trotted up and down could appreciate the range of breeds and types which will compete in the three disciplines over the next four days.

The process for the vet and judge to make the assessment was a quick and efficient one, and the decision was relayed back to the announcer.   With the drivers smartly dressed and the horses plaited and preened, they created a piece of theatre, a fitting prelude for the days ahead.

Only one of the Dutch squad horses didn’t pass with flying colours, so it was put into the holding area for a few moments before the decision was taken that it will be presented again tomorrow.

After the morning’s inspections, by lunchtime the national team members were confirmed as well as the running order for the two days of dressage on Thursday & Friday.  With six definite entries each, Germany, The Netherlands and Hungary had to confirm their team and individual selections, as did France who came with a squad of four.  A team can have two or three members, so Australia was already poised with two athletes - reigning World Champion Boyd Exell and his compatriot Tor Ven Den Berge, as were Belgium with three - Glen Geerts, Dries Degrieck and Tom Stokmans.

There were no surprises as the team selections were revealed.  For The Netherlands, there are Dutch superstars, father and son Ijsbrand and Bram Chardon, and Koos de Ronde, who between them have such depth of experience at world level they will be the team to beat.

Challenging them will be the German team of long-term competitor Georg von Stein, plus the on-form Mareike Harm and Michael Brauchle.  The Hungarian drivers are always in the mix, with their tremendous Driving heritage and former World Champion Zoltán Lázár is joined by the multi-medal winning father and son József Dobrovitz and József Dobrovitz Jr.  France have confirmed that May’s Test Event winner Anthony Horde will be joined by Sebastien Vincent and Benjamin Aillaud.

The Dressage starts at 10.00 am Thursday 22 September with Dirk Gerkens, driving for Germany as an individual.  FEI TV will be broadcasting all the action live so don’t miss a moment of this exciting event!

The competition schedule is:
Dressage on 22 & 23 September
Marathon on 24 September
Cones on 25 September

For more information on the FEI World Championships 2022 in Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA), go to: https://pratoni2022.it/en 

On the gripping final day of the FEI Eventing World Championship 2022 Team Germany reigned supreme while Great Britain’s Yasmin Ingham produced another stunning performance from her 11-year-old gelding Banzai du Loir to take the individual title ahead of Germany’s Julia Krajewski in silver and New Zealand’s Tim Price in bronze.

A total of 68 horse-and-rider combinations started out over Italian course designer Uliano Vezzani’s 13-fence jumping track, and it would have a significant influence when only 12 returned without penalties. It seemed that individual gold was destined to land with Germany’s Michael Jung for the second time in this phenomenal athlete’s career. But having led through the first two phases he had to settle for fifth in the final analysis when leaving the first element of the bogey double at fence 11 on the floor along with the final planks. 

His finishing score of 26.8 would still count towards the German winning total of 95.2 however when both reigning individual Olympic champion Julia Krajewski (Amande de B’Neville) and Christoph Wahler (Carjatan S) jumped clear, discarding the uncharacteristic 12 faults collected by 2014 world champion Sandra Auffarth (Viamant du Matz).

As the day began Team USA’s Tamra Smith (Mai Baum), Boyd Martin (Tsetserleg TSF), William Coleman (Off the Record) and Lauren Nicholson (Vermiculus) were already lying in silver medal spot after a great cross-country run yesterday while the dressage leaders from Great Britain were in bronze. 

But British luck didn’t hold, and although the swings of fortunes saw them temporarily moving upward this afternoon they were overtaken by New Zealand at the end of the day and had to settle for fourth. Kiwi husband-and-wife Tim and Jonelle Price (Falco and McClaren) both put on spectacular showjumping performances and Monica Spencer (Artist) made the incredibly long trip from the southern hemisphere well worthwhile when joining Clarke Johnstone (Menlo Park) on the third step of the podium.

There were seven qualifying spots for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games up for grabs and Germany, USA, New Zealand and Britain now have those booked along with Ireland, Sweden and Switzerland who filled the next three places.

Third team title

This is Germany’s third team title in the 15 editions of the FEI Eventing World Championship. They first won on home ground in Aachen in 2006 and did it again at Caen in Normandy, France in 2014 with Auffarth and Jung also on that side.

For Jung this was a day of mixed emotions. “To lose and win at the same time is a strange feeling to be honest! But I’m very happy, it was a great day, my horse jumped amazing, he was in super form, all of us were in good form and I just want to thank all our team behind us who help us come here and have a good performance all week and to win the gold medal with the whole team is amazing!”, he said. 

Auffarth said she found the closing stages really exciting. “It was cool for everyone to watch because it was so up and down for all the teams. I did not have the best round, I have a really good showjumper but today he was a bit not concentrated and impressed by the atmosphere so after that we were fighting, but we were very happy in the end that we made it!”, she pointed out.

Krajewski’s copybook clear with her lovely mare helped clinch it and it gave her enormous satisfaction. “She jumped her socks off! My goal was to finish on my dressage score and I did. I knew she could jump clear but you really had to get it together today because that was a tough course”, she said, knowing she also had individual silver in the bag. 

The Americans haven’t been on the world championship team podium since posting their second victory in the history of the event in 2002 so today’s success was very significant.

As Boyd Martin said, “for us to have five clear rounds in the cross-country yesterday was awesome. I’ve been on many of these championship teams and it was so close over and over again today so it’s a massive sigh of relief!”.

Two fences down proved costly for Tamra Smith who dropped from individual bronze to ninth place but she was still happy with her result and with the USA’s finishing spot. “We came here to do our best and we all knew potentially we could medal but we are pleasantly surprised. Looking at the results and we are less than 0.4 from third, and it just shows the quality of the field - I’m honoured to be here”, she said.

The last time the Kiwis won a world team medal was bronze in Kentucky in 2010, so today’s medal-placing was a big moment for them too. And for Tim Price to also clinch individual bronze was a very big moment. 

“This is not a position we’ve been used to in some time”, he said. “Andrew Nicholson came over and said you guys have waited long enough for that - well done! It’s amazing, we’ve had a great week, all very solid, and what a finish!” And he was very proud of his horse, Falco. “We’ve had faith in him from the start, he always been an out-and-out jumper but to get into Sunday and use that in the best way is just incredible. We worked so hard for this, we focused on it for years, this kind of major event with the team behind us and the nation behind us it means everything!”

Incredible achievement

Meanwhile individual gold medallist Yasmin Ingham reflected on her incredible achievement on her championship debut. “I’m so proud to win this for Great Britain but I’m also proud to do this for the Isle of Man!”, she said today. She was born and reared on the little island that lies between England and Ireland and which covers an area of just 572 square kilometres with a population of 85,000.

She enjoyed a hugely successful career at youth level and was crowned Sportswoman of the Year on the Isle of Man in 2013 after winning team and individual gold at the Pony European Championship in Arezzo, Italy and in 2018 she posted her first top-ten placing in a CCI4*L U25 at Bramham. She was awarded the Godman Cup that year for the most points gained by a British rider in eventing aged 21 and under. She won Blenheim last year and was second in Kentucky earlier this year with Banzai. She’s only 25 and the rider who is based with Sue Davies and Janette Chinn in Cheshire, England already has the world at her feet.

“It was amazing to be given the opportunity to compete here along with a British team who are seasoned pros so I’ve learned a lot. The support team have been fantastic and a huge thank you to them. Banzai is s the best horse I’ve ever sat on and I don’t think I’ll ever sit on a horse like him again. He is incredible in dressage, he has so much presence, he’s fast on the cross-country, he’s agile, he’s brave and then coming into the showjumping today he showed everyone that he was jumping a clear round and there was no two ways about it! I wouldn’t want to be sat on any other horse”, she said. 

Result here 

Website here 

With three superb cross-country clear rounds, Team Germany, lying in silver medal spot overnight, climbed into gold medal position ahead of tomorrow’s final jumping test at the FEI Eventing World Championship 2022 at Pratoni del Vivaro in Italy today. And their leading rider, Michael Jung, maintained his position at the top of the individual leaderboard with a thrilling performance from the 14-year-old gelding fischerChipmunk FRH.

The big crowd of 22,000 spectators were gripped with excitement as a total of 87 horse-and-rider partnerships tackled the challenging 30-fence track set by course designer Guiseppe della Chiesa, with 72 completing the course, 11 coming home inside the time, three retiring and 13 eliminated. 

The defending champions from Great Britain dropped from pole position after the dressage phase down to bronze, while Team USA moved up from third to silver medal position. However the margins are really tight with just 1.3 penalty points separating the Germans on a tally of 76.1 from the Americans on 77.4 when each team’s best three scores are counted. And on a running tally of 80.9 the British are just 3.5 points further adrift and just over a fence behind Germany when the action resumes tomorrow morning at 11.30 local time. The final day of showjumping promises to be a truly gripping affair.

Glance-off

The British began to lose their grip when second-line rider Laura Collett and her Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold-medal-winning ride London 52 had a glance-off at the last element of the KEP Italia Slide at fence seven to plummet from individual second to 48th place. The long, steep slope from the log at the top was followed by two narrow brush fences.

“He was too fresh and too well in himself, he jumped off the top very boldly and he thought he was doing the right thing because he locked onto the skinny from the top of the hill and took me down to it and over-jumped. I needed to anchor him for the three strides but he just ran out of room”, the disappointed rider explained.

Defending individual world champion, Ros Canter, had kicked off the British effort with a spectacular run with Lordships Graffalo who galloped through the finish well inside the time so British hopes had been high. “He is just a phenomenal cross-country horse, he’s only 10 years old and it feels like child’s play to him! He experiences hills like that all the time at home whether he’s hacking or cantering so I knew he’d be able to keep his speed or accelerate up the hills and I think that’s key”, she explained.

Pressure

Collett’s mistake however piled the pressure on her Tokyo 2020 team-mates Tom McEwen and Oliver Townend, and British hearts missed a beat when McEwen was initially given 15 penalties for missing a flag at the notorious fence seven Slide. As it turned out he was right when he said these would be removed on further investigation later in the day, but he still had to add the 4.8 time penalties he collected with the hard-pulling Toledo de Kersker and despite a wonderful clear from Townend and Ballaghmor Class the drop down the leaderboard was inevitable.

World number one athlete Townend said the cross-county course was “a very fair and cleverly designed test but I don’t think it particularly suits some of the older horses such as London, Ballaghmore Class, Toledo de Kerser who have been around big 5-Stars like Badminton and Burghley because this is definitely smaller dimensionally and you are up and down the hills and the terrain is tough. They want big open courses that they can attack”, he pointed out.

Cruised

Meanwhile Team Germany just cruised into the lead even though pathfinder Christoph Wahler, who also had the unenviable task of being first out on the course this morning, picked up 9.6 time penalties with Carjatan S and said he didn’t enjoy the experience. “On a course like Luhmuehlen he flies, on a course like this he has to dig really deep”, he said.  

In complete contrast the second man out, Ireland’s Sam Watson (SAP Talisman) said, “I really enjoyed that even though it was hard work. If it’s not hard work we all go clear in the time and then today doesn’t matter so much. This is high performance sport and I think you have to be a genius now to push us out of our comfort zone and make it horse friendly to jump around. The course designer for me has done his job. It’s a very safe track to jump but it’s a hard track to ride, congratulations Guiseppe!”, he added. 

Like many of the 16 competing nations Team Ireland’s target from the outset is to fight for the one of the seven team qualifying spots on offer for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and a gutsy effort from all four team members today rocketed them up from twelfth to a very competitive fifth place on a score of 105.0. 

New Zealand’s Tim and Jonelle Price (Falco and McLaren), Monica Spencer (Artist) and Clarke Johnstone (Menlo Park) lie ahead of them in fourth place on a competitive score of 88.3 while Switzerland lies sixth (109.4) and Japan is in seventh (111.9) after the first two phases. 

Into gear

Germany really got into gear when 2014 world champion Sandra Auffarth delivered a masterclass with the 13-year-old Viamant du Matz. “We had a perfect run, super from beginning to end!”, she said. “My last run was in Aachen and he felt great there and it was the same here, there was nothing I was worried about it felt cool!” 

Then reigning Olympic champion Julia Krajewski came home six seconds inside the time with Amande de B’Neville before Michael Jung put the icing on the cake with another of the extraordinary rides that have earned him the nickname “Super Michi” on his home turf.

“He was great yesterday in dressage and today he was like a machine!”, said the German superstar. “At the end he was so super galloping and felt like he could do it all again! I was staying on the brake most of the way, I tried to keep him relaxed, and it’s fantastic how quickly he can think, he’s a big horse with a big stride and at that 7abc fence he was so super that I could jump the two hedges with a little smile on my face!”

Meanwhile the Americans added just the 0.8 time faults picked up by Will Coleman and Off the Record to their scoreline to overtake the British. Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus collected 5.6 time faults but both Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg TSF and Tamra Smith and Mai Baum were clear and quick. And Smith goes into tomorrow’s final jumping phase with Mai Baum in individual bronze medal spot, only 0.8 behind British individual Yasmin Ingham who added just 1.2 time penalties to her scoreline with Banzai du Loir today. 

Magical unicorn

“I have an unbelievable magical unicorn in all three phases!”, Smith said. “He’s the horse of a lifetime and he’s made a lot of dreams come true. I will take care of him tonight, he felt great to the end, and I know his heart is as big as mine so he’ll give me everything he has tomorrow!”

In her very first championship Ingham can hardly believe she is stalking the mighty Michael Jung so closely going into the final day. “I could never have dreamed of being in this position!”, she said. “My horse deserves it so much, he’s just an incredible all-round horse and touch wood tomorrow he will show everyone that he really is the ultimate event horse!”

But Jung has his eyes set on his second world title and he’s so very hard to beat. He posted a record winning score in 2010 in Lexington, USA and if he stays on his tally of 18.8 tomorrow he’ll beat that. Can he do it?....”we will see” he said tonight with a wry little smile….

Results here https://www.longinestiming.com/equestrian/2022/fei-eventing-world-championship-pratoni-del-vivaro

Website here https://pratoni2022.it/en

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Dr. Thomas Bach expressed his appreciation for the FEI Eventing World Championships 2022 venue, during his visit to the iconic grounds in Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA) on Saturday. 

Accompanied by FEI President and IOC member Ingmar De Vos, FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez, Olympic gold medallist and Chair of the FEI Eventing Committee David O’Connor and President of the Italian Equestrian Federation Marco Di Paola, President Bach had the opportunity to tour the venue, take in the cross country competition and meet with some of the sport’s top athletes. 

“These are amazing facilities to see and it is a pleasure to experience a real Olympic legacy and sustainability success story,” Bach said. “I’m very impressed by the many measures the FEI has taken to safeguard the wellbeing and the health of the horses, and I am pleased with everything the International Federation is doing to ensure the future of the sport.”

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Dr. Thomas Bach, FEI President and IOC member Ingmar De Vos, and Olympic gold medallist and Chair of the FEI Eventing Committee David O’Connor (FEI / Richard Juilliart)

The Rocca di Papa Equestrian Sports Centre, in the heart of the beautiful Parco dei Castelli Romani, was also the cross country venue at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. The cross country course designed by Event Director Giuseppe della Chiesa for the FEI World Championships, featured fences that were also used during the Olympic Games over 60 years ago.

Eventing has been an Olympic discipline since 1912, and the FEI Eventing World Championships 2022 in Pratoni del Vivaro will provide the first qualifying opportunity for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with seven team qualifying spots on offer. More than 22,000 spectators were in attendance during cross country day which saw Germany, USA and Great Britain take the team lead going into the Jumping phase of the competition.  

“We are very pleased that President Bach could join us here in Pratoni to witness some of best the discipline of Eventing has to offer,” Ingmar De Vos said. 

“Eventing has grown and evolved over the years, as evidenced by the incredibly high level of sportsmanship at these World Championships.  
 
“What has remained, however, is the close knit nature of the Eventing community and the respect for good horsemanship practices. This truly is a sport where the focus is on ability and expertise, rather than gender. Women have participated alongside men in all the FEI Eventing World Championships since 1966 and I know that the amazing atmosphere here in Pratoni has only encouraged our athletes to give the best of themselves and their horses.”

The FEI Eventing World Championships has also put a spotlight on the intergenerational dynamics of the sport. At 22-years of age, Nadja Minder (SUI), Jarno Verwimp (BEL) and Alina Dibowski (GER) will be competing against veteran Eventer Andrew Hoy (AUS) who at 65 years, is the oldest competitor in Pratoni. Hoy, who took part in the 1978 World Championships, is hoping to add to his already impressive portfolio of six Olympic medals and four World Championship medals.  

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Dr. Thomas Bach and Olympic gold medallist and Chair of the FEI Eventing Committee David O’Connor at the FEI Eventing World Championship 2022 in Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA) (FEI / Richard Juilliart)

While there are 13 former Olympic medalists participating at the FEI World Championships in Pratoni, athletes from Lithuania and Thailand are also vying to make their mark in their countries’ first ever appearance in the competition.

“Eventing is a complete test of horse and rider,” David O’Connor explained. “For the human athlete, Eventing puts their relationship with their horse well and truly under a microscope. A rider needs to be able to keep their horse centred and in a strong frame of mind during the Dressage test, and then guide the horse’s natural instincts through the challenges of a cross country course, while maintaining this focus when Jumping.
 
“It takes a great deal of horsemanship and expertise for the athlete and horse to carry out three completely different tests, and this relationship between the human and equine athlete is not one that is forged overnight. Patience and time is required for this mutual confidence to develop, and the athletes train as intensively as they would for any other sport.” 

The FEI Eventing World Championships which runs from 15 to 18 September will be followed by the FEI Driving World Championships that will take place from 20 to 25 September in Pratoni del Vivaro. 

About Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) www.fei.org

The FEI is the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was founded in 1921. Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic movement since the 1912 Games in Stockholm. The FEI is the sole controlling authority for all international events in the Olympic sports of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance and Vaulting.

The FEI became one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its able-bodied disciplines when Para Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para Dressage and Para Driving.

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As the Dressage phase of the FEI Eventing World Championship 2022 at Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA) drew to a close today Great Britain lost the advantage on the Individual leaderboard, but their spectacular team total of 69.2 set a new World Championship record and they go into tomorrow’s cross-country phase still well in command of the team rankings.  

When Tom McEwen scored 25.6 with his Tokyo Olympic team gold and individual silver medal-winning ride Toledo de Kerser late this morning the record was already broken, and then the 24.3 posted by the current number one athlete in the FEI Eventing rankings, Oliver Townend with Ballaghmor Class, stretched it even further.

Meanwhile German superstar Michael Jung, three times individual European champion, twice Olympic Individual champion and possibly on his way to his second Individual World title, ousted overnight leader, Great Britain’s Laura Collett, from the top of the Individual leaderboard when posting his best ever CCI-5* score of 18.8 with fischerChipmunk FRH this afternoon. 

“It’s amazing how he performs in the arena”, Jung said of the 14-year-old bay gelding. “He just brings everything in there and you can ride like at home so this is a great feeling. He is so relaxed but powerful and concentrated so you can show all of what you train, and that’s an amazing feeling for the rider”, the 40-year-old German pointed out.

The 26.0 posted by reigning Individual Olympic champion Julia Krajewski and Amande de B’Neville already boosted German team chances earlier in the day before Jung’s leading score saw his side rocket up from overnight seventh place to leave them in silver medal spot going into tomorrow’s cross-country challenge on a score of 76.1. 

Team USA held onto bronze medal position while New Zealand dropped from second to fourth, but on a running tally of 77.9 the Kiwis trail the Americans by just 1.3 while Team Australia are just over six points further adrift in fifth. France, Japan, Belgium, Switzerland and the host nation of Italy make up the top 10 of the 16 competing teams.

Individual

China’s Alex Hua Tian and Don Geniro slotted into individual fourth place with a score of 23.7 today, while America’s Tamra Smith and Mai Baum are in fifth ahead of Britain’s Townend in sixth. 

Smith was on the winning US team at the Pan American Games in Lima (PER) in 2019 with her 16-year-old gelding and the pair also competed at last summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo. They were always expected to feature well in the Dressage phase at Pratoni having finished tenth in Aachen (GER) and ninth in Kentucky (USA) last year and ninth in Badminton GBR this year, always with impressive first-phase scores.

“I feel it was better than Badminton today”, said the 48-year-old Californian. “He’s in much better self-carriage and relaxation and most of it was brilliant. It’s been a life-long goal of mine to be here at the World Championship and to be on this horse is extra special because I think he’s one of the best in the world. I think he belongs here!”, she said.

Monica Spencer remains best of the Kiwis, in equal-seventh place with Britain’s Tom McEwen going into tomorrow’s cross-country phase on a score of 25.6. McEwen had been hoping for better but a break in medium trot early in his test saw him having to claw back marks, which he did with considerable cool.

“It wasn’t our best test but we recovered really well”, he said. “The changes and canter-work were lovely and I was really pleased with his walk but didn’t have quite enough from the leg going in probably and it was a little bit of a recovery process”, he explained. 

Food for thought

Once dressage is out of the way all focus now turns to tomorrow’s cross-county test, and Guiseppe della Chiesa’s course has certainly given riders plenty of food for thought.

“There are plenty of errors to be made if you’re not ‘on it’. You’ve got to go out with your plan and stick to it - the thinking rider will come out on top tomorrow, whether it’s how the horse feels underneath you or how the course could change”, McEwen said. 

World number four and three-time Olympian, New Zealand’s Jonelle Price whose score of 26.1 today with McClaren leaves her two places ahead of husband Tim and Falco in 13th, gave her assessment. 

“Time is going be the biggest factor”, she said. “We’ve got such a high-calibre field of horses here and the British team have the best horses in the world. So I think the horses are going to make light work of it but the hills and a lot of congested jumping will make the clock challenging.”

Germany’s Olympic champion Krajewski and her mare will be on familiar territory because the pair came to Pratoni in the spring of this year to train on the hills in preparation for Kentucky where, in the final analysis, they didn’t compete. She said today, “my horse is built like a showjumper - she can jump everything and she is really fit. For the cross-country here the horses need to be in good condition, and the riders need to be clever at some of these combinations”. 

Equiratings statistics show that at the last seven FEI Eventing World Championships the eventual winning team was lying either first or second after dressage and that, since 2002, the individual champion has never been outside the top five after the dressage phase. At the last four world championships Team Germany has led the way after dressage and Michael Jung has arrived in Pratoni this week as favourite to take the Individual title.

But statistics are one thing and the sport of Eventing has a knack for throwing up plenty of surprises. The story of the FEI Eventing World Championship 2022 will continue to play out when Germany’s Christoph Walhler and Carjatan S lead the way in the cross-country phase at 10.30 local time tomorrow morning….so don’t miss a hoofbeat….

Results here 

Website here 

The FEI has been made aware of the social media posts published by Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER) on Thursday, regarding her return to competition from maternity leave.

While we fully understand her desire to compete, Ms von Bredow-Werndl clearly expressed her decision to avail of the maternity leave provisions set out in Article 2.2 of the FEI Dressage World Ranking List Rules in April 2022 and it was explained to Ms von Bredow-Werndl at the time that the minimum period of the maternity leave would be six months.

The FEI also informed the German Equestrian Federation at the time that, further to Ms von Bredow-Werndl’s decision, a note had been added to her profile confirming that she would not be competing during the six month period of her maternity leave.

Once an Athlete has chosen to apply for medical/maternity leave under Article 2.2 of the FEI Dressage World Ranking List Rules, and has benefited from the provision allowing for the retention of 50% of the ranking points from the corresponding six months of the previous year, it is not possible for the Athlete to subsequently change their mind.

The procedures currently in place for Athletes applying for medical/maternity leave are to protect the fairness and integrity of the sport. Any recalculation of the Dressage Rankings could have a significant impact on other Athletes.  

The FEI will undertake a review of the medical/maternity leave Rules for the future, and will liaise with the riders’ clubs (IJRC, IDRC) and the wider equestrian stakeholder groups.

About Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) www.fei.org   

The FEI is the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was founded in 1921. Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic movement since the 1912 Games in Stockholm.

The FEI is the sole controlling authority for all international events in the Olympic sports of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance and Vaulting.

The FEI became one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its seven able-bodied disciplines when Para Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para Dressage and Para Driving.

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Alan Smith (GBR), who was equestrian correspondent of the Daily Telegraph for 48 years, covering 10 summer Olympic Games and every major equestrian championship between 1960 and 2008, has died, aged 89. Remarkably, he was in charge of the newspaper’s skiing coverage at eight winter Olympic Games having attended no less than 17 Olympic Games altogether.

Starting with the FEI Jumping European Championship for Juniors held in Hickstead (GBR) in 1961 through to the 2008 Olympic Games, after which he retired, he acquired a profound knowledge of equestrian sport and became a walking encyclopaedia of results and unforgettable stories. His dedication to the profession – he was dogged in the pursuit of a good story – and great kindness to young writers, helped him set the high standard of equestrian journalism, for which he is greatly admired to this day.

Before “falling into journalism”, as he would say later himself, he turned down a place at Reading University because his father was ill and someone in the family had to make a living. He joined the Brenards Air News agency which was based at Heathrow, now one of the world’s largest travel hubs, but only a “collection of huts” in those days.

After a spell working on pedigrees for the British Bloodstock Agency – his love of racing never left him and he continued to have shares in racehorses until his death – he was taken on by the Telegraph racing desk. One day the deputy sports editor asked him if he would like to cover “a bit of show jumping” and he never looked back.

In addition to his journalistic work, Alan Smith was on numerous committees including the FEI Jumping World Cup Committee, from the series creation in 1978 through to 1998. He developed a lasting friendship with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who was the FEI President from 1964 to 1986. Having covered equestrian sport for nearly 50 years, he became the much admired and respected doyen of his profession.

“Alan Smith was one of the living legends of equestrian journalism and the sport as a whole,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said. “He has sadly passed away after covering some of Jumping and Eventing’s greatest moments. On behalf of the FEI, I am honoured to pay tribute to such a remarkable newspaperman, who knew everything there was to know about the sport and more. He was admired for his infallible work ethic and was a true legend across press offices worldwide. My thoughts at this sad time are with Alan Smith’s family and friends and the British equestrian community. He will be very much missed.”

In 2020, fellow equestrian journalist Louise Parkes conducted a lovely interview with Alan Smith, which is available on the FEI website here. We invite you to read it and join us in remembering an exceptional professional and a wonderful man.

 Photo caption: Pictured in 1992 - (L to R) Brian Giles of the Daily Mail, Alan Smith from the Daily Telegraph and HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. (Photo: Peter Hogan)

Photo caption: British journalist Alan Smith, who covered equestrian sport for nearly half a century, has passed away at the age of 89. He is pictured at the FEI Jumping World Cup Final in Paris-Bercy (FRA) in 1987. (Photo: Jan Gyllensten)

They arrived with six Team and five Individual gold medals already under their belts, and today Team Great Britain showed they are again the ones to beat when filling the top two places on the leaderboard at the end of the first day of Dressage at the FEI Eventing World Championship 2022 in Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA). It’s early days, but the country that claimed Olympic gold in Tokyo 12 months ago and then swept all before them at the FEI European Championships 2021 once more look like a truly formidable force.

Defending double-world-champion and British team member, 33-year-old Ros Canter, posted the first big score today with the relatively inexperienced 10-year-old Lordships Graffalo when putting 26.2 on the board this morning. However fellow-countrywoman, 25-year-old Yasmin Ingham, who is competing as an Individual, impressed Ground Jury members Christina Klinspor (SWE), Peter Gray (CAN) and Christian Steiner (AUT) even more for a mark of 22.0 with her 11-year-old gelding Banzai du Loir to go out in front. 

And it took an inspired performance from Canter’s Tokyo 2020 team-mate Laura Collett to push this pair off pole position later in the afternoon when London 52 simply swaggered through a superb test to earn the highest score of the first day, 19.3, to firmly secure the team advantage for her country. 

“He definitely loves a crowd! He went in that arena and went, yes! everyone is here to see me! He is just a pleasure to ride when he’s like that!”, Collett said afterwards.

Running team score

On a running team score of 45.5 the British go into tomorrow’s second day of Dressage, when another 43 horse-and-rider partnerships will take their turn before facing into the Cross-country and Jumping tests on Saturday and Sunday, with an eight-point lead over Team New Zealand (53.0) who have only 0.5 of an advantage over Team USA in third place (53.5). Kiwi chances were hugely boosted by a spectacular test from Monica Spencer and her racing-bred 11-year-old gelding Artist who strutted his stuff for a strong score of 25.6 that leaves the 35-year-old rider currently in third place. 

This is an incredible result for Spencer who is competing for the very first time on a Senior team and for the very first time in the Northern Hemisphere.  She gave birth to her son, Gus, just 10 months ago and has travelled 18,000 kms with her horse to ride alongside Clarke Johnston who scored a handsome 27.4 today to slot into eighth place with Menlo Park and the star Kiwi husband-and-wife partnership of Tim and Jonelle Price who go into the ring tomorrow. This is a team that clearly means business.

Meanwhile Will Coleman (Off the Record) and Lauren Nicholson (Vermiculus), with scores of 26.4 and 27.1 respectively, kept the USA well in contention at this early stage. French rider Thomas Carlile slotted into individual fifth place with a lovely ride on Darmagnac de Bellard that scored 26.4 and he was really pleased with his “very gentle, very honest and shy little horse”. Like all the riders who have competed today he can now turn his attention to Saturday’s cross-country phase which looks set to be quite a thriller.

While others seem to be somewhat in awe of it, he described Guiseppe della Chiesa’s 30-fence track as “lovely”, but that perhaps is because he said he has competed at Pratoni del Vivaro many times, “and I love this place!”

Balance

“It seems to me like a balance between a true championship test and a modern look at Eventing with a lot of frangible pins that we all have our ideas about but it’s the way the sport is going and we need to choose and produce our horses in that aspect now. There are plenty of different routes to make sure everyone has the possibility to get around and it will require proper cross-country riding with the terrain….I’m really looking forward to it!”, he said.

A score of 30.7 from team-mate Astier Nicolas and Alertamalib’or leaves France on a running tally of 57.1 while Japan is close behind on 60.2 and Team Australia is in sixth place with 61.8 on the board.

At the end of a difficult day for Team Germany they currently lie seventh, both Christop Wahler’s Carjatan S and Sandra Auffarth’s Viamant du Matz finding the dressage arena spooky and subsequently struggling to give of their best. Auffarth, who won World double-gold in 2014, was devastated initially but her sense of humour returned. “At London 2012 (Olympic Games) the roof of a judge’s hut blew away when I was in the arena and today a letter fell down, so I suppose it was a smaller thing this time!”, she told a German reporter.

But Germany still has two world-class combinations to come in Tokyo 2020 Individual Olympic champions Julia Krajewski and Amande de B’Neville and 2010 world champion Michael Jung with fischerChipmunk FRH. The leaderboards are likely to see many changes over the next 24 hours.

Runner-up spot

Britain’s Yasmin Ingham talked about her horse, Banzai du Loir who leaves her in individual runner-up spot this evening. “I’m so proud of him, he’s a really special horse and I still think there’s plenty more in there which is very exciting! I couldn’t fault him today at all. We have more experience now in big arenas after doing Blenheim (GBR) last year and Burghley (GBR) just before we came, and it’s great to have Chris Bartle (coach) with us here”, she pointed out. Looking ahead to the cross-country challenge she added “the Slide at 7 comes up pretty quick but it all looks jumpable. There’s plenty to look at and the water complexes are difficult - we will know what it’s all about by Saturday!”

Overnight leader Collett reflected on her test today with London 52. “He was pretty good at Badminton but there were bits that weren’t quite good enough and we’ve just been really working on. Once I got the first centreline out of the way I thought Carl (Hester, Olympic dressage rider and coach) will be happy now! From then on he just felt like he was getting better and better and I could just have a lovely time basically!

Asked if she felt pressure going into the arena she replied, “yes I’m well aware I’m sat on one of the best horses in the world and people expect him to deliver - and luckily he did!”

She said she competed at the FEI Pony European Championships at Pratoni in 2005 so is familiar with the cross-country course. “But sadly it’s not going to be a Dressage competition this weekend! From start to finish the course is full-on and there was a lot head-scratching when we first walked it to decide exactly what the direct route was because there are so many options”, she pointed out.

Tonight the British are sitting pretty, with two more of their Tokyo 2020 winning side yet to go in Tom McEwen (Toledo de Kerser) and Oliver Townend (Ballaghmor Class), but they know the story of the 15th edition of the FEI Eventing World Championship still has a long way to go. The second day of Dressage begins at 09.30 tomorrow when Australia’s Shenae Lowings and Bold Venture step into the ring and the battle for both the Team and Individual medals resumes…..don’t miss a hoofbeat…..

Results here

Website here