In a thrilling finale to the Orifarm Healthcare FEI World Para Dressage Team Championship in Herning (DEN) today, The Netherlands successfully defended the world title they won four years ago in Tryon (USA).

The gold clinching team of Sanne Voets (Grade IV), Demi Haerkens (Grade IV), Lotte Krijnsen (Grade III) and Frank Hosmar (Grade V) scored 230.225%, just 0.464% ahead of Denmark with 229.751%. And in a repeat of their Tokyo 2020 Paralympics breakthrough, The USA took the bronze with 225.355%.

In doing so, all three teams have secured qualification for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

How it works

In the Team test, each Grade competes separately, and each combination of horse and athlete performs a series of pre-determined movements. The best three scores from each team are then combined, and the team with the highest score wins the gold.

Sizzling heat, sizzling competition

Held over two days, the first day of the competition had left The Netherlands and Denmark in a strong position following high scores from Sanne Voets and Demi Haerkens (NED) in Grade IV and Katrine Kristensen (DEN) in Grade II.

Day two began with the Grade III team test, which featured the home team’s Individual test winner Tobias Thorning Joergensen, riding Jolene Hill. He was expected to deliver a big score and did, with 79.265%.

Rebecca Hart (USA), secured her country’s medal with an impressive 74.706% (though not after a tense wait to see what some other country’s riders could produce) on El Corona Texel.

Great Britain’s Natasha Baker, on Keystone Dawn Chorus, scored 73.676, leaving her teammate Sophie Wells with a big, but not impossible, task of scoring 78.400% or thereabouts to get on the podium.

At the end of Grade III, it was clear that the final medal positions would be decided in the Grade V test.

First up among the medal winners was Denmark’s Nicole Johnsen on Moromax. She scored 73.310%, leaving Frank Hosmar with a target of 75.297% to take the gold. Entering the arena a handful of riders later, he pulled out a stunning performance on Alphaville N.O.P. to score 75.786%, and retain the gold.

The top three positions were then confirmed when both Sophie Wells’ (GBR), and Michele George’s valiant efforts fell just short of the scores needed to edge the USA off the podium.

Speaking after his gold clinching ride, Frank said: “It was really fun. At some points I thought ‘a little bit more,’ but then I thought ‘no, no, no, I don’t want any mistakes.

“We thought when we came here maybe a medal would be nice but every day with the training it got better and better and we thought maybe there’s a little bit more. We didn’t expect gold when we left Holland but when we were here we were thinking it was possible.”

As the Dutch score was announced, team trainer and coach Joyce van-Rooijen-Heuitink let out a scream of joy which was heard around the arena. “I have never screamed so loud in my whole life,” she laughed. “They must have heard back in the stables that it was me. I just cannot describe it, I’m on cloud 26. We have two new riders and you never know what they do at a championships.

“I knew Sanne and Frank would deliver but the other two did as well. How cool is that?”

At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Denmark had come agonisingly close to the bronze medal, finishing a horse’s hair’s breadth away from the USA. Speaking after the medal presentation, the team’s Chef d’Equipe Anette Bruun said: “I am feeling so glad. They were so sterling the riders today. It was such a fantastic event and we got the silver medal, it’s fantastic.

“It was so close we could taste the gold medal, but no we’re here and we’ll go for gold next time.”

Speaking for the USA, Grade IV rider Kate Shoemaker, said: ”Talk about being on cloud nine.

“We came with a very different team of horses than the one we took to Tokyo and our expectation was not for a medal, it was to qualify for Paris and then have a building year. But this shows our programme is going in the right direction. To be bronze with this young team is an amazing feeling. There’s something about when you strive for something that is just out of reach and then you grab it and hold tight.”

There will be more celebrations in the stables tonight, as the top seven teams at these Championships have qualified for Paris, so alongside the top three – the Netherlands, Denmark and the USA – the teams from Great Britain, Belgium, Germany, and Italy are also now officially on the Road to Paris 2024!

Tomorrow sees the top eight riders from each grade compete for the Freestyle titles. The music will play and the horses will dance in the sunshine on what is sure to be a celebratory and fitting end to a brilliant five days of sport.

Results here

It seems Team Sweden’s time has truly come. A year ago Henrik von Eckermann, Malin Baryard-Johnsson and Peder Fredricson stood on the top step of the Olympic podium in Tokyo, and tonight, with the help of Peder’s brother Jens, they galloped away with Team gold at the Agria FEI Jumping World Championships in Herning, Denmark.

Sweden had never taken the World Championship team title before, coming very close with silver at Jerez in Spain in 2002 and then just pipped at the post at the last edition in Tryon, USA four years ago. They arrived in Denmark as firm favourites and more than lived up to their promise, finishing well clear of The Netherlands in silver medal spot and Great Britain in bronze.

And after an epic night in the Stutteri Ask Stadium they go into Sunday’s Individual Final with von Eckermann holding the lead ahead of Jens Fredricson. It’s quite some achievement.

Drama and surprises

Tonight’s competition was filled with drama and surprises. The Swedes held the lead from the outset on Wednesday, but had only a narrow advantage over the chasing French as tonight’s action began. However Dutch course designer Louis Konickx presented them with another masterful test in which finding the right rhythm, and then maintaining it around his 14-fence track, was never going to be easy.

One of the bogey fences was the penultimate triple combination, and that played a major role in dashing French chances when all four team-members faulted there. But for Germany, lying third as the action began, it was the elimination of reigning individual European champions Andre Thieme and DSP Chakaria when the mare jumped her rider out of the saddle over the oxer at fence three that spoiled their party.

Second-line rider, Jana Wargers, produced a spectacular round with Limbridge for a single time fault but the crowd were left gasping by Thieme’s early dismount, and with 13 faults to add the Germans, like the French, would drop out of medal contention.

In contrast

In contrast the Dutch added only six faults to their scoreline and that would prove plenty good enough for silver. In an otherwise foot-perfect round Sanne Thijssen’s Con Quidam RB faulted only at the triple combination while Maikel van der Vleuten and the horse he steered to individual bronze in Tokyo last summer, Beauville Z, clipped the planks at four which also proved highly influential tonight. Jur Vrieling followed with a brilliant round from the big 10-year-old Long John Silver who collected just two time faults and when Harrie Smolders and Monaco were clear they rocketed up the leaderboard.

Meanwhile the British, lying sixth overnight, were also rallying strongly. Last year’s individual Olympic champion, Ben Maher, had the first fence down with Faltic HB who then completed the course effortlessly, while Joe Stockdale and Equine America Cacherel left only the second element of the double of oxers at fence nine on the floor.

A fabulous clear from Harry Charles and Romeo 88 was followed by an eight-fault run for Scott Brash and Hello Jefferson which saw this pair plummet from second to 13th in the individual rankings. But counting the best three team scores including Charles’ all-important zero, the final British tally of 22.66 would clinch bronze ahead of Ireland who missed the podium by less than a single penalty point while Team Germany were only another penalty point further adrift in fifth place.

It was some compensation for the Irish and Germans to clinch one of the five qualifying spots on offer for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games along with the three medal-winning nations.

Electric

The Herning spectators have ensured that the atmosphere in the Stutteri Ask Arena in Herning has been nothing short of electric this week, and Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann had his work cut out to convince King Edward that it was safe to go in the ring tonight. “When he heard the applause and everything he turned around and went the other way! But he jumped amazing again and I’m looking forward to Sunday. He’s a very sensitive horse but in a fantastic way”, the Swedish star pointed out.

Jens Fredricson talked about the course, his horse, and his critical clear. “My horse tonight was very good, he jumped easily and with confidence and he was relaxed with a lot of power…and I was a little lucky at the last fence but you always need some luck! The time was tight and you were thinking about it all the way and couldn’t do extra strides anywhere and that puts more pressure on keeping the balance at high speed and on these turns - I think it was a very good course and I’m happy!”, he said.

For Swedish Chef d’Equipe, Henrik Ankarcrona, today was ‘mission accomplished’.

“It’s been an amazing year, to follow Tokyo we had a plan because we wanted to be on top of the podium here again and we were clear about that. We knew we had the capability, the power and skills to do it. But it’s one thing to say it and a different thing to make it come through!”, he said.

Congratulated

Dutch Chef d’Equipe Jos Lansink, congratulated course designer Louis Konicks. “We had a fantastic course today, you made it difficult for the riders, they had no time to breathe in the course, from start to finish you had to move forward, that’s why we got so many mistakes I think. With my team we really wanted to qualify for Paris but it seemed very far away. And then after the round from Jur (Vrieling) with two time faults it looked better again and then after Harrie’s round we had a chance for a medal and to finish second is a nice bonus!”, he said.

Sanne Thijssen was delighted with Con Quidam. “He was unbelievable, he doesn’t really have the scope for this but he has such a big heart. When I saw the triple combination I thought it was really tough but he’s such a fighter and with one down I was quite satisfied. Of course you go for a clear, but I think it was quite a good result!”, she said modestly.

Harrie Smolders described the Dutch spirit that lifted them to silver medal spot.  “I think we came back very strong, we started in eighth place and yesterday we moved up to fourth and even halfway through today it didn’t look great for us. But we kept believing and I think this was a real team effort to go home with a medal”.

Fun

Bronze medallist Ben Maher said “it was a long way around after the first fence down, but Faltic has jumped great all week and it’s been fun. We have a new team with two younger riders and we all fought all the way to the end”.

And there was something very poignant about the fact that one of those two younger team members, 22-year-old Joe Stockdale who is still a relative rookie at this level of the sport, helped clinch team bronze for his country on the birthday of his late father, Tim Stockdale who was a stalwart of British teams throughout his successful career.

Yesterday Joe posted a 12-fault round and he wasn’t happy, but it was a very different story today. With the support of his team-mates he got right back on track.

“I made a bit of a mistake myself but I think the mare has jumped well all week and she’s come back today. I was delighted with how she jumped in the atmosphere and under the lights”, he said.

“Jumping at a World Championship has been a bit of a step up, but it’s been good having these guys alongside me, they’ve really guided me through this week. I’m lucky to have them on the team and they’ve been very helpful even when it’s gone a bit pear-shaped for me, they’ve all been behind me to help get me through it”, he explained.

Made the cut

Maher, lying eighth, and Brash, lying 13th, have both made the cut into the top-25 who will battle it out for the Individual medals on Sunday. But further up the leaderboard are a formidable collection of the world’s top riders, with Sweden’s von Eckermann and Jens Fredricson followed by Belgium’s Jerome Guery in third, Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs in fourth, Austria’s Max Kuhner in fifth, Israel’s Daniel Bluman in sixth and Brazil’s Yuri Mansur in seventh place.

The Swedes may be celebrating their Team medal triumph tonight but they will be sure to come out with all guns blazing in the race for the 20th World Jumping Championship individual title. And with less than a fence between the top five and less than two fences between the top 14 it’s going to be a right royal battle to the very end.

So don’t miss a hoofbeat…..

Results Team 

Individual Standings here 

The Netherlands and Denmark have both made the strongest of starts to the Team competition at the Orifarm Healthcare FEI Para Dressage World Championship 2022 in Herning (DEN) today. And with the seven top teams joining hosts France at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, the pressure to do well has never been greater.

Sanne Voets (NED) won the Grade IV and Katrine Kristensen (DEN) the Grade II team tests to lay strong foundations for their teammates to build on tomorrow.

Voets set the Dutch team’s marker in the Grade IV Team competition this morning, just two days after her gold medal in the Individual competition. Riding Demantur RS2 N.O.P to score an impressive 78.415%, a personal best in a team competition, she was followed later by the Grade’s Individual silver medallist and teammate, Demi Haerkens, who scored 76.024% on EHL Daula. Kate Shoemaker got the USA’s pitch for a Team medal off to a flying start too, taking third place in the test with a strong 75.415% on Quiana.

Speaking after her ride, Voets said: “We’re putting on the pressure. I feel really good. We hoped for a smooth test and this was definitely my best test of the season and better than Tokyo too. We took a little less risk and we were not 100 percent but, of course we went for it and from the moment I got on he was really fit and happy.”

The Netherlands won’t have everything their own way though, as Denmark’s Katrine Kristensen followed up on the gold she won in the Grade II Individual test with a winning 77.176% on Goerklintgaards Quarter. 

In fact the Individual podium placings were repeated today, with Austria’s Pepo Puch in second on Sailor’s Blue, with 75.441%, and Great Britain’s Lee Pearson overcoming his horse Breezer’s excited reaction to a roar from the crowd in the nearby show jumping arena to score 73.529%.

“I’m so thrilled,” Katrine said. “Today was an amazing test. Quater was much better than Tuesday and he was really with me and a bit more calm this time so I had the time to show different things in the test. I was calm myself and I really tried to do my best.

“I felt some pressure because when you have won one time you have to go in and show I am still number one.”

The highest score of the day was a stunning 80.393% by Latvia’s Rihards Snikus on King of the Dance, in the Grade I Team competition. “The test was very good and all the exercises were nice,” he said, “with some nicer than others. But I can always do it better.”

Latvia doesn’t have a full team in Herning but, thanks to Rihards’ success over the past few years, that may change soon. “We have a new rider in Grade four here, Alise Muizniece,” said Daria Tikhomirova, the Latvian Chef d’Equipe, “she’s only 17 and it was after Rihards success at the FEI World Equestrian GamesTM in Tryon (USA) that she wrote to me and said ‘I would like to do that’. And then she started and now she’s in the World Championships. So maybe some other guy or young lady will look at him and say ‘I want to do it’.”

In another repeat of the Grade’s Individual podium, second place went to Sara Morganti (ITA) on Royal Delight with 77.250% and third to Michael Murphy (IRL) on Cleverboy with 76.072%.

The Team competition has added weight this year as the first seven teams will join France, as hosts, at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. At the end of day one the official standings put Austria in the lead with 213.755%, ahead of Spain with 188.143% and the USA, currently third, with 150.629%. Tomorrow will likely see a significant shift in the rankings though, as more of the top riders from around the world battle to secure those important tickets to Paris. 

It’s going to be unmissable.

Results here
 

A confident, self-assured young woman with a sharp sense of humour stands across the table for this interview. 

Australia’s Ginger Kennett, an international Vaulter from Picton, New South Wales, is also a student at the National Art School in Sydney. And if that’s not a busy enough schedule, Ginger is also an Eventer, who finds no problem with dividing her time between the two disciplines she loves. 

The Mustang FEI Vaulting World Championship 2022 - Individual Female was the first time that she competed at Senior World level, having won the CVI Flyinge Junior 2* in Sweden in 2019 and was selected for the Australian team for the FEI Vaulting World Championships for Juniors in Ermelo (NED) in 2015 and 2018.

So what’s the main difference between Vaulting and Eventing for her? 

“The first would be having to change from Tights to Breeches!” Ginger quips. 

The 19-year-old started in the discipline at the age of nine, when she was invited to attend a Vaulting Clinic with her friend, and she hasn’t looked back since. 
 

Ginger KENNETT (AUS) and CORAZON GRAN at the Mustang FEI Vaulting World Championship 2022 © FEI / Richard Juilliart

“The connection with the horse is different in Vaulting and Eventing,” explains Ginger. “In Eventing, you have the reins in your hands and you guide the horse using your leg and seat aids to go wherever you want it to. In Vaulting, it's the lunger’s job to keep the horse going at a consistent pace, and you have to feel the horse underneath you.

“Your lunger really needs to know your moves, and they need to know what is going to happen in your freestyle and set routines, so they can prepare the horse for the next move. If you're in a stand, they're not going to bring the horse forward, they’re going to ask the horse to maintain the canter while you're standing. The lungers have to go through some pretty intense training with the horse.”

“I feel that riding has helped me vault better and understand my horse more. And vaulting has definitely helped me as an Eventer, with sitting up tall and especially with having that posture and balance you require when riding over jumps.”

Ginger’s mum, Georgie Kennett is an FEI Level 1 Vaulting coach and a lunger.  She lunges for Ginger at their home in Picton and has lunged for her daughter at all Australian national and international events. Also an Eventer, Georgie adds to Ginger’s insights into the differences and similarities between the two disciplines. 

“Vaulting horses are special in the sense that their temperament is paramount,” Georgie said. “They still have to be ridden and trained like any other horse in that they’re listening to your aides, but in Vaulting you do most of your intricate talking with the horse through a lunge line and via the language of the whip commands.

“There is a lot more consideration given to ensuring that a Vaulting horse is able to travel on that circle. Trying to keep a horse moving on a perfect circle takes a lot of training. Any inconsistency in the horse’s stride will affect the Vaulter, whose reaction or response to that move will in turn affect the horse. So as a lunger you’re always trying to keep that harmony and make it all just so effortless.”

Adding her perspective to the conversation is Chef d’Equipe Dr Tristyn Lowe, herself a highly experienced vaulter, lunger, coach, and an icon of the sport in Australia.

“I think the level of trust a Vaulter has to have in the horse and the lunger combination is really huge. In Vaulting you have a three member team – the Vaulter, the horse and the lunger. Getting that team right can be tricky and the connection with the horse is really important. In Eventing it's really just you and your horse.
 

Ginger KENNETT (AUS) and CORAZON GRAN at the Mustang FEI Vaulting World Championship 2022 © FEI / Richard Juilliart

“A quarter of your score in Vaulting is your horse score. And if your horse isn't happy and doing well, then it's much harder to score. 

“For me, a Vaulting horse has to have the equivalent fitness to an Eventing horse. But Vaulting is also an art. And as any artist will tell you, drawing a perfect circle is not easy!”

Whatever discipline she practices, it is clear that Ginger has the admiration of both her Chef d’Equipe and her mum.

“Ginger's determination to get to the World Championship in spite of all the challenges that have happened this year reflects a lot about personality,” Tristyn said. “Everybody faces challenges, but particularly when you come from a long distance and you don't have your own horse and that connection, you have to realign everything to a new training situation and a new horse. Ginger’s capacity to adapt, has been a great thing.”

And describing her only as a mother could, Georgie, who calls her daughter a highly creative, freaky, individual said, “Ginger has very good horsemanship skills and is sensitive towards her equine partners, which is what we love about her so much!”

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 when Para Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para Dressage and Para Driving. The number of international Para Equestrian events has almost tripled in 10 years.

FEI Media contact: 
Vanessa Martin Randin
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications & Media Relations
vanessa.randin@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 73

 

Tobias Thorning Jørgensen (DEN) left no room for suspense in Grade III at the Orifarm Healthcare FEI Para Dressage World Championship 2022 in Herning (DEN) today. Riding his lovely mare Jolene Hill, Tobias scored a massive 78,676% to comfortably take the title ahead of silver medallist Natasha Baker (GBR) and Keystone Dawn Chorus on 73.970%, who was closely followed by Rebecca Hart (USA) on her World and Paralympic medal winning horse, El Corona Texel. 

Tobias reflected on his gold medal after the ceremony, and said: “It was amazing to finally get into the arena and finally get this medal. You have all these expectations from others and yourself and you want to do good, but you never know with horses, so I am very happy to finally have accomplished what I was fighting for, to get the gold in all three championships Europeans, Paralympic and now the Worlds”. 

“It is just amazing to be at the top of the podium with such good riders in the grade.”

Michelle ends eight-year wait for World title 

Grade V on the other hand was a real nail-biter as Michele George (BEL) and Best of 8 went in the lead with 76.419%. The defending World Champion Sophie Wells (GBR) and her new horse Don Cara M looked like a good candidate for the gold. Unfortunately, a mistake in the canter transition put her out of the contention for gold and she finished with 75.279% and the silver medal. Frank Hosmar and Alphaville N.O.P. were as close as you can be when they finished just 0.023% behind Sophie with 75.256%. 

“It still feels amazing to have the gold around my neck!” she said after stepping off the podium. “I am speechless, honestly. We worked so hard for this and as I told you it is a new competition and a new start and I’m just so proud of her.”

When comparing this title to those she has won before, she added: “It is even better. I am happy, but I always feel I can do better so we train hard and when you win you feel like it wasn’t for nothing”.

Tomorrow sees the start of the team competition with Grade I, II and IV athletes retuning to the arena for what will undoubtedly be another two days of thrilling Para Dressage competition. 
 
Full Results here
 

It was a roller-coaster day at the Agria FEI Jumping World Championships in Herning, Denmark today, but the two leading nations and the two leading individuals after yesterday’s opening competition maintained their positions. So Sweden heads France going into tomorrow night’s team medal decider and Frenchman, Julien Epaillard, is holding Britain’s Scott Brash at bay in the individual rankings.

Another superb course designed by Dutchman Louis Konickx separated the top ten nations from all the rest, so joining the Swedes and French tomorrow evening in the team finale will be Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain, Switzerland, Canada, Ireland and Brazil. It was touch-and-go all day with the team placings constantly changing, and the USA missed the cut when finishing eleventh of the 22 competing countries despite a great performance from McLain Ward and Contagious who produced the only American clear round.

Team Belgium was lying third as the action began and could have been badly shaken by the elimination of Jos Verlooy for a fall from Igor who stopped in the triple combination. But Peter Weinberg’s “Never Give Up” team lived up to their motto, and with a foot-perfect run from Jerome Guery (Quel Homme de Hus) and just single errors from both pathfinder Nicola Philippaerts (Katanga vh Dingeshof) and anchorman Gregory Wathelet (Nevados S) they only dropped two places to fifth.

Clears form Marcus Ehning (Stargold) and Andre Thieme (DSP Chakaria) saw Germany move up to third with only four faults to add to their scoreline while Maikel van der Vleuten (Beauvilel Z) and Jur Vrieling (Long John Silver) did likewise to leave The Netherlands in fourth.

Rocky day

The British had a rocky day, stalwarts Ben Maher (Faltic HB) and Scott Brash (Hello Jefferson) steadying the ship when relatively new recruits Joseph Stockdale (Equine America Cacharel) and Harry Charles (Romeo 88) faltered. In contrast Team Canada, lying twelfth as the day began, put in a really gutsy performance with zero scores from both Beth Underhill (Nikka vd Bisschop) and Tiffany Foster (Figor) and just single errors for Erynn Ballard (Gakhir) and Amy Millar (Truman) to put themselves right into the reckoning when moving up to eighth.

The spirit in the Canadian camp is infectious. The all-female team are completely in synch as they give it their all for Chef d’Equipe Eric Lamaze who announced earlier this year he would retire from the saddle due to health issues. Watching the 2008 Olympic champion support his ladies from the Kiss and Cry this week has been highly entertaining as he jumps every fence with them and feels every emotion.

“The energy coming from him is unbelievable!”, said Tiffany Foster after her second great ride of the week which sees her holding fifth place going into day three of these Championships. “We have a long history Eric and I, and we all know how much this means to him. As a team we are so tight and so close, myself and the girls are doing this for him as well, he puts so much time and energy into it, he’s just 110% behind us.

“And he does actually know what he’s doing - this isn’t his first rodeo - I definitely think we’ve got the best Chef d’Equipe here!”, she added.

Pole position

Three clears rounds, from Henrik von Eckermann (King Edward), Jens Fredricson (Markan Cosmopolit) and Peder Fredricson (H&M All In) kept the Swedes in pole position. It’s a really special week for brothers Peder and Jens as it’s their first time to be in a Championship team together.

And it’s a really special week for Jens’ horse-owners and his gelding’s many fans because the 11-year-old has a quite a story behind him. Jens works at the Swedish National Training Centre in Stromsholm, and the owners of the cafe there bought the horse for the riding School as a three-year-old. “Nobody thought he was special but the cafe owners wanted to buy a horse for me and because he was too sensitive to use in the school I said I’d ride him and maybe we’d sell him on later. To my big surprise he turned out to be a superstar!”, Jens explained today.

Team France also produced three clear rounds to hold their place, but arguably the most pressured ride of the day was that of anchorman Kevin Staut who took a fall from Scuderia 1918 Viking d’la Rousserie yesterday. That could have rattled him badly, but like the true professional he is, he just regrouped and steered a perfect run this afternoon when it was really needed.

“I was so disappointed yesterday, it was like what happened at the WEG in Lexington (USA, 12 years ago) but I’ve been to many Championships and I know well that anything can happen. I am a team rider and Team France means everything to me, so I just got on with it today!”, he said after securing that second spot for his country.

Smoothest of rounds

Swedish supporters were going wild when Peder Fredricson entered the ring, last to go today when the smoothest of rounds with his brilliant 16-year-old gelding saw him secure the team lead while also moving him up to individual third place after Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs dropped all the way to 15th with a fence down. The strength of the Swedes is evidenced by the fact that Fredricson’s team-mate, von Eckermann, is lying individually fourth ahead of Canada’s Foster in fifth while Britain’s Ben Maher lies sixth.

Julien Epaillard’s mare is only 10 years old but is taking the Championship challenge completely in her stride to keep the Frenchman on his zero scoreline. But Britain’s Brash looks a real threat to the leading bunch. Hello Jefferson coped with a tricky moment at the triple combination which proved the real bogey of the day by simply jumping himself out of potential trouble, and Brash looks like a man on a mission.

Talking about his horse he said, “he’s busy and energetic and he’s lovely. He was tricky to start with because he has such a busy brain and he’s strong-minded so he always thinks he knows best! It has taken time to make a partnership - Nick (Skelton, Rio Olympic champion) said he’s an unbelievable horse when he saw him - we’ve had to work to get the partnership right and thankfully it’s come through now. They (horses) are soulmates at the end of the day who we spend most of our time with, I spend more time with them than my family!”, he said.

He decided to bring this horse to Herning because “he was just amazing in Aachen and it feels like he can do anything right now so I was pretty confident coming here that he’s in good shape. But to keep all the poles up every day within the time allowed is demanding - you need a bit of luck along the way as well”, said the London 2012 Olympic team gold medallist.

Everyone will be hoping for a little of that luck when the action resumes tomorrow night at 21.00 local time with not just the Team Jumping title at the ECCO FEI World Championships 2022 up for grabs but five Olympic qualifying slots also on offer.

Swedish Chef d’Equipe, Henrik Ankarcrona, said his riders want the team gold “so bad that it hurts! But we all know it can fall apart in a split second with a fence down….”

It’s still all very much to play for, so don’t miss a hoofbeat…..

Results Day 2 

Tomorrow’s startlists here 

The Organising Committee of the ECCO FEI World Championships in Herning (DEN) have not only provided athletes with top class competition conditions, but have also set a new benchmark for the care and recognition of Grooms at equestrian Events.
 
With a dedicated Groom’s Lounge at the stable area, to in-venue recognition for Grooms on the big screen, the Organising Committee have ensured that this stakeholder group were well integrated into all organisational aspects of the World Championships. 

Television graphic from the ECCO FEI World Championships 2022 in Herning (DEN)

“We have been very impressed with the level and attention that the Grooms have received during the ECCO FEI World Championships in Herning,” Founding Director of the International Grooms Association™ (IGA) Lucy Katan said.

“The #ChampionsAsOne concept has resonated strongly throughout the Event and we are extremely pleased to see that Grooms, who have been the unsung heroes of the equestrian world in the past, are now being formally recognised and appreciated for all their hard work behind-the-scenes.

“While the Organisers have proactively introduced key initiatives to provide comfortable working conditions for Grooms, they have also been open and willing to listen to the IGA’s ideas and suggestions.

“As an ‘IGA Show Supporter’, the Organising Committee have worked closely with us to implement feedback from Grooms received through an international survey we carried out earlier this year. A key point that came through strongly was to have a ‘grab-and-go’ style take away option for late night food provisions that would be of use to Grooms on the really busy and long days. The IGA fed this back to Herning 2022 and we were delighted when we learned that this service was made available for the Grooms at the Championships.”

Photo: Karina Krause - Rihards Snikus' groom © FEI / Liz Gregg

 In a move away from tradition, the ECCO FEI World Championships in Herning also saw Grooms feature in the prize giving ceremonies for the first time ever. Every Groom was mentioned by name and formally included in the gift giving protocol during the ceremony. 

“Grooms are an integral part of the equestrian family and as any athlete knows, behind every happy horse is a happy Groom!” Herning 2022 CEO of Sport Jens Traberg said. 

“We wanted to ensure that Grooms are looked after, not just in terms of food and beverages but that their work and their important place in the equestrian community is also recognised.” 

The significance of the inclusion of Grooms in key celebratory moments was not lost on the community. 

“It was an emotional moment to see members of the Grooms community finally get recognised for the work that they do behind-the-scenes,” IGA representative in Herning Jenny Ellis said.
 
“The ECCO FEI World Championships in Herning have certainly set the bar high and we hope that others will continue to build on what has been done here in Denmark for the Grooms community, and will share these best practices with other Organising Committees in the future.”

An independent not-for-profit professional association, the IGA was established to achieve greater representation and career recognition for grooms, as well as to improve their working conditions, especially at equestrian events where long hours are the norm.

The IGA was formally recognised by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the FEI Sports Forum held in Lausanne (SUI) in April 2022.

Watch the video "Grooms, the beating heart of equestrian sport"

There was magic in the air tonight at the Stutteri Ask Stadium in Herning, Denmark where Great Britain’s Lottie Fry and her spell-binding stallion Glamourdale claimed their second gold medal of the week in the Blue Hors FEI Dressage Freestyle World Championship.

In Monday’s Grand Prix Special the pair pinned Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Vamos Amigos into silver medal spot and The Netherlands’ Dinja van Liere into bronze, and tonight the same three athletes filled exactly the same places on the Freestyle podium.

But the electricity and excitement in the air this evening was on a whole other level. The sound of more than 10,000 people screaming with delight at the glorious sight of beautiful horses and their stylish riders dancing under the floodlights heralded the arrival of a new era in the sport that has been evolving rapidly over the last decade and more.

And leading the charge of change are three ladies with lovely young horses that are only starting out in their careers and who have incredibly exciting futures ahead.

Spell

Fry and Glamourdale were third-last to go of the 15 Freestyle starters and from the moment they entered the arena they had the crowd under their spell. From foot-stomping passage and piaffe to the 11-year-old stallion’s trademark high-stepping extended canter they kept the audience enthralled, and despite a couple of mistakes they racked up colossal scores to put 90.654 on the board and bring the spectators to their feet in a joyous frenzy.

Van Liere had to follow that but wasn’t the least bit intimidated. Her 10-year-old stallion just seemed to grow in confidence with every move, and picking up scores of nine and ten along the way the elegant pair posted 86.900 to slot into silver medal spot. But Laudrup-Dufour and her 10-year-old gelding Vamos Amigos demoted them to bronze with a performance that put 89.411 on the board and set the home crowd alight yet again.

Van Liere was delighted to collect her second medal of the week at her very first World Championship. The 31-year-old athlete has really put herself on the map with some exceptional performances over the last five days.

“I’m incredibly proud of my horse, he did such a fantastic job today”, she said tonight. “On Saturday and on Monday he was a little bit tense and I thought today with all the audience he would be more tense but he was actually so relaxed. He’s just getting better and better so I was extremely proud that he did such a good job and I had all his focus”.

Enjoy the experience

Laudrup-Dufour was under the utmost pressure with the hopes of her country sitting heavily on her shouldersm but she said she just decided to enjoy the experience “and it was fantastic riding through that gate again. The crowd tonight were the real superstars, I’ve never seen anything like it, it was like being at a soccer game!”, she said.

“I was super happy with my horse, he was hot today but with that said he’s ten years old, it’s my third horse within four years to take an individual medal with and I’m very proud of him and my team”, she added.

She was asked afterwards if she was disappointed with her result, “no you always go for gold but it’s an honour to be here with these two girls and I do really think that we are a part of changing the sport of dressage and it makes me so proud!”, she pointed out.

Fry said she’d never experienced anything quite like riding into the arena tonight. “The second you entered the crowd was going crazy before you even started, and that already was exciting for Glamourdale to go in there and he knew that it was full and he needed to show off. But as soon as the music started it was the most insane feeling, he was dancing to his Freestyle and I just felt I could sit there and enjoy it. I was listening to the crowd singing along and getting excited about his extended canter. Honestly it was the best feeling in the world and I never have been in an arena like that or ridden a test like that before.

“This is exactly what Glamourdale was made for - arenas like this, music like that and floor-plans like this! It was all perfect today”, she said.

Judges

Judge at C, Denmark’s Susanne Baarup, said the judges enjoyed tonight’s Freestyle competition just as much as everyone else.

“It’s amazing to sit there giving marks for such good riding and floor-plans and music, and it’s the small details that decide the placings and we saw extraordinary quality. Out of 15 combinations 13 were plus 80% scores. It’s an honour and a pleasure to be able to judge a world championship and for me it’s particularly special because I was born in this area”.

She was also delighted to see so many young horses doing well. “A lot of people say we don’t see a lot horses form the (Young Horse) world championships doing Grand Prix. But here in this field of nice horses there have been a lot who had success as young horses. It shows the basic riding was done in the correct way”, she pointed out.

Changes

Laudrup-Dufour talked about the changes she sees happening in the sport. Changes for the better.

“I think style-wise all three of us (herself, van Liere and Fry) we are light riders and we want to try to shape the horses in the softest way possible. It is tricky with such powerhouses, all our three boys are super powerful and it takes a lot to control it but I think it’s impressive - the way both Lottie and Dinja ride, it’s so light and you can’t see that they are doing anything. As Susanne said to see the young horses coming through the system is great. They start to get older now and they can show how much the breeding meant over the last few years, you can tell that these horses are born to do this and it makes it so much more fun for us riders. You don’t have to tell them what to do, you can just go along with them”, she pointed out.

One horse who is certainly born to do it is Glamourdale who rocked the ring on is way to victory this evening. ”It is really hard to believe this all actually happened”, said Fry, “but everything with Glamourdale is nothing short of amazing. He has had this music at stallion shows growing up, so he always dances to it. When the crowd joined in and sang tonight he just loved every minute of it!”

Result 

Latvia Rihards Snikus won Latvia’s first ever equestrian gold medal at a European, World, Olympic and Paralympic competition at the Orifarm Healthcare FEI Para Dressage World Championship 2022 in Herning (DEN) today.

On King of the Dance, Snikus scored 78.535% to take the gold in the Grade I Individual competition, narrowly ahead of defending champion Sara Morganti (ITA), at her third World Championships on Royal Delight, with 78.393%.

And in moment of history, Ireland won its first ever World Championship Para Dressage medal, with Michael Murphy taking the bronze on Cleverboy with 74.143%. An exhilarated Snikus said: “There are no words. Wow! It’s a historical moment. “The halt was great and the free walk was not perfect, but it was very good.”

An accomplished deejay when he’s not riding, he added that if he had to choose a song from his collection to play tonight it would be The Black Eyed Peas’ I’ve Gotta Feeling. “Tonight’s going to be a good night,” he laughed.

Katrine captures the crowd’s hearts

As World Championship debuts go, they don’t come much better than that enjoyed by Denmark’s Katrine Kristensen. In front of an enthusiastic home crowd and in only her second global championships, she took the gold medal in the Grade II Individual competition. Riding Goerklintgaards Quarter, she scored 75.778% to finish ahead of two of the biggest names in Para Dressage, Austria’s Pepo Puch, and Great Britain’s Sir Lee Pearson.

Puch, riding Sailor’s Blue, scored 75.333% to take the silver, just a whisker ahead of bronze medallist Pearson, on Breezer, who scored 75.091%.

“It was fantastic, and the Danish audience was amazing,” Kristensen said after receiving her gold medal. “It was a very big experience. We will celebrate a little bit later, but we have riders competing tomorrow and we have the team competition around the corner, so maybe a little celebration. “It’s hard to put words on it – maybe tomorrow when I’ve slept on it I will be able to. But it’s huge. For a para dressage rider, it’s the biggest goal to reach and it’s amazing.”

Thirteen not so unlucky after all

The first competition of the day saw The Netherlands’ Sanne Voets win her 13^th European, World and Paralympic individual or team gold medal in the Grade IV Individual test.

Riding Demantur RS2 N.O.P., she scored 76.750% to take the title in a blistering competition which saw her pushed by her new teammate, Demi Haerkens. She scored 76.000% on EHL Daula to take silver, with Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Rodolpho Riskalla from Brazil picking up the bronze medal, riding Don Henrico to score 74.925%.

“I’m just really pleased with how he felt,” she said. “He was really so soft and so focused. He always tries to give me the feeling of ’Hey, we got this. We’re a team, we did this before, we can do this again’.

After collecting her medal, she added: “It’s still special, and the horse is really special. It’s different every time and every championship has its own story, and every medal has its own story.

“When I got out of the arena I didn’t see any cheering like in Tokyo and I didn’t know they couldn’t see the live scoring so I was like ‘OK, I might be happier than the scores are but if that’s the case then that’s the case. And then the scores came up and I was like ‘Oh no, never mind’.”

Tomorrow will see the Grade III and Grade V athletes take to the arena in Herning. Denmark’s double European and Paralympic champion Tobias Thorning Joergensen will be the main attraction in the Grade III contest, while Grade V will see defending champion Sophie Wells (GBR) try to retain her titles against an increasingly competitive field.

FULL RESULTS HERE

It was a tale of two halves on the final day of the Mustang FEI Vaulting World Championships 2022, beginning so predictably and ending somewhat unexpectedly.

The Pas de Deux class began, the rising pressure clear to see. Austrian pair Dominik Eder and Theresa Thiel sat so close to the podium in the overnight standings, however a minor fall and a few incomplete exercises crushed their hopes of a medal. The bronze heading home to Italy with Rebecca Greggio and Davide Zanella. Their ‘House of Gucci’ inspired routine was crammed full of interesting positions and artistic impression earning them a final score of 8.178. 

Germany claimed both silver and gold, Diana Harwardt and Peter Kunne levelling up to win their first senior medal and finish second (8.665). However it was the 2019 FEI Vaulting European Champions, and runners up from last year - Chiara Congia and Justin van Gerven - who left both themselves and the audience speechless after performing a second seamless routine winning a 9.010. They become World Champions alongside their horse Highlight and lunger Alexandra Knauf.

It was all change in the Nations Team competition. With Aragorn 102 struggling with the building atmosphere Julian Wilfling could only post a 7.831 for Germany, not nearly enough to challenge for the gold. A display of experience, professionalism, and showmanship from Jannik Heiland pulled back the hopes of the nation and they sat in second after both individuals had competed, however it was not to be. In the squad freestyle Calidor 10 stepped in on the circle, dropping off the pace and causing an unplanned dismount leaving the horse empty. There was little the team could do to claw those points back, they finished in fourth.  An upsetting end for Germany to what had been a fabulous morning.

It was a different story for Austria. After disappointment in the Squad competition, they showed what they couldn’t on Monday and, alongside some big individual scores from Isabel Fiala and Dominik Eder, took every advantage to take home the bronze, a combined score of 8.383.

Denmark had the competition of their lives. Iben Dines Pedersen competed first and bettered her performance from the individual competition. Not to be outdone, Sheena Bendixen followed and raised her bar, scoring 9.127. It all came down to the score for the squad, 8.939, well above the Austrians, and easily enough to win the silver medal (8.669).

Of course, the French were untouchable. Even with some minor faults they took the lead from the start, and it grew and grew, finishing on a final team score of  9.146 with double World Champions Manon Moutinho and Lambert Leclezio winning the final gold of the championships along with their squad from France. 

It seemed only fitting after such a fine display across the competition, that the French vaulters would close out what has been an exhilarating and emotional World Championships (three gold and two silver medals), on the top of the podium.

FULL RESULTS HERE