FEI European Jumping Championship, Mannheim (GER), 14-19 August 2007

Christa Jung is not overwhelmed at the prospect of being the very first European lady to design the courses for a major FEI Jumping championship. "There are only a few women doing this work so I was a little surprised when I was asked to be the leading designer for the 2007 FEI European Jumping Championships in Mannheim, but I'm feeling really good about it - I know I can do a great job!" she says, speaking during the 2007 World Equestrian Festival in Aachen.

Her confidence comes not just from the many years she has spent working both alone and with the best in the business, but also because she is a master of the art of multi-tasking. Christa's course-building is just one string to her bow, as she also has a full-time job as a Primary School teacher and helps with running the family farm in the village of Badfriedrickshall near Stuttgart in Southern Germany.

Her interest in design began while assisting her husband Karl Georg who was course-building at national level. "I thought - I can do this - and I went to a seminar given by Prof. Dr. Arno Gego and Hauke Schmidt to learn a little more". That was 30 years ago, and she has never looked back. She put in a long apprenticeship, working as an Assistant to Hauke Schmidt at big shows for more than 10 years and also assisting Prof. Dr. Gego. This summer was her 17th year as part of the team at Aachen, and the arena at Mannheim is also familiar territory for her. Christa was on the support squad for Olaf Petersen when the European Championships were last staged there in 1997 "and I have been working in Mannheim for 22 years now so I know the place very well" she points out. "The ring is only used for show jumping once a year. It is a very good, very new sand arena for this year's championship and we tested it with some competitions in May and it was perfect" she says.

Christa will be supported by her own specially-selected team. "I have five groups and each one has a leader. They are all people I can work well with," she points out. One very important asset will be her husband Karl Georg. "He has helped me for many years in Mannheim" she explains. In fact it will be quite a family affair because her 29-year old daughter Steffe, an architect by trade, will also be involved - "she is a great organiser and helps to iron out problems when they arise," her mother explains.

Asked what she has in store for competitors at this summer's important event which is also an Olympic qualifier, Christa is not prepared to give away too much. "I have chosen the material, the fences and the flowers and I hope we have the sun, not like here in Aachen, but the weather is normally much better in Mannheim anyway," she insists. So does she have any surprises up her sleeve? "I can only tell you that I have a very interesting Table C with options and an interesting final which uses elements from the city of Mannheim itself. Mannheim has two rivers and some very important buildings and houses - and the bicycle first came from here, did you know that? You will find that on the course," she says mysteriously.

When she is not in the school-room or mulling over yet another course-plan on her computer, Christa can be found exercising one of the 30 horses in training at the family farm where younger daughter, 22-year old Tina, rules the roost. Karl Georg, Steffe and Tina compete regularly at small shows and events but Christa prefers to remain at home working on the young stock for sale.

"It's not easy to manage two jobs, let alone three, but I enjoy everything I do and when it comes to course-designing I know the riders trust me, and respect my work." Sure anyone who can control a class-room filled with 10-year olds and keep a family in order would hardly be overcome at the prospect of creating a show jumping design challenge to test some of the best riders in the world. And making a little history as the first European lady-course-designer at this level of the sport is just one more feather in Christa Jung's already well-decorated cap......

(Thanks to Louise Parkes for this interview).