"Wish it, dream it and now do it" - Ingrid Klimke
Ingrid Klimke is the daughter of a legend in equestrian sport, Dr Reiner Klimke, an Olympic gold medallist and one of the most decorated dressage riders in history. Indeed Ingrid describes her ‘day’ job as producing dressage horses, but she is best known as a key member of Germany’s extraordinarily successful eventing team since 2000.
Riding Sleep Late, Klimke won team and individual bronze medals at the FEI European Championships at Blenheim in 2005 and team gold at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen in 2006. With FRH Butts Abraxxas, she won team gold at the 2011 FEI European Championships in Luhmuhlen and both the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games.
Riding FRH Escada JS, Klimke won team gold and individual silver at last year’s FEI European Championships in Malmo and team gold at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy.
Until now, a CCI4* win has eluded her with her best CCI4* result being second on Sleep Late at Badminton in 2006. However that all changed on Sunday when, riding her own 10-year-old Oldenburger by Helikon, Horseware Hale Bob, she won the 2014 CCI4* in Pau, France.
Andreas Dibowski and FRH Butts Avedon
The show jumping at Pau is always difficult but Ingrid has three rails in hand after her compatriot Andreas Dibowski had two fences down. The second placed combination after the cross country Joseph Murphy and Electric Cruise had been eliminated at the second horse inspection so it was Germany that took first and second places when Ingrid only had one rail down.
Only two rider in the top 12 achieved clear rounds; Arnaud Boiteau riding Quoriano ENE HN and Jonelle Price riding Faerie Dianimo, putting them into third and fourth places respectively
Arnaud Boiteau had a good event, winning the CIC2* as well as third in the CCI4* on Quoriano ENE HN (pictured)
Jonelle’s young mare has certainly caught the eye this weekend, especially when they had a ‘moment’ in the show jumping when they took off a good half stride out at one fence but easily cleared it “If ever she is in doubt, she goes sky high – which is what she did” said Jonelle “She always gives it everything.”
Jonelle says the nine-year-old horse that won the CIC3* at Blenheim this year '"keeps me on my toes and is relentless. She loves what she does and is bloody good at it! She is incredibly talented – give her another 12 or 24 months and she could be really special.”
Woohoo! Jonelle's 'moment' in the jumping had everyone wondering when they were ever going to come down (above) and Erin Sylvester (below)
Despite the disappointment of his second placed horse being spun at the horse inspection, Joseph Murphy did have some consolation with a fifth place on Sportsfield Othello while the USA rider Erin Sylvester took sixth place riding No Boundaries. Despite three rails in the show jumping Australia’s Kevin McNab finished in 10th on Fernhill Quality Street (below), having moved up throughout the event from 27th after dressage and Belgium’s young Julien Despotin, who has had such a good event here, also finished in the money in 14th place at his first 4* start
Kevin also finished 13th riding Fernhill Now or Never in the CIC2* which was won by Arnaud Boiteau riding Sultan de la Motte, making it a very good weekend for the French rider!
The FEI Classics action now moves to Adelaide in Australia where we’ll be bringing you daily coverage from the Australian International 3 Day Event 12th – 16th November
Win tickets to the Australian International 3 Day Event – find out more here
