Michael Jung and Leopin FST Photo: Peter Nixon/FEI
Once again Michael Jung has proved why he is the World Champion at one of his favourite events – Luhmuhlen. Michael won here in 2009, his first attempt at CCI4* level, on La Biosthetique Sam, the horse he is likely to partner at the Olympics, and the pair went on to capture the FEI World Cup™ Eventing final and the European bronze medal that year, before becoming world champions in 2010 and European champions in 2011, also at Luhmühlen.
“It’s very nice to be sitting here,” said Jung. “I have some wonderful horses that are in great form. Leopin was fantastic on the Cross Country and it is nice to know that he can do everything. I just made a little mistake in the Jumping, coming in too fast to the combination, where we had four faults.”
Lucinda Fredericks and Flying Finish Photo: Peter Nixon/FEI
Despite dropping a rail in the showjumping Michael had been handed breathing space by Andrew Hoy who was in second place going in to the show jumping. Andrew and Rutherglen unfortunately had three rails and two time faults which dropped them back to sixth place while Lucinda Fredericks replaced Andrew in the runner-up position by jumping a clear round with only one time fault on the relatively inexperienced Flying Finish. Oliver Townend, lying third also had an unfortunate three rails, dropping him to eighth on Armada, just behind his other ride, Sonas Rovatio, on which he had jumped clear for seventh place.
Others who benefitted from these slides down the placings were Andreas Dibowski (GER), who went clear to finish third on FRH Butts Avedon, Andrew Nicholson (NZL), who rose a place to fourth on Calico Joe with one fence down, and Charlotte Agnew, for whom it was a career best. She jumped clear but incurred four time faults on Out Of Africa Two and went up a place to fifth.
Wendy Schaeffer competes in pure showjumping at Grand Prix level so it was no surprise when she and Koyuna Sun Dancer executed a clear round without incurring any time faults to finish in ninth place, having added only 2.4 faults to their dressage score. Paul Tapner and Inonothing also had a clear round with just two time faults to finish in tenth place; Australia therefore filling four of the top ten spots.
Emma Dougall and Kelecyn Ice Age also showed a very good showjumping round with only two time faults to finish in 20th place but Catherine Burrell and Kevin McNab unfortunately rolled a few rails to finish in 17th and 19th places respectively.
Megan Heath Photo: Peter Nixon/FEI
New Zealand rider Megan Heath, 35, who finished 15th at Luhmühlen with St Daniel, won the US$1,000 HSBC Training Bursary for the best CCI4* debut performance. The achievement was all the more noteworthy because Heath lives in London, where she works full time in banking, and only started Eventing two years ago, finishing 10th on St Daniel in the CCI3* at Ballindenisk (IRL) in February.
Previously, she kept a Jumping horse with fellow New Zealander Grant Wilson in Belgium, commuting at weekends to compete for fun, but temporarily gave up riding altogether six years ago due to pressure of work. She bought St Daniel from German Olympic gold medallist Peter Thomsen, who was on hand at Luhmühlen to walk the Cross Country with her. Heath’s compatriots Mark Todd (NZL) and Andrew Nicholson (NZL) also provided plenty of advice.
Michael Jung’s convincing victory at Luhmühlen, which shows the strength in depth of his horsepower, takes him into third place in the HSBC FEI Classics™, behind Andrew Nicholson. Although the New Zealander’s weekend didn’t go entirely to plan, he has still closed the gap between himself and the leader, William Fox-Pitt (GBR), to six points, thus ensuring an exciting finale to the series at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (August 30-September 2).
Lucinda Fredericks is now waiting hopefully........... Photo: Libby Law
What the Australian selectors will make of this weekend, we will soon find out. The Australian riders were staying another night at Luhmuhlen to trot up for selectors following the event and an announcement regarding the squad to be based in the UK in the lead up to the Games is expected this week. Lucinda Fredericks is of course now hoping to be included on the London 2012 squad, despite the fact that this horse has not previously been listed on any of the EA Eventing Squads
“I’ve had a fantastic week,” she said. “My horse has only been eventing for two years, but he seems to find it easy. I feel such respect for him. He tries so hard and wants to do right for me. I just hope the selectors are impressed!”
We wait with anticipation to see who has caught the selectors’ eye.
To view the show jumping day photo gallery CLICK HERE
Final Results at Luhmühlen
1 Michael Jung/Leopin FST (GER) 32.8 + 0 + 4 = 36.8
2 Lucinda Fredericks/Flying Finish (AUS) 31.8 + 9.2 + 1 = 42.0
3 Andreas Dibowski/FRH Butts Avedon (GER) 35.2 + 8 + 0 = 43.2
4 Andrew Nicholson/Calico Joe (NZL) 41.7+ 0 + 4 = 45.7
5 Charlotte Agnew/Out Of Africa Two (GBR) 40.8 + 2.4 + 4 = 47.2
6 Andrew Hoy/Rutherglen (AUS) 34.8 + 0 + 14 = 48.8
7 Oliver Townend/ODT Sonas Rovatio (GBR) 49.8 + 0 +0 = 49.8
8 Oliver Townend/Armada (GBR) 39.5 + 0 + 12 = 51.5
9 Wendy Schaeffer/Koyuna Sun Dancer (AUS) 49.5 + 2.4 + 0= 51.9
10 Paul Tapner/Inonothing (AUS) 45.3 + 10.4 + 2 = 57.7
For full results CLICK HERE
HSBC FEI Classics™ 2012 Leaderboard (after 4 out of 5 events, due to cancellation of Badminton):
1 William Fox-Pitt (GBR) 30
2 Andrew Nicholson (NZL) 24
3 Michael Jung (GER) 15
4 Stuart Tinney (AUS) 15
5 Alison Springer (USA) 12
6 Lucinda Fredericks (AUS) 12
7 Sonja Johnson (AUS) 12
8 Boyd Martin (USA) 10
9 Andreas Dibowski (GER) 10
10 Emma Mason (AUS) 10
