Aachen is one of the highlights of the equestrian year –it isn’t just a horse show, by many it is considered to be THE horse show of the year which, unlike the Olympics or World Championships, takes place every year.
The big equestrian stars of Germany are in focus on home turf at Aachen Soers. This year Ingrid Klimke joined in the big night as part of the “Horse & Symphony” on July 9th, performing an impressive floodlit “pas de deux” with her brother Michael during the popular show event. And she is going to be busy throughout the event, not only competing in the Nations Cup Eventing on Horseware Hale Bob and SAP Escada FRH but also in the new competition, the Lavazza Prize on Saturday evening riding Parmenides
Superstar Ingrid Klimke is mobbed by fans
This new competition is going to be fast and furious. Ingrid will be just one of the best eventers in the world to climb into the saddle at the CHIO Aachen on Saturday evening to master the course of a new competition together with four-in-hand drivers and show-jumpers in front of 40,000 spectators
The combined jumping, eventing and driving competition features teams of two jumping riders, one eventing rider and one four-in-hand driver that enter the arena together. The jumping athlete starts first and jumps a course of 8 obstacles; when he/she crosses the finish line, the second jumping athlete of the team starts and jumps the same course.
When the second jumping rider crosses the finish line, the eventing rider will start his course of approx. 12 XC type obstacles (2-3 knockable obstacles) and after the last obstacle the athlete enters a paddock, dismounts and gives the horse to the groom then runs from the paddock to the driver`s waiting area and gets on the carriage
The driver must then drive an obstacle course with cones and Marathon-type obstacles, the time is taken from the moment the first athlete crosses the starting line until the driver passes the finishing line and the team with the fastest time wins (conversion of penalties into seconds - 2 seconds for a knock-down / 6 seconds for a disobedience)
Michael Jung and La Biosthetique Sam at the first horse inspection for CICO3* Nations Cup
Chris Burton, Tim Lips and the German superstars Sandra Auffarth, Ingrid Klimke and Michael Jung will each form a team together with two show-jumpers and a driver. Sounds like it’s going to be fun!
In the meantime the first horse inspection for the CICO3* Nations Cup took place on Thursday afternoon. This competition could be considered the dress rehearsal for the Olympics with so many Olympic combinations taking part and the team format taking focus; the dressage phase takes place on Friday from 8am until mid-afternoon with show jumping in the late afternoon and the cross country on Saturday
The Australian team and support crew get photo bombed by those pesky New Zealanders Tim and Jonelle Price! (But Chris Burton seems more interested in what is going on in front of them!)
All entries passed the first horse inspection on Thursday with just one notable change of Sir Mark Todd who apparently was a late scratching due to a delay with a visa renewal (hopefully all fixed in time for him to get to Rio!) so the New Zealand team will be Jonelle Price riding Faerie Dianimo, Tim Price on Bango, Jock Paget with Clifton Signature and Blyth Tait aboard Xanthus.
Australia is fielding a strong team of Sammi Birch and Hunter Valley II, Chris Burton and Nobilis 18, Sonja Johnson and Parkiarrup Illicit Liaison and Shane Rose riding CP Qualified. Sonja is the first rider out for Australia and is squashed between the two German dressage divas of Ingrid Klimke and Bettina Hoy – tough draw! Shane is drawn the last rider of the day which should make for a very exciting finish on Saturday’s cross country ........
Shane Rose and CP Qualified
With Sweden as the partner country, Abba had to feature in the Opening Ceremony with them riding into the arena on four Spanish grey horses to present the alta escuela to the sounds of “Waterloo” and “The Winner takes it all”
Bonjour les Francais! The French team on their cross country walk
Sonja Johnson and Parkiarrup Illicit Liaison present to the judges (with one eye on the camera)
Zara Tindall and High Kingdom are competing as individuals in the CICO3*
Phillip Dutton and Indian Mill, previously ridden by Paul Tapner, are competing as part of the US team
