Michael Jung and Lennox 364 at Le Lion d'Angers 2015 - more recently Lennox has been ridden by Michael's pupil, Australia's Isabel English
Michael Jung may have sat it out on the sidelines at the FEI World Equestrian Games, attending only to help his pupil, Poland’s Pawel Spisak, but his presence on the German team is being felt at Waregem Horse Trials in Belgium.
Michael leads the CICO3* Nations Cup competition on board Lennox 364 with a score of 23.80 after the dressage and show jumping phases. This is not Michael’s nominated Nations Cup team horse but he is also in fourth place riding FischerGreenline (27.10) and, with team mates Julia Krajewski riding Samurai Du Thot in second place (24.6), Julia Mestern on Grand Prix IWEST in fifth (27.20) and Christophe Wahler riding Carjatan S in 66th place (38.80), Germany leads on a total score of 78.90
Great Britain is in second place (92.40) with Millie Dumas and Artistiek the top placed British team member in eighth on a score of 28 while Will Furlong and Collien P 2 are in 18th place, Sarah Bullimore riding Valentino V is currently in 28th place and Flora Harris with Amazing, also in 28th place, is the discard score.
Sweden is close behind in third place on a team score of 93.90 with Therese Viklund riding Diabolique their star performer in third place individually
William Fox-Pitt was originally named as part of the British squad but he is now competing as an individual and is currently in sixth place riding Little Fire
Kevin McNab is the only Australian rider competing at Waregem, currently in 61st place riding Don Quidam, who had a strong start with a dressage score of 29.60 but unfortunately added eight penalties in the show jumping
Interestingly there is also a CICOJ1* taking place at Waregem with Germany also leading the Junior Nations Cup competition and Ingrid Klimke is leading the CIC2* on board Asha P.
Belgium’s Jarno Verwimp on Tabries is preventing a German whitewash by leading the CIC1* but only just, as Ingrid and Michael are in second and third places in this class too. In fifth place is New Zealand’s Caroline Powell on board Master Higgins, a name that a few in Australia might recall as the horse ridden by young British rider Jess West whilst she was working with Sonja Johnson in Western Australia and Kevin McNab is currently in 13th place in this class on Grantstown Joules
Cross country takes place on Sunday and you can watch the live stream via the Waregem website
From Western Australia to Waregem - the gorgeous Mister Higgins with Britain's Jess West on board at Swand River Horse Trials 2017
