Shane Rose and CP Qualified
Australia’s Shane Rose and New Zealand’s Andrew Bennie have both done a quick turn around from the Melbourne International 3 Day Event to be at Luhmühlen this week.
Having won the last class of the day on Monday at Melbourne, Shane hopped on a plane to Germany to compete his Rio mount CP Qualified in the CCI4* at Luhmühlen while Andrew Bennie, President of the 3* Ground Jury at Melbourne, is also officiating in Germany
Andrew Bennie has a chat with Aidan Keogh
Sadly, one of Andrew’s first duties was to inform Ireland’s Aidan Keogh that his horse Master Tredstep would not be allowed to compete following elimination at the first horse inspection. Master Tredstep was re-presented after being sent to the Hold Box but was not accepted on second presentation; Pippa Funnell and Billy Beware had more luck, as did Julie Tew’s Simply Sox, as both were accepted on re-presenting
Following Julie’s horse, Tim Lips’ 12 year old Bayro was full of beans and is one to watch this year. They have had a quiet start to the year with a win at 2* level and fourth place in the ERM CIC3* at Wiesbaden but Tim will be keen to compete at this year’s World Equestrian Games for the Netherlands and will be looking for a good result here
Hold your horses! Tim Lips and Bayro
Britain has a raft of top riders here; Laura Collett and Mr Bass are on very good form, coming off a 3* win at Houghton while Tina Cook, unable to compete Badminton due to injury, has Star Witness ready for a run and Nicola Wilson has the bronze medal winning Bulana here. Nicola should start strongly in the dressage; she took Bulana to Bramham for a show jumping freshen up after having two rails down at Houghton, then withdrew before cross country in preparation for the 4*
Piggy French and Quarrycrest Echo are also on great form, having won the ERM CIC3* at Chatsworth but there are several combinations from other countries looking to stop the Brits in their tracks. New Zealand has Jonelle Price and Faerie Dianimo, second in their 3* run at Tattersalls recently and of course Australia’s Emma McNab and Fernhill Tabasco, who won that class, will be out for their first 4* win, having finished ninth at their first 4* at Les Etoiles de Pau last year
Emma McNab and Fernhill Tabasco
We’ll be keeping an eye out for young Cathal Daniels from Ireland too, on his recent 3* winner at Chatsworth, Rioghan Rua
If you’re wondering where the Germans are in all of this, as is usual in a Championship year they have chosen to compete in the CIC*** Meßmer Trophy, the German National Championship, so we have the joy of watching the German girls Ingrid Klimke (SAP Hale Bob), Bettina Hoy (Designer 10), Julia Krajewski (Samourai Du Thot) and Sandra Auffarth (Daytona Beach 8 and Viamant du Matz) battle it out, which should make for some great viewing
Other ones to watch in this class could be Sweden’s Louise Svensson Jähde on Wieloch's Utah Sun, Japan’s Yoshiaki Oiwa and The Duke Of Cavan and of course Australia’s Sammi Birch on Hunter Valley II who stopped by en route for some show jumping with Nelson Pessoa
But the CCI4* will be the main focus as fifty-one horses proceed to tomorrow’s dressage which will start at 1.10pm. Sandra Auffarth and Opgun Louvo as going to be the guinea pig ride before New Zealand’s Jesse Campbell (NZL) and Amsterdam 21 take to the arena at 1.30pm as first competitors.
Katja Weimann and BP Escapade will be the first out for Australia on Thursday
