Captain Mark Phillips
After twelve years and thirteen events – including the European Championships 2011 – Mike Etherington-Smith will take over from Captain Mark Phillips as course designer for Luhmühlen. In 2013 the agreement between Turniergesellschaft Luhmühlen (TGL) and Mark Phillips was extended for another three years and will end after this year’s event.
Event director Julia Otto reminisces: “Before Mark was appointed course designer in 2005, he acted as TD (technical delegate) for two years. When I collected him from the airport for the first time in 2003, he asked me straight away, when Luhmühlen would become a four-star competition. From that moment on, we worked together to develop the event and transact our goal. I’m deeply grateful for his long-standing support. In addition to his outstanding work as Luhmühlen’s course designer, he always saw the big picture and considered the interests of our sponsors and the media. Even after the change, his great input in developing the cross country, the landscape and the tracks will continue”.
Michael Spethmann, TGL shareholder and representative of the main sponsors: “Thanks to Mark and his team for his wonderful cross country courses. We have enjoyed the exchange tremendously. Together we were able to achieve a big development for Luhmühlen and the eventing sport. Mark will always be an important part of Luhmühlen and a friend”.
Captain Mark Phillips: “Luhmühlen has always been a special place for me, as a rider, an official and obviously more recently as Course Designer. Julia Otto and her team have always been the most supportive and have produced a wonderful atmosphere in which to work. I can only thank her and her partners for their belief in me over the years and I feel privileged to have been able to help make Luhmühlen the special event that it is today. I would also thank David Evans and his team for the wonderful work they have done in building the fences and helping to improve the footing. I am sad to be leaving but look forward to seeing how Mike develops the course in the future, particularly with the new tracks through the woods before the Meßmer Teich”.
Mike Etherington-Smith, another highly experienced international course designer, will take over Luhmühlen’s course design. The 61-year old has designed the prestigious British events Chatsworth and Blenheim for many years and is currently designing the four-star-course in Adelaide. His CV includes the Olympic tracks in Sydney 2000 and Beijing/Hong Kong 2008, well-remembered for Hinrich Romeike’s gold medal on the great Holsteiner Marius, and the course of the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky 2010, where he also designed the CCI**** for many years: “I am truly honoured to have been asked to become the course designer at Luhmühlen, one of the highest profile and best organised events in the world with a superb reputation, and I am very much looking forward to working with Julia Otto and her excellent team. Mark has done a terrific job and I hope that I can continue his good work in further developing the courses that have proved to be so popular and successful.” Julia Otto is also looking forward to the collaboration: “We trust his great experience and are excited about working with Mike. It will be interesting to develop the cross country even further”.
Mike Etherington-Smith
