Three ladies top the podium (L-R) Sara Algotsson Osholt, Sarah Cohen and Julia Krajewski
Britain’s Sarah ‘Cutty’ Cohen celebrated her first Event Rider Masters (ERM) win, topping the podium at Leg 2 of the Event Rider Masters at Internationales Wiesbadener PfingstTurnier in Germany on Sunday
Drama unfolded right up to the very last horse and rider combination on the demanding Wiesbaden cross country course in the unique grounds of Biebrich Palace, significantly shuffling the final podium positions. It was the first time ever that three women have occupied all places on the podium, with Sarah scooping the 19,000 Euro (£16,000) first prize at the inaugural contintental leg of the series.
Sarah and the fifteen-year-old gelding Treason were always hot on the heels of the leaders across the two day ERM Eventing competition, climbing from fifth to third after jumping clear in the show jumping on Saturday morning. Sarah then piled on more pressure on the final two competitors on the cross country course, by performing the quickest round of the day adding just 3.6 time penalties, completing on a score of 46.8.
Ingrid Klimke (GER), the final rider and leader after the show jumping, gave an awesome cross country display until the final section of the course. However she left the home crowd in dismay when her horse SAP Escada FRH glanced off the second last fence in the main arena, handing victory to Sarah, dramatically dropping Ingrid from first to sixteenth place overall.
Sarah and Treason on their way to victory
As well as producing one of only two double clears and the fastest cross country time in the competition, Sarah now has a commanding lead on the overall ERM leader board with fifty-one points.
An elated Sarah said “We had a good time at Leg 1 finishing in sixth, so I decided to come to Wiesbaden. I wanted to be competitive but never thought I would win! I knew Treason was fit and he just wanted to gallop and jump today. He is my only horse and we have a great partnership as we have been together eleven years. I am over the moon with him".
Sarah, who was selected for the British team at the 2004 Athens Olympics now describes herself as a 'one horse amateur rider and mum' but she has had a great start to the 2017 season, easing in with a win in the CIC2* at Burnham Market and sixth in the CIC3* ERM at Chatsworth. She is hoping to head to Burghley later this year if the season continues as well as it has started
Julia Krajewski and Chipmunk FRH
Julia Krajewski (GER), who was in second place after the dressage, made a remarkable recovery following a costly show jumping round earlier on Saturday, dropping her to fifth place. Riding Chipmunk FRH the pair excelled on the cross country, adding just six time penalties, climbing back up the leader board securing the second podium spot and the 15,000 Euro prize, finishing on 54.2.
Julia, who now sits in equal fourth in the overall series alongside fellow German rider Bettina Hoy on twenty-eight points, said;
“It’s very exciting to be competing in the Event Rider Masters. In my last five starts at Wiesbaden I’ve finished second and although I am not on top of the podium this is a very good result. I was disappointed with our show jumping, but Chipmunk FRH certainly made it up on the cross country today”.
Sara Algotsson Osholt and Reality 39
Sweden’s Sara Algotsson Osholt riding Reality 39 recovered their third-place dressage position, after dropping to fourth in the show jumping after jumping clear but adding three time penalties. The combination delivered an excellent jumping round on cross country, adding 10.8 time penalties to finish on a score of 55.8. Sara finished in third place taking home 10,000 Euros in the process.
Sara who sits in equal sixth on the overall ERM leader board with Thomas Carlile (FRA) on twenty-six points, commented;
“It has been a fantastic competition this weekend. I was pleased with our show jumping but I felt the cross country wouldn’t suit Reality 39 with the twists and turns as he is a big horse, but he responded very well to the challenge and was superb today”.
Italy's Stefano Brecciaroli riding Apollo VD Wendi Kurt Hoeve moved into fourth place while Australia's Bill Levett, recently recovered from a training accident, took fifth place riding Shannondale Titan with the third fastest cross country ride
The journey from the UK was made worthwhile for Brazil’s Marcio Jorge and Coronel MCJ who earned nineteen ERM points, finishing in eighth position, putting him into second in the overall ERM series with thirty-seven points.
The next leg of the Event Rider Masters is at the St. James’s Place Barbury International Horse Trials on the 8th and 9th of July. The highlights programme of Leg 2 will be aired on international TV channels from Thursday 8 June.
To watch every minute of the weekend’s action, full results and information visit Eventridermasters.tv/events/2017/Wiesbaden
