Ingrid Klimke leads the CCI4* presented by DHL at Luhmühlen after today’s cross-country, riding the 2013 European individual silver medallist FRH Escada JS.
The home side rider was one of 13 to go clear and inside the time over Mark Phillips’ course, moving up from second after dressage.
“She was super fit and she jumps so big she jumps over the top of all the hedges — she loves it so much,” said Ingrid after her round on Madeleine Winter-Schulze and the German Olympic equestrian committee’s 11-year-old (video interview above).
Ingrid Klimke and FRH Escada JS at Luhmühlen 2015. Picture by Jon Stroud Media
New Zealand’s Jonelle Price sits second after a fault-free round on Trisha Rickards and Jacky Green’s Faerie Dianimo, although there was some confusion at the end of her round as she was mistakenly pulled up between the penultimate and final fences. However, she was restarted and given no time-faults.
“I had a beautiful round and she felt more campaigned and experienced than at Pau [where she was fourth],” said Jonelle. “I had no nervous moments — I didn’t hit any flags or anything — so I was confused when they started waving flags at me before the penultimate fence. I tried to ignore it and jumped the second to last, but then they were really waving flags at me, so I pulled up.
“It turned out it was an innocent mistake, which was unfortunate, but mistakes happen and it didn’t affect our round so no one is the worse for wear.”
Michael Jung is now third for Germany on La Biosthetique-Sam FBW, but he retired his other horse FischerRocana FST. The Rolex Kentucky winner lost her footing after jumping into the third water, the Meßmer Teich, and Michael did very well to stay on, but there was no way the pair could take the step up at 17b.
Overnight leader Julien Despontin jumped round clear on Waldano 36, but the young Belgian finished nearly a minute over the 11min 10sec optimum time and the resulting penalties dropped him to 19th place.
Five Brits started the cross-country after Tom McEwen withdrew Diesel before the off.
Kirsty Johnston pulled up Opposition Detective after two run-outs at the wall corner at 12b. Emily Lochore had a run-out at the skinny hedge off a bounce distance from the step at 17 after a hairy ride through with Hexmaleys Hayday, but she finished with 22.4 time-faults for 25th place.
However, three young British riders impressed. Nicky Roncoroni was just one second over the optimum time to move up to 17th with her mother Janey’s Stonedge. Willa Newton, on her father Joey’s Newmarket Vasco One, and Coral Keen, piloting Total Equestrian Construction and her father Steve’s Wellshead Fare Opposition, both went clear inside the time.
Willa has moved up to 15th and Coral is currently 11th.
“I was definitely napping before the start and thinking, ‘I don’t think want to do this’ but now I’m very happy and I think ‘Derby’ is very happy,” said Coral, who was achieving her first four-star cross-country completion.
There was some confusion over Clark Montgomery’s round, as the US rider looked to finish clear and one second over the optimum with Loughan Glen. However, he then appeared on the results as eliminated, believed to be because he actually jumped the wrong side of a flag at the angled brush at fence 28b. The current provisional results show him as seventh, with his elimination overturned, but they could still change.
More updates from Luhmühlen online tomorrow, full report in H&H this week, out Thursday, 25 June.
