The 14-fence 1.55m track for day one of the Agria FEI World Showjumping Championships has received plenty of positive feedback from the riders, with mistakes coming all over the course set by Louis Konickx.
At the start of the day, the water jump was just in the shade of the grandstand and caused a few problems, while a triple bar-vertical double at fence 12 has also caught out a few horse-and-rider combinations.
At the halfway stage, just two combinations in this opening speed class had failed to complete the test. Nicola Philippaerts of Belgium remains the long-time leader, clear in 81.02sec riding Katanga VH Dingeshof.
French pathfinder Simon Delestre of France jumped clear with the Hickstead son Cayman Jolly Jumper and said: “I really liked the round today, it was difficult but fair – it’s not like a real speed class when you can go full gallop, and I really prefer it like that because you still had to ride and take some risks in just the right way.”
Simon also said that 1.55m, rather than 1.50m, was the right level for day one of a World Showjumping Championships.
“I think it’s one of the best I’ve ridden in a championship,” he said. “I think 1.55m is better for this kind of level because you have the best horses and the best riders.”
German pathfinder Marcus Ehning, who currently sits in seventh place with Stargold, tipped a rail at the triple bar, as did British pathfinder Joe Stockdale. Marcus’s time, 79.88sec, is the fastest of the day so far.
“Stargold felt amazing the whole round to where I had to the triple bar – I was a bit far off and didn’t push enough,” he reflected. “It was really a shame because my time was, I think, quite good. But, first of all, he jumped great and it’s quite hopeful for the next days.
“It’s quite a long track and there are 17 jumps so it will take something out of the horses. It’s a lot of jumping, but it’s quite a fair course – you can take many options to go short or long. I think [Louis Konickx] did a very good job.”
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