One horse eliminated at Luhmühlen Horse Trials first trot-up *H&H Plus*

Find out what happened at the Luhmühlen first trot-up and who will be starting in the CCI5*

Twenty-five horses lined up for the Luhmühlen Horse Trials first trot-up for the Longines CCI5* this afternoon and all but one passed to move on to the dressage on Friday.

French rider Clara Loiseau’s second horse, Ultramaille, was eliminated when re-presented after being sent to the holding box. Clara still rides Wont Wait in the class.

The ground jury of Denmark’s Anne-Metter Binder, Germany’s Ernst Topp and Austria’s Katrin Eichinger-Kniely had the job of inspecting the horses, who represent 10 different nations.

Britain has five horses in the competition. David Doel brings forward three rides in Ian and Jane James’ Carneyhaugh Rua, Tim and Alice Page’s Dunges Don Perignon and Gillian Jonas’s Shannondale Quest.

Mollie Summerland will ride her own Charly Van Ter Heiden, having impressed at her first five-star at Pau Horse Trials last autumn, and Emilie Chandler starts on Maria Doel’s Gortfadda Diamond.

Emilie made a late re-entry to the Luhmühlen start list this week – she had headed to Bicton Horse Trials after the German travel ban, but pulled up across country after an early run-out and diverted when it was announced over the weekend that riders could seek exemptions to the travel ban and quarantine requirements for the event.

The Prices are probably the favourites to take the title, with three former five-star winners between them.

Tim Price presented Suzane Houchin, Lucy Sangster and Peter Vela’s Ascona M as well as Varenna Allen, Robert Taylor and his own Ringwood Sky Boy. His wife Jonelle Price rides Trisha Rickards, Jacky Green and her own Faerie Dianimo.

The home side’s firepower is mostly concentrated in the accompanying CCI4* Meßmer Trophy, but two Tokyo Olympic longlisted do contest the five-star – Christoph Wahler and Lena Thoenies Carjatan S, ridden by Christoph, and FischerWild Wave, ridden by double Olympic champion Michael Jung and owned by Michael, his father Joachim, mother Brigitte, brother Philip, Klaus and Sabine Fischer.

FischerWild Wave is Michael’s back up horse for Tokyo – he is expected to ride European champion FischerChipmunk FRH, who starts in the CCI4* here – but he should never be underestimated.

Michael Jung and FischerWild Wave at the first trot-up at Luhmühlen 2021. Credit: Annette Dölger / TGL

Two Irish riders will start – Michael Ryan on Carol and Tom Henry’s Barnahown Corn Hill and Cathal Daniels on Jo Breheny’s LEB Lias Jewel. Cathal was the European individual bronze medallist at this venue in 2019 on Rioghan Rua.

The USA also has a pair of starters forward in Ariel Grald on Anne Eldridge’s Leamore Master Plan and Jennie Brannigan on the syndicate-owned Stella Artois.

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Pippa Roome

H&H magazine editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.