New Zealand’s eventers gave it their all but could only manage fifth at the annual Aachen World Equestrian Festival in Germany overnight.
The weather played havoc with the top-flight international field, with just Australian Christopher Burton and Holstein Park Leilani managing to come home clear and inside time over the challenging cross country course to secure his second consecutive Aachen victory.
Jonelle Richards was the best of the Kiwis. She and The Deputy (owned by Lucy Sangster and Mr and Mrs T Morice) jumped a solid clear round, but picked up time faults to finish in 18th spot. Jonathan Paget and Clifton Lush (owned by Lucy Allison and Frances Stead) had a run out and picked up time faults to finish in 24th spot, with Andrew Nicholson and Quimbo (owned by Libby Sellar) just behind him in 25th after doing the same. The fourth team-member Clarke Johnstone and Incognito (owned by the Johnston family) had two outs and time faults to finish in 34th spot.
Individual rider Megan Heath and St Daniel also had time and jump faults to finish in 28th place.
Equestrian Sports New Zealand high performance coach Erik Duvander said it was a disappointing finish for the team, but all had given their best.
“We could have played it safe for a bronze, but it is never our intention,” he said. “We rose to chase that big prize but it just wasn’t our weekend.”
Duvander said the course had been every bit as tough as expected, with three days of rain making it slippery and more difficult..
“The margins are so fine here. With a course like this you need to be going fast, and that means high risk when they are riding to win.”
The invitation-only Aachen festival is the most important eventing team competition the New Zealanders target in non-championship years.
Results:
Christopher Burton (AUS) Holstein Park Leilani 35.6 penalty points 1, Sandra Auffarth (GER) Opgun Louvo 35.8 2, Michael Jung (GER) La Biosthetique-Sam FBW 42.4 3, Andreas Dibowski (GER) FRF Butts Leon 47 4, Kristina Cook (GBR) Miners Frolic 50.8 5, Dirk Schrade (GER) Hop and Skip 51.8 6, Jonelle Richards (NZL) The Deputy (owned by Lucy Sangster and Mr and Mrs T Morice) 77.8 18, Jonathan Paget (NZL) Clifton Lush (owned by Lucy Allison and Frances Stead) 84.6 24, Andrew Nicholson (NZL) Quimbo (owned by Libby Sellar) 85.4 25, Megan Heath (NZL) St Daniel 100.4 28, Clarke Johnstone (NZL) Incognito (owned by the Johnstone family) 131.80 34.
Team standings (after dressage, showjumping and cross country): Germany 130.6 1, Great Britain 182.6 2, Sweden 219 3, Australia 226 4, New Zealand 247.8 5, Ireland 261.8 6, United States 1,210 7.
- Diana Dobson, ESNZ Media Liaison
