Following the first FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Stockholm HRH Prince Philip warned that of exactly that, so when Rome stepped in after Dublin withdrew very late in the day it was little short of a miracle that this third edition was such a great success. The abandonment of the project was dramatic as Ireland is a country with a thoroughly developed horse tradition, and this was the second time the original bidder failed to live up to their promises.
In this difficult situation, the FEI Executive Board was very happy when several countries showed an interest in taking up the challenge despite the very short notice, and Aachen and Rome were two major contenders. Some four months after the withdrawal of Dublin, Rome was chosen as the official venue for the 1998 Games. Particular credit goes to the Italian National Federation President Cesare Croce, who showed much courage in taking on the project.
So how did the Italians manage to put it all together in a year? Sheer determination and the will to give it their best shot was the key - and against all odds, the FEI World Equestrian Games in Rome in 1998 was nothing short of a triumph. Similarly to Stockholm and The Hague, the sport in Rome was excellent. Financial aspects were skilfully handled mainly by Andrea Riffeser of Monrif Group, an important Italian publishing company; as far as can be ascertained, all expenses were covered.
And there was another big step forward. For several years equestrian sport encountered problems with TV coverage due to an unsatisfactory contract between the FEI and the German TV channel DSF which had replaced the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). In 1997 it finally became possible for the FEI to contract out. Following this decision, the FEI succeeded in restoring cooperation with the EBU, thus resulting in an improved TV situation for the 1998 FEI World Equestrian Games™.
A total of 86 riders took part in the Jumping championships which were staged in the slightly jaded, but nevertheless practical, Flaminio football stadium in the city. The weather gods were not helpful and torrential rain left the arena under water on the Jumping championship warm-up day, but the excellent footing recovered superbly.
The Germans took team gold for the second time in succession but were denied a back-to-back double of victories when Brazil's Rodrigo Pessoa became the youngest-ever winner of the individual title at just 25 years of age. Riding Gandini Lianos, and with a narrow lead after the first three competitions, Pessoa was joined in the change-horse final by defending team and individual champion Franke Sloothaak from Germany riding San Patrignano Joly, Willi Melliger from Switzerland whose big, graceful grey Calvaro was the revelation of the event and Frenchman Thierry Pomel with the impressive Thor des Chaines. Pomel had to settle for silver this time around while Sloothaak clinched bronze.
Sloothaak, Lars Nieberg (Loro Piana Esprit FRH) and the Beerbaum brothers Ludger (PS Priamos) and Markus (Lady Weingard) won the team competition ahead of France and Great Britain.
Another sensation of Rome 1998 was Nelson Pessoa, father of Rodrigo. He had finished fourth at the FEI World Jumping Championships in Buenos Aires (ARG) way back in 1966 and fifth individually at The Hague in 1994. He showed that, at the age of 62, he had lost none of his sparkle when slotting into third place in the opening speed leg, eventually finishing 11th with the brilliant Baloubet du Rouet who would go on to achieve even more great things with Rodrigo later in his spectacular career and become one of the most influential breeding stallions of the modern sport.
A record field of 84 horse-and-rider combinations from 29 countries competed in Rome where spectators witnessed thrilling duels between the two phenomenal protagonists Isabell Werth from Germany and The Netherlands’ Anky van Grunsven. The pair were in a league of their own, Van Grunsven and Bonfire pinning Werth and Gigolo into runner-up spot in the Grand Prix Special, but Werth turning the tables in the Kur to Music/Freestyle. Their scores were incredibly close every time, and Germany’s Ulla Salzgeber was third on both occasions with Rusty. But in the final analysis it was Werth who took home the individual title ahead of Van Grunsven in silver while Sweden’s Louise Nathorst and LRF Walk on Top claimed the bronze.
There was another change to the competition format, with the Grand Prix deciding the team medals and serving as a qualifier for the Grand Prix Special. The individual champion was the rider with the highest percentage from all three competitions, and Werth put down a marker with the highest score in the Grand Prix to lead her country to their eighth World Championship title when Karen Rehbein and the now 17-year-old Donnerhall lined up fourth ahead of team-mates Nadine Capellmann with Gracioso in fifth and Salzgeber in sixth.
The German victory was emphatic, with a margin of 80 points over The Netherlands in silver while Sweden took the bronze. Spain finished seventh on their team debut, with Beatriz Ferrer-Salat and three riders from the riding school in Jerez de la Frontera making up the Spanish side.
For the second time in his career New Zealand’s Blyth Tait took team and individual Eventing gold. The Kiwis were always strong favourites, with two previous World Champions and Olympic champions in their side, but the surprise was that Tait pipped his team-mate and double-Olympic champion Mark Todd for the individual title.
Germany led the way after the Dressage phase but Todd (Broadcast News), Tait (Ready Teddy), reigning World Champion Vaughn Jefferis (Bounce) and Sally Clark (Squirrel Hill) were just 4 penalties adrift going into cross-country day stalked by the Olympic champions from Australia. Torrential rainfall led to slippery conditions on the normally ideal footing at the cross-country venue at Pratoni del Vivaro, site of the Olympic three-day-event of 1960. However the Kiwis remarkable jumping consistency took them into the lead with three clears of the course within the time, their single disappointment beings five refusals from Squirrel Hill.
Todd was in the lead as the final showjumping phase began, but with only a fence in hand dropped to silver medal spot when leaving two on the floor, and this opened the door for Tait and Ready Teddy who soared home to clinch the gold while Sweden’s Paula Tornquist and SAS Monaghan snatched individual bronze.
The French seized team silver and the bronze medal initially went to team GBR, but it would many months later be awarded to the USA as British Athlete – and member of the British team - Polly Phillipps and her horse Coral Cove were disqualified following positive findings of a banned substance taken from her horse on 4 October 1998 at the event. Ninety-one horses started the competition, and 70 completed.
At the third FEI World Equestrian Games™ Switzerland’s Werner Ulrich became the first driver to win a world title in both Pairs and Four-in-Hand. Germany’s Michael Freund (GER) took silver and The Netherlands’ Ton Monhemius earned individual bronze. The competition was staged at Pratoni del Vivaro, also venue for Eventing cross-country, where rain did its best to stop play, but the extraordinary volcanic soil recovered in time to provide very acceptable conditions for a great championship battle.
Fourty-six carriages competed and it was a mixed field with 12 drivers making their World Championship debut. The Netherlands’ Ijsbrand Chardon took the lead after the Dressage phase followed by Joszef Bozsik (HUN), George Bowman (GBR), Tomas Eriksson (SWE), Michael Freund (GER) but the eventual individual champion moved up from sixth to first place after the Marathon phase, heading Freund in second and Eriksson in third going into the final Cones phase. The leading pair withstood the pressure to maintain their positions but Eriksson dropped from third to eighth with three cones on the floor allowing Dutchman Monhemius to move into bronze medal spot.
With three clear scores the Dutch took the team title ahead of Germany while Sweden clinched the bronze. This was the fourth World team title for the Dutch drivers who also came out on top in 1982, 1986 and 1988.
The Endurance event during the 1998 FEI World Equetsrian Games™ took place not in Rome but in the United Arab Emirates in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. With generous travel, transport and horse support, the championships attracted a record field of 175 riders from 38 nations. Valerie Kanavy of the United States on her new horse High Winds Jedi won the title ahead of Italian and Japanese competitors. New Zealand took the team title ahead of the USA and Australia.
The conservative world of Vaulting was “all shook up” by the performances of Eric Martonovich in Rome. Sporting a ponytail and accompanied by hip-hop music the 19-year-old American showed that for him at least Vaulting is a really fun sport. The medals went to the traditionalists, mainly German, but Martonovich opened the door to a whole new attitude to this popular sport.
The floods that caused chaos at the Eventing and Driving venue in Pratoni and huge concern at Flaminio Stadium also created major problems for the vaulters. Their competitions were moved to Santa Barbara, a training centre for Eventing riders some 70 kilometers north of Rome, but the dreadful weather followed them there and the athletes, spectators and support teams had to withstand wind and rain raging through the riding hall which was only partly enclosed.
It didn’t put a stop to great sport however as Germany won the team title with Switzerland and the United States taking silver and bronze. Nadia Zülow of Germany won the female title with Kerith Jemon of the USA and Germany’s Janine Oswald in silver and bronze. America’s Devon Maitozo claimed the male crown while Matthias Lang from France stood on the second step of the podium and Germany’s Henrik Ossenbrink was awarded bronze.
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