Predictor Game

GB and
Klimke
Hit the Top

15 September 2018

Great Britain lead the way in the Team Eventing competition after two rounds

It was an action-packed day on the cross-country course as Eventing moved into stage two at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Tryon, North Carolina, with Great Britain taking the lead in Team and Germany’s Ingrid Klimke moving up to first place in the Individual competition.

 

With 80.8 penalty points, team Great Britain managed to top second-place Ireland, who have accrued 89.0 points, and third-place France with 91.8 points. Japan, fresh from their success at the Asian Games, are just outside of a podium position in fourth place with 100.9.​

 

Just behind Klimke in individual competition are Great Britain’s Rosalind Canter in second place (24.6 points) and Sarah Ennis of Ireland in third (26.3 points).

 

Can Team GB and Klimke hold on to their leads when the final stage of Eventing, Jumping, takes place on Monday?

Eighty-two riders galloped fast and furious across the course in Tryon, starting every three minutes to squeak in the event ahead of impending rain from Hurricane Florence.

And what a course it was, brilliantly designed by Captain Mark Phillips on a local golf course and chock full of uphill and downhill jumps, combinations, and water elements. It showed a tremendous insight into what horses see as they approach obstacles, but it was anything but easy.

 

Cascades in one of the water obstacles spooked some of the mounts, while some riders got caught out on the undulating terrain when landing jumps. Many competitors were ecstatic just to finish clear, even if it meant coming in a bit over the time, which was also a factor for a number of eventers.

 

The day wasn’t without its share of tumbles. Lauren Kiefer of the USA, Paulina Swindells of Finland, Simone Sordi of Italy, Jessica Phoenix of Canada, and Henrique Plombon Pinheiro of Brazil all had dramatic falls.

 

Amazingly, 19-year-old Robin Godel of Switzerland nearly hit the dirt, but hung on for a gritty recovery, finishing with his horse’s martingale snapped and dangling between its front legs.

 

There were some tremendous performances, however. Great Britain’s Kristina Cook, Tom McEwen, and Piggy French showed what the course could look like with near-textbook rides and why their team landed at the top of the leaderboard.

 

Germany’s Klimke was a woman on a mission Saturday, as she and SAP Hale Bob OLD charged across the finish line in the main arena exactly on the time limit. Klimke is only at 23.3 penalty points, and having come second in Dressage already, has the podium in her sights.

 

“He was just so full of himself today,” Klimke, the European 2017 individual gold medallist said of her horse. “He was very fast in the beginning, he really wanted to run.”

 

Julia Krajewski, runaway leader after the Dressage, fell back to 47th overall after her mount Chipmunk FRH ran into problems at the difficult fence 14.

 

As a result, Germany slipped back to sixth in the Team standings, the final qualification place for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Disappointing days for the likes of Blyth Tait, and Boyd Martin saw New Zealand and the USA drop out of that all-important top six.

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As well as Canter and Ennis there are number of riders set to give Klimke good chase in the Individual standings.

Thibaut Vallette Lt Col and Astier Nicolas of France, Tom Price of New Zealand, Padraig McCarthy of Ireland, and Lynn Symansky of the USA each finished in Saturday’s top 10.

 

Ireland's Ennis was in shock as she ended the second stage of the competition in podium positions in both Team and Individual competitions.

 

“I can’t believe we are actually here,” Ennis said. “He (Horseware Stellor Rebound) finds it very easy and he’s very fast. I think there might be a few drinks tonight.”

 

Just behind GB, Ireland and France, Japan can’t be counted out in the team competition, as they are sitting proudly in fourth place. The Netherlands, Australia, Sweden and Germany makie up the top six.

 

With Jumping yet to come on Monday, after being rescheduled from Sunday due to the weather, the leaderboard could change again, and medals are within reach for many riders. Catch the excitement on FEI TV, and cheer for your favourite Team and Individual competitors in FEI World Equestrian Games™ Eventing.

 

Text by Patricia Salem

Images by Christophe Taniere / Martin Dokoupil

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