The first day of the Jiva Hill Stables FEI Dressage European Championship in Crozet (FRA) delivered its share of surprises. In the end it was Katharina Hemmer (GER) who secured the lead for Germany with Denoix PCH, posting 75.699%. Britain’s Becky Moody sits close behind with Jagerbomb on 74.829%. Germany, Great Britain and Denmark currently occupy the top three spots in the team competition.
Strong start from Denmark
Early in the first group, Nadja Aaboe Sloth (DEN) with her own Favour Gersdorf produced a score of 71.227%, good enough to remain at the top of the leaderboard through 20 further starters, and to eventually finish the day in provisional third. The black gelding delivered a very solid test. Aaboe Sloth may not have taken every possible risk, but the result was a fault-free performance with a strong score for her team.
Early pressure for Germany and Britain
The first athlete who looked set to challenge that mark was Ingrid Klimke (GER) with Vayron FRH, but as the test progressed, tension began to creep in. The enormous Vayron (owned by Rudolf Spiekermann) impressed with huge lateral work and clean tempi changes, but stumbled in the second extended trot, showed tension in the rein-back and the second canter pirouette. Her 69.348% was not the start the German side – one of the leading favourites for the title – had been hoping for.
A setback also struck another medal contender, Great Britain. The test of Indigro, the horse of their first starter Andrew Gould, was halted by the judges. This puts considerable pressure on the remaining three British athletes, as all their results will now count towards the team classification.
Scandinavians impress with consistency
Both Sweden and Denmark made a strong impression on the opening day in Crozet, becoming the only two nations with both members breaking the 70% mark. Sweden’s Sofie Lexner partnered the diligent mare Inoraline W (owned by Christinelund Dressage) to 70.000%, while her vastly experienced teammate Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén steered Hyatt (owned by Lövsta Stuteri AB) to 70.373%.
Alongside Aaboe Sloth, Denmark also fielded Rikke Dupont, who made her Championship debut with Grand Galiano (owned by Gert Buchhave and Allan Hansen) and posted 70.000%. “I am very happy, I wanted to ride mistake-free, but did have one mistake at the end. Still, I am very pleased with this good start for the team,” Dupont said afterwards.
Dutch combination in the mix
Just six athletes managed to break the 70% barrier today. Among them was Thamar Zweistra (NED), who guided the talented chestnut Hexagon’s Luxuriouzz N.O.P.T. (owned by Stal Hexagon BV) into provisional fourth with 70.932%. That result also places the Dutch side in fourth in the team standings.
Hemmer delivers season’s best
It was only in the final group of the day that the tension really mounted, with Katharina Hemmer for Germany and Becky Moody for Great Britain carrying the weight of expectation. Hemmer was first of the two to enter with Denoix PCH (owned by Nancy Gooding and Hubertus Schmidt). Their convincing performance lit up the scoreboard with 75.699%, a clear lead. It was also her highest mark of the entire season, demonstrating peak form at exactly the right moment. The score remained unbeaten, putting Germany – the nation with the most team golds in the history of the European Championships – firmly on course.
“I am totally happy. There are always little things that can be better, today it was the rein-back and the one-tempi series. The first piaffe was also not yet optimal, but maybe that is nit-picking at the highest level,” Hemmer laughed. “He was super focused, gave me a great feeling, and I am very happy we could ride our Championship debut like this.”
Katharina Hemmer
(GER)
Moody keeps it close
Britain’s Becky Moody came very close with her home-bred Jagerbomb (owned by herself and Jo Cooper). At the beginning of her test she was trending well ahead of Hemmer, but two errors in the canter tour dropped the score slightly: Jagerbomb changed in the extended canter and there was a small hiccup in the canter zigzag. Gold still to be decided.
Defending team champions Great Britain and Germany now appear set for the closest battle for gold. But with only one score from each side counting so far, much can still change on the second day.
The Grand Prix resumes tomorrow morning at 10:00, with the final athlete entering the arena at 16:36. By the end of the afternoon, the destination of the team medals will be decided.