by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 7, 2024
Here’s a lesson that rider Richard Vogel learned the hard way in the Rolex Grand Prix Sunday at Aachen—don’t celebrate your victory until you’re sure you’ve won.
Richard Vogel celebrates victory a moment too early.
The German, a real star in the show jumping at the International Equestrian Festival this year, was on his way to claiming the featured class aboard the fabulous United Touch S as they rose over the last jump. While his horse was landing with what would be the fastest time (38.64 seconds), he raised his arm in triumph and gave a thumbs up. Except that a rail was falling at the Rolex vertical even as he did so.
“I didn’t take all the risk to the last and I was still quite sure the time was good enough and then he was over the fence in front, but not behind yet. He touched it lightly behind and we had the rail,” said Richard, noting before the pole hit the ground, “I was sure the luck was on our side.”
Richard, who won the show’s style award, wound up third, behind runner-up McLain Ward of the U.S. on Ilex (clear in 41.02) and German rider Andre Thieme (0/39.77), who was overcome with emotion as he realized he just had earned the prestigious title. The first thing he did was repeatedly kiss his horse, DSP Chakaria, saying “I love her just like my wife.”
(His wife doesn’t mind that when she gets a winner’s check, he noted).
“She’s a lifetime horse for me,” he said of the 14-year-old Brandenburg mare (Chap 47 X Askari 173).
Although he’s the former European champion, Andre is very modest. So when it came to a class that is “every rider’s lifetime dream,” Andre confided, “I thought I’d never have a chance, ever.”
Andre Thieme enjoys his victory gallop.
His victory came because “I turned really short and aggressive” to the next-to-last fence” he recounted, but as he headed to that fateful Rolex vertical, he kept thinking “I’m not going to get there. But somehow, I got there and she cleared it. I think the risk to the last two jumps and her quickness made it in the end happen.”
He couldn’t ask for anything more than what he achieved in front of a cheering crowd of 40,000.
“If I would be two years older, I’d probably say `I’m done now,’” the 49-year-old rider mused.
For his part, “I thought this morning that if I was ahead of Richie, it was good enough,” said McLain, who is buddies with Vogel.
“This grand prix has eluded me.”
McLain Ward and Ilex. (U.S. Equestrian photo)
As he watched Andre go and saw that he had beaten Ilex’s time, McLain briefly put his head in his hands and then, in a gesture of sportsmanship, gave Andre a thumbs-up.
McLain learns he has lost the class, but gave a thumbs up to Andre a moment later.
This was only the second jump-off experience McLain has had with Ilex, who will be his mount for the Paris Olympics. The 11-year-old Dutchbred gelding (Baltic VDL X Chin Chin) was ridden by Fabio Leivas Da Costa of Brazil until McLain started showing him in February.
“I believe in his stride and his step,” said McLain.
“He did everything exactly the way I planned. In hindsight, I could have done eight (strides) to the last pretty easily. You always kick yourself a little bit. Andre took a great risk and it paid off and that’s great sport.”
McLain placed high in the classes he entered and was awarded a trophy for being the best-placed jumping rider over the course of the show, but didn’t win a competition. He noted, though, that “it probably would have been a very good Aachen” if Richard “hadn’t had the week of a lifetime.”
You can see why Richard Vogel won the style award at Aachen. (Hubert Fischer photo)
Aachen was the first leg of the Rolex Grand Slam for Andre. Next up is Spruce Meadows. Anyone who wins three legs in row gets a 1 million Euro bonus. Only one rider, Scott Brash of Great Britain, has ever done it.
Spruce Meadows hosts the next leg of the Rolex Grand Slam this September.
The Aachen grand prix drew 40 starters, with 18 qualifying for a second round over a different route designed by Frank Rothenberger. Only four then made the tiebreaker.
In its detailed form guide, EquiRatings gave United Touch S a 7 percent chance of winning, along with Baloutinue, the mount of the USA’s Laura Kraut, and Dallas Vegas Batilly, ridden by Britain’s Ben Maher. That horse won the Halla Trophy for being the most successful jumping horse of the show. EquiRating’s highest win chance of 11 percent was Leone Jei, ridden by Martin Fuchs of Switzerland. He wound up fourth with 4 faults. Neither Chakaria or Ilex had their win chances rated.
Finishing twelfth with a knockdown in the first round and a clean trip in the second round was Laura with Baloutinue. She will be McLain’s teammate at the Olympics, along with Kent Farrington (who wasn’t at Aachen).
“It’s a nice set-up to Paris,” said U.S. Coach Robert Ridland, who was happy to end on a good note after his team failed to qualify for the second round of the Nations Cup on Thursday.
Asked if thought he might be named to the fourth spot on the German team in the Olympics, Andre said no, noting that chance was gone when he didn’t produce a clear round in the Nations Cup. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. He had been so tense worrying about making the Games team that it affected his performance.
“I wanted it too much,” he explained.
“My wife said I was not the same person.”
When he finally gave up on the hope, “something changed and I felt relieved, I felt myself again.”
So he had a beer.
“I can live with being number five for the Olympics,” he said.
The show, which drew more than 370,000 visitors over 10 days, ended with its traditional, “Farewell to the Nations.”
Everyone in the stands waved white handkerchiefs while the riders, some on foot and some on horseback, joyfully waved back (and drivers with two four-in-hands did the same) to the traditional tune about leaving, “Muss I Denn” played over and over.
There’s nothing like Aachen anywhere else on earth.
click here for results of Rolex Grand Prix
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 6, 2024
There was some good news for U.S. dressage at the Aachen International Equestrian Festival Saturday.
It was comeback time for Steffen Peters in the 4-star Grand Prix Freestyle, where he and Suppenkasper finished third in the wake of a frustrating nineteenth-place effort in the Grand Prix on Thursday.
Mopsie, as Suppenkasper is known, was swinging to his familiar music, “We Can Dance” and living up to “Staying Alive,” as he and Steffen finished on 76.430 percent.
The class was won by U.S.-based Julio Mendoza Loor, who rides for Ecuador, on his Pan American Games individual gold medal mount, Jewel’s Goldstrike (78.920). His dream was only to ride at Aachen, but to win was more than he hoped for.
Julio Mendoza Loor and Jewels Goldstrike. (Hubert Fischer photo)
Steffen was another rider thrilled with how well his horse did, and joyfully praised Suppenkasper.
“A wonderful freestyle tonight,” enthused Steffen, a member of the U.S. Olympic team.
“Of course, a bit tricky after the difficult Grand Prix. Mopsie was still very excited this evening. In the beginning, the first centerline clearly showed some tension.”
But as the 16-year-old Olympic veteran who became the “rave horse’” after his freestyle at the Tokyo Olympics went viral, moved through the two-tempis and his first pirouette, “he settled down and did a wonderful, clean freestyle with a relaxed walk tour, very good piaffe/passage,” Steffen pointed out.
The rider complimented “a very good confident horse I will have the pleasure to ride in Paris.”
Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper in the freestyle. (U.S. Equestrian photo)
He thanked chef d’equipe Christine Traurig for her help, as well as his team of 20 years, from his wife, Shannon, to Mopsie’s owners Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang, as well as the horse’s groom and veterinarian.
Earlier in the day in the 5-star Grand Prix Special, Endel Ots came close to a personal best with Zen Elite’s Bohemian, finishing tenth (72.064 percent). He led the way as the U.S. squad was fourth by mere fractions of a point in the Lambertz Nations Cup team standings. Endel and Bo are the traveling reserve combination for the Olympic team.
Jane, the 10-year-old mare who has been a sensation during the U.S. riders’ European tour, has had no real experience in front of a big crowd and was not up to her usual standard in the Special. She looked tense in front of the fans in the Deutsche Bank Stadium. It was obvious she wasn’t operating on her usual wavelength right from her entry and halt, for which she got a mark of 6.2. Rider Marcus Orlob stayed cool and did a good job of getting through the test, but he finished sixteenth on 70.468 percent.
Click here for the dressage Nations Cup team standings.
The U.S. riders deserve a lot of credit for the team’s very respectable placing against more experienced riders from other countries.
Endel Ots and Bohemian in the Special. (U.S. Equestrian Photo)
“I was super happy with Bohemian today,” said Endel, who was sick but persevered. Aachen is unseasonably cold and a lot of people have picked up a bug.
This photo of Frederic Wandres on Bluetooth Old says it all about Saturday’s Aachen weather.Endel, who had never competed at Big Tour internationally until he got the ride on Bohemian, noted it was windy with “a little bit of weather, but the atmosphere was great. It was really fun to ride at Aachen and finish in top 10 in the Grand Prix Special. My goal was just do a nice harmonious Grand Prix Special test.”
He only began riding the horse this year, and keeps polishing his partnership with the gelding, who was fourth in the Tokyo Olympics with Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour of Denmark in the saddle.
“Each time I take him and ride him in the ring and show him, I get a better idea of what he needs from me to help him. I was really happy with him. He stayed with me, he was really calm in that show environment,” Endel pointed out.
“It was just more so me piloting him around, helping him with the balance here and there. He knows the test so well like the back of his hand (hoof?). It was really fun. I’m really looking forward to the freestyle.”
That will be happening Sunday as the show ends its run at the Soers. It likely will be another chance for Germany’s Isabell Werth to shine on Wendy de Fontaine, the mare on which she won the Special with a resounding 78.085 percent to lead her nation’s squad to the team title.
Isabell Werth collects another trophy with Wendy de Fontaine. (Franziska Sack for CHIO Aachen)
Isabell noted of Wendy, who is a new ride for her this year, “She always wants to give her best. It felt very harmonious today and I have the impression we are gradually becoming one unit.”
Click here for the Grand Prix Special results.
In other good news for the USA, Chester Weber — the lone American in the four-in-hand driving competition — is standing third. He was twelfth in the marathon, won by who else but world number one Boyd Exell. Chester’s victory in the dressage last week boosted his standing as he set his sights on the podium.
Chester Weber in the marathon.
Click here for marathon results
Click this link for individual standings
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 6, 2024
The U.S. didn’t bring its Paris Olympic eventing team to Aachen, but the squad that finished second Saturday at the International Equestrian Festival demonstrated the country has some impressive depth for the future.
Chef d’Equipe Bobby Costello said the riders’ performances and their placing “proved a couple of things. One, that the U.S. is here to stay and we intend on being a player at the highest level of the sport. But I also was excited we came here with a mixed team, either riders who did not have a lot of international experience, and also a couple of young horses with more experienced riders.
“To me that was the cool thing,” he continued, noting it demonstrates that Eventing Emerging and Developing Coach Leslie Law’s program “is really working and the pathway all the way to the top is producing results.”
The British – the favorites for Olympic gold with different horses and three other riders — won the SAP Cup title handily with a score of 112.8 penalties. (Olympic team member Laura Collett rode DaCapo here, but will be aboard London 52 in Paris). The USA accumulated 123.7 penalties, while Ireland was third on 138.
James Alliston was the top finisher of the U.S. contingent, ninth on Karma. Alyssa Phillips finished fourteenth on Oskar, Liz Halliday sixteenth with Shanroe Cooley and Hallie Coon’s stop with Cute Girl at the next-to-last cross-country fence put her thirtieth.
James Alliston and Karma, the top-finishing U.S. pair in eventing, on cross-country at Aachen. (Photo U.S. Equestrian)
James moved up from thirty-third in dressage to twenty-third after the best show jumping round of the competition, and wound up ninth overall. He was fourth in the cross-country phase, with just 2.40 time penalties over a course designed for the last time by Rudiger Schwarz.
Bobby noted that when he and the riders walked the “masterfully designed” course, it seemed, “significantly less intense than the previous two years I’ve been here. But we knew with it being Aachen and the speed factor and everything coming up so quickly, it wasn’t going to be a cakewalk but it was really interesting that it caused as much trouble as it did. We knew not to take it for granted but we had a simple plan we tend to like to stick with, as clean and as fast as we can go, get all the jumps done first.”
James called his first time at Aachen, “An awesome experience. Being in a team dynamic, you don’t get to experience that all the time. There’s been more pressure and you have to deal with that sort of thing.”
The U.S. eventing team victory gallop: Liz Halliday, James Alliston, Alyssa Phillips and Hallie Coon. (Photo US Equestrian)
In that intance, the team’s pathfinder on cross-country noted, “going first is a little bit more challenging.” But he added, “I was really happy with the horse. We had a great environment with all the teammates. We weren’t far away from gold either, a few little things could have been different.”
Of Karma, the Californian noted, “She’s an exciting horse, a really good athlete, good jumper, a lot of energy. The dressage has taken a little bit of time.”
But James quickly mentioned that the mare is “definitely moving in the right direction.”
He thinks the Oldenburg, a mere 10 years old, will relax and improve “as she learns the sport and learns the first phase.”
Karma was bred on the west coast by Casey Crowley’s family in Oregon. Her trainer found she was freezing in the arena, so he sent her to James. When he phoned a few weeks later to find out how she was doing, James advised that while Karma was not freezing anymore, she was “sort of flying around.”
James said Karma was “pretty hot, and as a result, he said, I don’t think I can sell her.”
“So then they said, `Do you want her?’ and James’ answer was, of course, “yes.”
In October, the Maryland 5-star is “a possibility” for James and Karma, but he noted they had done a lot in a short amount of time. So he is “a little bit cautious of going too gung-ho.”
Individual gold went to Germany’s Julia Krajewski for the second time. She also won in 2018.
Julia Krajewski and Nickel 21, individual winners in eventing. (Hubert Fischer photo)
“Winning Aachen is something very special, almost as big as a championship,” said the only woman to take individual gold in Olympic eventing.
Of her victory, she said, “I don’t think it’s something many people predicted,” adding that “makes it very special.”
It was also very emotional.
“We cried a lot. The owner is still crying,” she chuckled.
Despite losing a shoe, her mount didn’t miss a beat.
“Nickel is such a genuine horse who wants to do everything right. He basically waits for me to tell him what to do and then he does it.”
Click here for team results
Click here for individual results
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 4, 2024
It was a disappointing way to spend the Fourth of July for the Americans at the Aachen International Equestrian Festival.
The U.S. show jumping team failed to qualify for the second round of the 1 million Euro Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup Thursday during the world’s greatest horse show, after three of the riders logged 4 faults each.
Laura Kraut and Baloutinue put in a clear round for the USA. (U.S. Equestrian photo)
Only Laura Kraut produced a clear round, riding Baloutinue in the test watched by 40,000 spectators.
Teams from 10 countries took part, but under the class specifications, just eight were allowed to continue into the second round over the same course designed by Frank Rothenberger.
The USA is Aachen’s partner country this year as the festival marked its hundredth anniversary, and the show made a big effort at halftime to highlight that, with a country singer and a cowboy galloping around the arena with an American flag. And there was even an American flag plank jump on the course. But sadly, it just wasn’t the USA’s day. (Switzerland, the defending title holder, wound up last and also didn’t make the cut.)
Instead, the Irish—whose first rider had the first fence down—rallied to finish on zero faults, after the 4-fault penalty became the drop score. The anchor rider, Cian O’Connor, didn’t even have to jump Fancy de Kergane in the second round after teammate Shane Sweetnam clinched victory with a sparkling clear performance under pressure on James Kann Cruz to secure the 250,000 Euro winner’s prize for his homeland. It was the sixth time the Irish won the class at Aachen, but the first since 2010.
Shane modestly downplayed what he did, explaining, “It gets easier knowing you have strong teammates that you can count on.”
Shane Sweetnam, the Irish team hero, aboard James Kann Cruz. This jump depicts Charlemagne, who had his capital at Aachen before show jumping was invented.
Mexico, which hadn’t sent a team to Aachen in 20 years, was second on a total of 4 penalties after a remarkable effort by their anchor, Eugenio Garza Perez on Contango, that matched Shane’s trip for drama.
“We are literally speechless,” said team member Federico Fernandez.
“We are so grateful to the organizers for allowing us to take part. It is the most important show in the world. It is magic in every respect. To ride into this stadium gives you goosebumps. It is an amazing feeling, an adventure, a dream. We will never forget it.” In addition to Federico and Eugenio, others on the team were Nicolas Pizarro and Andres Azcarraga, the latter having flown in from Spruce Meadows in Canada.
Britain was third with the same score and a slower time. Robert Whitaker of that team noted, “We were close to winning it. Everyone rode well and the horses jumped brilliantly. We are really happy with the result.”
U.S. Coach Robert Ridland, who will announce his Olympic team after this show, noted, “Obviously, the result today was disappointing for the entire team. We are always aiming for the second round and for the podium and that’s a collective mindset. But I thought all our horses jumped really well and the cards just didn’t fall in our favor.
“There were a lot of clears in the first round, which left very little room for error in terms of the first round scores. Laura and Baloutinue jumped a great clear for us and there is still plenty of jumping left this week.”
McLain Ward had a pole down in the middle element of the triple, which Ilex seemed to jump a bit out of stride.
McLain Ward and Ilex. (U.S. Equestrian photo)
Natalie Dean on Acota M was going clear until she had a knockdown at the final fence, while Katie Dinan with Out of the Blue SCF dropped a pole at the Liverpool marked with the German coat of arms that was a big trouble spot on the course.
The Irish team consisted of three of the riders who will be going to Paris for the Olympics; Shane and Cian, who are on the team, and Bertram Allen, the traveling reserve. The third team rider, Daniel Coyle, is not showing at Aachen.
Michael Blake, Ireland’s ebullient chef d’equipe, congratulated the Mexican and British teams for “pushing us all the way to the line.”
He complimented the enthusiastic spectators, noting, “This show and the Dublin show, the crowds are so big and so knowledgeable.”
The Irish team and Michael Blake. (Jennifer Metzner photo)
EquiRatings’ interesting form guide for the Nations Cup had a lot of great statistics, even if it didn’t pick the winner. Germany, which has won the class 30 times since 1929, more than three times what any other nation has done, was given a 40 percent podium chance (it finished sixth). The U.S. was given a 39 percent chance (and we know what happened to that team), France 38 percent (they were seventh) and Ireland a 34 percent chance. And I’m going on the record to announce Ireland is my pick for Olympic gold. I have heard the Irish national anthem played more times than any other at shows I reported on this year.
Click here for the team standings.
Click here for the individual standings
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 5, 2024
The U.S. eventing team at the Aachen International Equestrian Festival is in podium position—just—after dressage and show jumping, the first two phases of the three-part test.
The squad stands on 102.100 penalties, only 0.5 ahead of fourth-place New Zealand. Great Britain leads the way on 96.3, with Australia on 100.1.
Dressage wasn’t the best, but the team recouped in the afternoon show jumping.
The highest-placing American Friday was Hallie Coon, sixteenth for the two segments with Cute Girl, one spot ahead of Alyssa Phillips on Oskar. James Alliston was first in the jumping with Karma, moving up to twenty third from thirty third in dressage. Liz Halliday is one placing ahead of James on Shanroe Cooley.
Eventer Hallie Coon and the aptly named Pretty Girl. (Photo U.S. Equestrian)
And guess who was in first place?
Who else but Germany’s superstar Michael Jung with fischerChipmunk FRH? He won the dressage and came fourteenth in the jumping on time, while adding no jumping faults to his 22.5 penalty dressage mark. But the multi-gold medalist isn’t taking his Olympic horse cross-country. So another German, Julia Krajewski, is actually first on Nickel 21 with 23.9 penalties. Julia was the first woman to take the individual gold in Olympic eventing when she achieved that feat in Tokyo three years ago.
Michael is on the team with another horse, Kilcandra Ocean Power (42.20), but he had two rails. That didn’t help the fortunes of the German squad, which stood sixth on Friday afternoon.
Bobby Costello, the U.S. chef d’equipe is pleased so far with his team. But Saturday’s cross-country laid out by Rüdiger Schwarz will tell the tale, as it always tends to do at Aachen–even if the designer has borne in mind that most teams are using it as a prep for the Paris Olympics.
“After a bit of a slow start in the dressage this morning, all four of our athletes rode really classy and clear rounds to move right up into the conversation for tomorrow,” Bobby said.
“The cross-country is serious, as it usually is here in Aachen, and our riders have a very clear plan for what they need to do.”
In the big dressage arena Friday, no U.S. riders were competing. The team will reappear Saturday in the 5-star Grand Prix Special.
But there was plenty of action in that discipline as world champion Lottie Fry of Great Britain made it two-for-two in her Aachen recordbook as she took the 4-star Grand Prix Special on her Paris Olympic mount, Glamourdale, the way she won the Grand Prix – almost.
Her second pirouette this time went astray when her mount did a flying change and then lost his balance in the pirouette.
But no matter. His quality was such that he was marked at 80.107 percent, far ahead of runner-up Isabell Werth on Quantaz DSP. The German pair was marked at 75 percent, ahead of another German entry, Frederic Wandres on Duke of Britain FRH (73.128)
“To be honest,” said Lottie, “that was one of the best feelings that he has ever given me in a test.”
Lottie Fry and Glamourdale at Aachen. (Photo © DigiShots)
So why the error?
“I was so pleased with my pirouette to the left that I somehow forgot to ride the rest of the center line. So it was my own fault. But in the remaining parts of the test, he was so focused on me, had so much `go’ and so much fun in there. That was the best feeling I could have wished for before Paris.”
Dressage for fun was not neglected either. The Prize of Handwerk is a quadrille competition, and the winners took the USA’s Partner Nation status for 2024 seriously.
The District Association of Bergisch Land was directed by their team leader, Norma Frerck, dressed as the Statue of Liberty. They rode to the song, “Hit the Road Jack.”
The winning quadrille team. (Photo by Hubert Fischer)
Dressed in the traditional Uncle Sam red, white and blue costumes, Stefanie Haase with Chestnut K, Nicola Heynen with Livius, Heike Holtkamp with Sambuko and Ramona Müller with Dr. Mo, were excellent.
“Anyone who manages to get a Statue of Liberty rocking has achieved a great deal,” said judge Katrina Wüst, who awarded the quartet 93 percent for their second victory in a row.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 4, 2024
The only U.S. entry in the Aachen four-in-hand driving, Chester Weber showed style and grace in winning the dressage phase with a score of 35.59 penalties over Australia’s Boyd Exell, the world number one, marked at 38.79.
Chester, the world number 11, said modestly, “There were no obvious mistakes.”
Chester Weber during his winning four-in-hand dressage test. (U.S. Equstrian Photo)
Even with top horses and fantastic facilities for preparation at Aachen, “you still have to get it done,” he pointed out.
One of Chester’s wheelers is Nico Teusje C, who has a story behind him.
“He was a Covid purchase,” said Chester, who explained that during the pandemic, he was going through Facebook saw Nico and another horse on line.
“They were quite young,” he mentioned, but he bought them over the phone anyway. One of them didn’t work out for the four-in-hand, but Nico certainly did.
“This one keeps stepping up and stepping up. This one kept impressing me,” he said of the wheeler.
“We’re always tweaking the plan and trying to listen to what the horses tell us.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 3, 2024
Boyd Martin remains the top American on the FEI’s eventing ranking list, but he has dropped from second to sixth. Meanwhile, Caroline Martin Pamukcu, who will be his teammate at the Olympics this month, made a big jump up from twenty first to eleventh. Liz Halliday Sharp, U.S. Olympic reserve rider, went from nineteenth to fourteenth.
The biggest change was at the top, with Great Britain’s Oliver Townend dropping from first to second after nine months as his compatriot, European Champion Ros Canter, hit number one. Ros is on the team for the Olympics; Oliver is not.
“I was quite shocked to hear I’m world number one.” said Ros, “as it was something that wasn’t on my radar. It’s really exciting news, and I’m thrilled for my whole team because this is a joint effort. I’ve been really lucky to have some fantastic horses in my team.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 27, 2024
One of the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s first employees has become its executive director, as Whitney Allen succeeds Kevin Price in the role.
Whitney, formerly USHJA’s director of operations, started her work in governance with the American Horse Shows Association, the predecessor of the U.S. Equestrian Federation. She earned a master’s degree in sports science with a business minor at the University of Kentucky, and has also served as marketing director and managing director of sponsorship for USHJA before taking over the operations position.
Britt McCormick, who became USHJA president in April, said, “We are delighted that Whitney Allen is stepping into the role of executive director. She is a multi-talented, visionary leader with a complete set of creative, strategic and analytical skills to guide our organization in a highly competitive and evolving environment.”
He added, “She has proven operational and leadership experience, a tremendous passion for success and a deep network of relationships within our industry. She also fully embraces the principles of excellence, dedication and service on which the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association was founded. We are confident she will build upon the organization’s legacy and lead us toward a successful future.”
Britt added that the board and USHJA appreciated Kevin Price’s “steady leadership. With many key achievements under Price’s tenure, the United States Hunter Jumper Association is ready for new leadership to build on our past successes and realize our full potential for the future.”
For her part, Whitney said, “I am honored to step into the role of executive director.
“I have great respect and appreciation for what our team has accomplished, and I look forward to leveraging our strong foundation to expand our reach and impact. I have the clear goal of moving the organization forward by working with the board to identify and pursue growth opportunities, collaborating with and inspiring our team, and delivering improved performance for our stakeholders. I cannot wait to get started and take advantage of the significant opportunities ahead.”
Under Whitney’s leadership as director of operations, the organization significantly improved its operational efficiency and strategic direction, driving growth and enhancing performance. Allen spearheaded key initiatives, including the development of innovative marketing strategies and successful sponsorship programs.
In her volunteer roles, Whitney has been a long-time board member of American Horse Publications, where she served as president for five years and is now treasurer. She is also president of the Secretariat Center’s board.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 4, 2024
The USA just missed the podium in the Grand Prix that opened the 5-star dressage team competition at the Aachen World Equestrian Festival on Thursday morning. The team finished fourth with a total of 214.283 percent behind third-place Denmark (215.544).
The squad was led by Olympic team member Marcus Orlob on Jane, who did not disappoint as he came in seventh individually (73.326 percent) on Alice Tarjan’s 10-year-old mare.
Although she was excited upon entering the arena, Jane soon paid attention to her work.
As he went down center line, Marcus said, “I was just praying she behaves better than going in. That’s all I was thinking. Once I turned on the first medium trot, she actually was still a little bit tense and looky, but I knew I had the forward drive, then I said, `Okay, I think I’m in a good place.’
“This was a new experience, with the people, with a huge stadium,” he pointed out.
“It was a little bit shocking for me to see her act like this, but usually she’s learning, she’s smart, actually she allows me then to push her each show a little bit more, show a little bit the brilliance she has.
Piaffe and passage are the strongest points of Marcus Orlob’s mount, Jane.
“In general, the piaffe/passage is a highlight…on the last centerline she was really breathing and relaxing. I was happy with her because I could actually finish on a good note.”
What is he hoping comes out of his work before the Olympics?
“I think, honestly, to trust each other more. It’s a brand new relationship…specially with this scary moment in the beginning, I hope that she trusts me more.”
The third score that counted for the U.S. total was Anna Marek’s mark of 69.522 percent on Fire Fly. She was nineteenth of the 34 who finished the test.
Germany topped the standings on 228.173 ahead of the Netherlands (215.674), propelled by a brilliant performance from the eternal Isabell Werth aboard Wendy de Fontaine (76.500), who will also be her Olympic horse.
The German team has yet to be announced, but it obviously is getting a boost with Isabell’s new mount. The mare has never finished lower than second place since Isabell started showing her in February. The horse, previously known as Queenparks Wendy, had been ridden by Andreas Helgstrand until he was ruled off Denmark’s team after a documentary showing training methods at his stables.
Isabell Werth and Wendy de Fontaine in the awards presentation.
This is the year for new high-powered combinations. In addition to Isabell and Marcus, USA team member Endel Ots (the Olympic traveling reserve) also has been riding Zen Elite Equestrian’s Bohemian (eleventh, 71.435) only for this year. The same is true of Adrienne Lyle and Helix, who skipped Aachen to focus on a combo of training and relaxation. (Read the details here).
“I haven’t ridden in an atmosphere like that,” said Endel, who never started in an international Grand Prix before taking over Bohemian, fourth in the Tokyo Olympics with Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour. Endel consulted with her before his ride as he sought words of wisdom.
“Don’t try too hard,” she advised.
Endel called the stadium experience “really cool and really fun.” He added, “I wanted to do a nice clean, consistent solid ride. It felt great. Each test I learn something new.”
Endel Ots and Zen Elite Equestrian’s Bohemian. (Photo U.S. Equestrian)
Isabell led Germany’s 1-2-3 finish at Aachen, and that was without its world number one rider, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl on the world number one horse, TSF Dalera BB. But Ingrid Klimke, also known for her eventing prowess, came very close to Isabell, with 76.043 percent on Franzikus FRH. Ingrid’s father, the late and legendary Olympic multi-gold medalist, Reiner Klimke, would be proud.
Frederic Wandres was third (75.630) on Bluetooth Old. As with the glitches that surfaced during his ride in the 4-star Wednesday on Duke of Britain, a mistake in the tempi changes cost him. It would seem that Ingrid and Frederic will be named to the German team after this show, along with Jessica and Isabell.
Britain, fifth on 213.152, was without its strongest players. World Champion Lottie Fry rode her Games mount, Glamourdale, to victory in the 4-star at Aachen Wednesday and had another horse, the 10-year-old Especial in the 5-star, to wind up tenth (71.935). Neither Carl Hester (who is having a documentary made of his life) nor Charlotte Dujardin, Britain’s other stars, rode at the German show.
Get team results here
Get individual results of the 5-star Grand Prix by clicking here
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 3, 2024
Steffen Peters had a disappointing test with the veteran Suppenkasper in the 4-star Grand Prix at the Aachen World Equestrian Festival on Wednesday, scoring 68.131 percent as he finished nineteenth in a field of 22 starters.
The 16-year-old Suppenkasper, or Mopsie as he is nicknamed, previously never had failed to break 70 percent in a Grand Prix at an FEI competition.
The Dutchbred gelding lacked his characteristic cool, with the trouble starting right at the beginning of the test, when he was marked at 48 percent for the entry and halt, where he was restive and moved backward for a few steps.
Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper.
“Tonight’s test had uncharacteristic tension,” observed U.S. Chef d’Equipe Christine Traurig.
“Steffen, with his vast amount of experience, handled it skillfully.”
While Germany and Denmark are not naming their dressage teams for Paris until after Aachen, the U.S. squad was selected June 25. Steffen was named along with Marcus Orlob and Adrienne Lyle.
Ranked first in the Olympic standings since last year, Steffen competed in Europe during the head-to-head Grand Prix match for short-listed riders at Hagen, Germany. He was, however, excused from June competitions in Rotterdam and Kronberg, Germany, where other candidates participated.
Marcus is competing on Jane with the U.S. team in the 5-star at Aachen, where the U.S. Olympic traveling alternate, Endel Ots, also is on the squad with Zen Elite Equestrian’s Bohemian. Adrienne skipped Aachen to give Helix a break and do a bit of fine-tuning. (Read about it in the second feature on this website)
The 4-star was won by world champion Lottie Fry of Great Britain on Glamourdale, who blew everyone away with a perfectly measured test and great extensions, a package marked at 80.78 percent. That was her second-highest score since she earned 80.97 percent in the 2023 European Championshps. Lottie was far ahead of German favorite Isabell Werth on DSP Quantaz (75.443), who lost impulsion in the second pirouette.
Lottie Fry and the glamorous Glamourdale. (Photo courtesy British Dressage)
Another German, Frederic Wandres on Duke of Britain, had some brilliant moments, but his score wasn’t what it could have been due to mistakes in his tempi changes, so he settled for third on 73.913 percent.
There was better news for the U.S. in the jumper arena, where McLain Ward finished second of 44 starters in the Turkish Airlines Prize of Europe grand prix with Callas.
One of seven clears in a 12-horse jump-off, Callas was clocked at 44.06 seconds, a tenth of a second ahead of Germany’s Janna Wargers on Dorette and 1.62 seconds behind the winner, Richard Vogel of Germany on Cepano Baloubet. It was the second victory of the day for Richard, who took top honors earlier in the Prize of Handwerk with Phenyo van het Keysersbos.
“My mare jumped spectacular. She’s been having a great summer, so I’m not disappointed,” McLain said about his placing in what riders consider the second-hardest class at the show.
About Richard, McLain said, “He’s a great winner. It’s a fast horse and a super-fast rider. I pushed him to the limit. I made it not so easy.”
McLain Ward and Callas. (Photo U.S. Equestrian)
Although he has been competing at Aachen for three decades, McLain still finds it a thrill to be in the awards ceremony.
“It never gets old,” he said.
Katie Dinan, part of the U.S. Nations Cup team that will be in Thursday’s two-round class, was thirteenth with a single time fault on Atika des Hauts Vents. The other U.S. rider in the fray, Lauraa Kraut, wound up thirtieth with 8 faults on Bisquetta.
Click here for dressage results
Click here for Turkish Airlines Prize of Europe show jumping results
