Jung wins number 11 at Kentucky; Payne national 5-Star champion

A memory from the 1984 Olympics that has stuck with me was French show jumper Pierre Durand walking out of the ring in Los Angeles with a bridle in his hand after Jappeloup refused and he fell off, along with the bridle. It was a sad picture, but at the 1988 Games in Seoul, Pierre regained his stature by winning individual gold on the same horse.

My reason for this little trip down memory lane was what happened to Doug Payne this weekend at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day as he came off, along with the bridle, when Starr Witness (who had been leading the 4-Star Short division) took exception yesterday to the first element of the challenging three-part Park Question obstacle on cross-country.

But while it took Pierre four years to recoup, it only took Doug one day. This afternoon, he moved up from a fifth-place tie after cross-country to third on Quantum Leap with one of only six double-clears in a field of 30 that show jumped over a Steve Stephens-designed course in the 5-Star division at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Doug took the national 5-Star championship with 38.4 penalties as the highest-placed American in the event, which was especially impressive since he was 25th after the dressage phase. And I should remind you he was also the highest-placed U.S. rider at the Tokyo Olympics, where he was 16th on Vandiver.

I didn’t bother leading off this story by saying that Germany’s Michael Jung won the competition on fischerChipmunk FRH, because that was a foregone conclusion, barring a disaster of Biblical proportions. He led from start to finish in taking his 11th 5-Star victory, and his 20.1-penalty score was the lowest ever for an event at that level.  In the record books, he is tied with Sir Mark Todd (now retired and training race horses) for the number of wins. The leader is Britain’s William Fox-Pitt with 14 victories.

No American has won the big prize at Kentucky since Phillip Dutton did it in 2008. Now Michi has won four times at Kentucky, just one behind Bruce Davidson’s record of 5.

“I had a really great feeling in the warm-up, and it makes you a bit more relaxed, but the pressure is on,” said Michi, who is thinking about riding for the German team at the world championships in Italy this summer.

“I tried to stay really concentrated and focused with this horse. He’s amazing,” the rider continued, noting he enjoyed each phase on the 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding, thanking the owners for buying the horse and keeping him available for the German team.

Jung makes everything look effortless, but there’s plenty of work behind his success.

“Of course, you always try to do your best, that’s why you wake up every morning and go to stables in minus 20 degrees, and in the rain, and in the heat,” Jung said.

“It’s a very special moment for me, and I have to give thanks for my whole team in the background — helping train the horses and bring the horses to this level. And big thanks to the fischer group so that we can keep this horse in Germany and make it so that I’m allowed to ride such an amazing horse.”

Boyd Martin, the top American last year and in 2019, was second going into show jumping with his Olympic mount, Tsetserleg, but told me yesterday he had no illusions about overtaking Michi and Chip, since they had two rails and a few time penalties in hand. Sadly, Boyd wasn’t able to keep his runner-up position, dropping a rail in the triple combination and at the next-to-last fence in the Rolex Stadium, where 22,185 people were riveted as they watched the action.

Boyd wound up fourth, behind Michi, Doug and Yasmin Ingham, a 24-year-old British competitor from the Isle of Man, who was the youngest rider in the competition. She and Banzai du Loir had no jumping faults, but accumulated 2.8 time penalties while leaving the rails in place for a total of 31.7 penalties.

A thrilled Yasmin never lost her poise, saying of her Selle Francais, “He has exceeded all expectations.I have all the confidence in this horse. He was very professional all weekend, and it was amazing to pull it together for all three phases at such an incredible event.”

Not that getting to Kentucky in the first place was easy.

“It was tough to get to the flights and with all the traveling, but I wouldn’t take it back for the world,” she said.

“We’ve been treated so well, so a huge thanks for all the volunteers that make this happen. I’m very thankful to be here.”

Back to Doug. Today was a sorrow as well as a joy (which seems to encapsulate the ups and downs of the eventing experience ) because it was the last time he will compete on his Olympic mount, Vandiver.

The horse had a stop on cross-country and two rails today. Quinn, as he is known, will now compete at the Preliminary level with Doug’s groom, Courtney Carson, before perhaps going on to a young rider.

“He’s not a horse who will be very happy out in the field. He wants to keep doing it. He loves it,” said Doug, who had been hoping for a “strong top 10 finish” with him and thought Quantum would be lower in the rankings.

He was happy Quantum’s co-owner, Susan Drillock was at the horse park.

“She hasn’t been really seen him compete very often. For her to be here to see this is beyond special.”

At the same time he was feeling sadness  about Quinn, he didn’t let it dominate his performance.

“You have a job to do. There’s always ups and downs. I’ve always found a way to compartmentalize if something goes wrong, put that past and move to the next. Quantum deserved my full attention and focus.”

In the 4-Star Short, leader Dan Kreitel couldn’t bring his first place standing home, after his horse Carmango, showed resistance at the beginning of his round, then dropped two fences and accumulated time faults to drop him to fourth.

The touching story of how his wife had cancer, his infant daughter barely survived and he tried to juggle that with his work in real estate and training his horse had made an impact on everyone who heard it.

Phillip Dutton, second on Quasi Cool, noted that the other riders’ sympathy was with Dan.

“One part of the sport that’s not fun, is that we all wanted Dan up here,” said Phillip, referring to the table at the press conference where the top three riders in each division are seated.

“He’s such a great guy and I hope we see a lot of him and his horse in the future.”

Liz Halliday-Sharp moved up to first place from second with a perfect trip aboard Cooley Quicksilver to end on 29.7 penalties.

“I couldn’t ask for more from him, he rose to the atmosphere and I didn’t expect that many spectators for the 4-Star,” said Liz, who turned in a double-clear.

“It was wonderful to have crowds back. The course was great, well-designed and it made you think about the lines. The time was tight, there’s a lot to see in that arena and you never know what the younger horses might do, but all in all, it was a really great day and I’m thrilled for the owners, team and horses.”

Phillip was further back on 38.6 penalties with his ex-racehorse, saying, “A lot of this sport is all about the dream, and there are a lot of disappointments, but he looks to have the makings of a great horse.”

James Alliston, a native of Great Britain who recently became an American citizen like his wife, Helen (who is the owner of his horse, Paper Jam) finished third with 43.4 penalties and just 0.4 time penalties.

The horse had done only two Advanced competitions prior to heading East from California.

“But he’s very brave naturally, so I was hoping I wasn’t being stupid. I’m very happy, he’s a good show jumper normally but this is a whole thing with the crowds and the long course, so I’m really happy with him.”

“It’s a dream to come and do this,” added James, who at one time worked for Bruce Davidson.

NBC is airing its program of the event at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 14.