It was what we’ve all been waiting for at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, the excelsior of dressage tests performed by Olympic multi-gold medalist Michael Jung of Germany and fischerChipmunk FRH.
Needless to say, no one in today’s crowd of 12,753 at the Kentucky Horse Park was disappointed.
Michael Jung and fisherChipmunk FRH in action. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
Chip and Michi were getting numbers from the judges that would have stood them in good stead had they been competing in high-level straight dressage. We’re talking 79.87 percent
Translated into penalties, which is the way eventing is scored, they earned 20.1 for a test that demonstrated how it should be done, from the four-square initial halt to the precisely controlled gaits, hitting all the marks and a stretchy circle that was the essence of what stretchy circles are about.
The lowest score I could find for Chip while researching the 14-year-old Hanoverian’s history was a mind-boggling 18.8 at the Radolfzel 3-star Short in Germany during April 2021, but this is the first 5-star for the son of Contendro I, so we’ll salute him.
I guess I don’t have to say that Michi is standing in first place as we await tomorrow’s cross-country, and who knows what that result will be after that. But in the meantime, we all enjoyed the moment, and no one did that more than Michi.
As he left the arena, he raised both arms wide and high, as if embracing the entire Rolex Stadium, then took off his helmet and beamed at the crowd who sent the love back his way.
Assessing his mount’s performance, Michi said, “I have a real superstar. He’s very nice to ride today, it was just a joy to ride him He was really powerful but also on the other side, really relaxed, so it was a very good balance.”
Michi won Kentucky three times in a row, in 2015, 2016 and 2017 with fisherRocana, now retired and a mother. Then from 2018 on, it was Oliver Townend’s turn to dominate and win three in a row for Great Britain. Michi was second in 2018 and hadn’t been back until this week.
But now The Great One has returned, and he’s loving it.
“I’m very happy to be back here in Kentucky. It’s a beautiful place,” he said.
“I really enjoy it and I think also my horses enjoy it. It’s a horse country. Everything is well-prepared for the horses.”
The top American in the 5-star is Buck Davidson, standing third with Carlevo (27.4) who was in fine form. Buck commented on his horse’s condition, explaining that he had been training race horses during the winter and looked to replicate their feed and conditioning with his event horse. The effort worked, as he felt the reliable Carlevo had more energy that put octane into their test.
Buck Davidson and Carlevo.( Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
During the 1960s, they talked about the “British Invasion,” meaning the rock stars, including the Beatles and Rolling Stones, who came here and made their mark. That phrase popped into my mind today when I looked at the leaderboard and saw that three of the top five placings belonged to women from England.
They included second place Sarah Bullimore with Corouet, who was as ebullient about her 25.7-penalty test as Michi was about his. She also did the arms flung wide thing as she rejoiced.
The lovely Yasmin Ingham, the youngest rider in the 5-star at age 24, was fourth on Banzai du Loir on 28.1 and Pippa Funnell stands fifth on Maybach (29).
This is Sarah’s second trip to Kentucky, and I asked her for impressions of the event and the facility.
Sarah Bullimore and Corouet. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
“I’m absolutely privileged to be back here,” she said, citing the hospitality and the fun of it as reasons that she’s glad she came.
“We don’t always get the opportunity to come here and I’m not getting younger so I grabbed this chance with both hands and I’m thrilled to be here. The park is fabulous, the track and everything, and everyone just bends over backwards to help you.”
Sarah’s horse is the first foal from Lilly Corinne, with whom she went to the European Championships in 2015. Corouet’s sire is Balou Du Rouet. The product of the union has “a mighty big attitude in a small package.”
Sarah Bullimore celebrates her dressage test in the same style as Michael Jung. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
Yasmin and Banzai won the Blenheim 4-Star Long last year, a stepping stone to this 5-star and a great dressage test.
“I’m so proud of how he went down there and kept himself composed. It was just like me and him and the ring and it didn’t feel like anyone was there watching. There was a lot of pressure and a lot of atmosphere and he dealt with it,” Yasmin commented.
She came to Kentucky instead of next week’s British 5-star at Badminton because the track here suits Banzai more.
“It’s very open and galloping and some really big wide fences,” she said.
“I’m so lucky he’s a brilliant jumper. He really covers the ground and he’s got so much blood and he’ll run for hours. Maybe Badminton next year,” she mused.
Pippa made her mark her in 2003 when she became the first person to win the Rolex Grand Slam after taking Kentucky and following up with wins at Badminton and Burghley. (Michi is the only other person who has done it.)
She returned for the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games, but this is the first time since then that she has competed in Lexington.
When I asked what brought her back, she explained with a smile that she might not have many more chances.
“I haven’t got time on my side,” smiled the 53-year-old rider.
“It’s great to be back. I haven’t gotten so many horses now but I was just in a lucky position that I had enough to bring some here and to have some at Badminton,” she said. The cost of flying is also a factor in bringing the horses across the Atlantic, of course.
I loved seeing Irish rider Joseph Murphy on Calmaro reach over and shake hands with the Pony Club kids who moved the barrier at the arena’s entrance. Nice guy to give them recognition. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
In the 4-Star Short division, Doug Payne took the lead with Starr Witness (23.1 penalties). The Dutchbred mare has spent the past few months brushing up on her dressage.
Doug’s goal is to be competitive in all the disciplines that make up eventing. He has a U.S. Dressage Federation silver medal, but isn’t content with that.
“I want a gold and a Grand Prix horse and she will absolutely do it. Competing across disciplines is always my ultimate goal, to be able to show up in any sport and be competitive, and she can make it happen.”
But he has to keep her busy.
“She’s the type of horse that if you don’t challenge her, she will look elsewhere for something to do,” he observed.
Canadian Colleen Loach is second with the 18.2-hand Hanoverian Vermont on 24.5, while Thursday’s leader, Tamie Smith, has dropped to third with Cooley Quicksilver (25.7).
For results in the 5-star, click here . And to follow who did what in the 4-star this is the link.
Check back to this website tomorrow evening to find out how the cross-country went. The weather forecasts brought better news today than the rain predictions that we’ve heard all week, and it looks like we’ll get a break for the big day.