After Friday’s dressage and stadium jumping phases of Aachen’s UBS Cup eventing, the U.S. stands fourth, behind Great Britain–no surprise to see that nation leading–with 91.200 penalties, New Zealand (94.400) and Germany (96.100).
Although 107.600 penalties means a bit of a hill to climb, eventing at the World Equestrian Festival (which will host all the world championships except endurance next year) is unique in so many ways, from the crowds to the format and the bear of a cross-country course.
Having cross-country last at an event of this stature changes everything. For one thing, it means most riders have to take a different approach than they do when stadium is the final phase. (And there’s been talk that eventing will happen that way at the 2028 Olympics). So the U.S. has a chance to do more than catch up.
Boyd Martin is the US team’s leading rider as of Friday night, tenth after the first two segments, with dressage in the morning and jumping just hours later on a grass field under the lights. He’s aboard Commando 3, the horse on whom he won the U.S. 5-star championship at Kentucky as the highest-placed American. He finished there behind Germany’s Michael Jung, who is not competing at Aachen.
Boyd understandably was perplexed at his dressage mark of 33.8 penalties, which put him fifteenth in that segment.
Boyd Martin had a smooth dressage test with Commando 3, pay no attention to the judges’ opinions. (U.S. Equestrian photo)
Calling it “disappointing,” he said, “I was shocked at the score. This horse is consistently in the 20s. On paper, it looks like something went badly wrong, but I was very pleased with him. He didn’t have any mistakes.”
A perfect trip in the jumping moved him up five places. He observed, “I’ve never ridden in a ring like this in my life, and I’ve been at it for awhile.”
Noting it’s not ideal to do the Kentucky 5-star and Aachen practically back-to-back, he gave his horse a short rest before getting him “back into the swing of things. It’s been a weird preparation.”
Boyd rode Connor, as he is known, in a horse trials at the Horse Park of New Jersey, then had his coach, Peter Wylde, take him to a jumper show in the run-up to his German trip.
This is Boyd’s first Aachen, and he approves: “It’s cool to be here. It’s an awesome event.”
Boyd boosted his status with a clean round in the show jumping on Commando 3. (U.S. Equestrian photo)
Assessing the cross-country course, he said, “I like it, it’s sort of what I expected. He starts us out nice with a couple of good, straight galloping fences. Then everything you can think of is there — corners in the water, mounds, a wicked coffin and some tough angles at the end. I think it’s a very hard course, and it’s even harder if you go really fast.”
Click here for individual results in eventing; click here for team results in eventing
The dressage highlight of the day was the 4-star Grand Prix Special, with riders moving up and down from the spots they earned in the Grand Prix on Thursday.
Germany’s Ingrid Klimke went from seventh in the Grand Prix to first with Vayron (74.128 percent). That’s particularly exciting because she will be teaching the masterclass as Dressage at Devon celebrates its fiftieth anniversary in September.
“I had the feeling he was completely focused in the Special,” said Ingrid.
“He marched down the long sides on his own, so that I thought in the extended trot: Wait a minute! But he was great to ride and he was totally in his element,”
It was her first Special victory with the Westfalen stallion by Vitalis, whom she began competing last autumn. The horse previously was ridden by Daniel Bachmann Anderson of Denmark, who was ninth with him in the Special at the Paris Olympics on a score of 75.973.
Ingrid Klimke and Vayron.
The USA’s only representative in the class, Marcus Orlob, went from tenth in the Grand Prix with Jane to fourth with a more than respectable score of 72.489 percent.
Marcus Orlob and Jane after a job well done. (Shannon Brinkman photo)
The mare did not grind her teeth loudly, as she had in Thursday’s test, and also seemed more in front of the vertical this time around. Aside from a fumble in the two-tempis, it was a flowing test with the usual passage/piaffe highlights. Known for her spookiness, she kept a lid on it until the crowd applauded after her final halt. Jane jumped sideways, but the scores already were in.
“Today, finally, I think we are closer to the goal; relaxed Jane and happy Jane,” said Marcus.
“I was very happy. I had a few little things, but overall, I was happy — first of all she went in the ring, into Aachen and pretty much focused the whole test on my aids.”
He said Alice Tarjan, Jane’s owner, and chef d’equipe Christine Traurig both feel the sensitive mare just needs time.
“She was breathing relaxed and I think it was also a relief for her that it’s not a big deal, it’s okay. She for sure deserves a little vacation, because we really trained hard. Then I would like to aim for (Dressage at ) Devon.”
So there’s more to do.
“I think I have to keep going with trail riding, ship her to different venues, desensitize her and basically show her the world.”
Meanwhile in the class, there was another blood in the mouth incident, this time involving Poland’s Sandra Syosjeva and Maxima Bella. Unlike what happened with judge Raphael Saleh and Kevin Kohmann’s Dunensee when he was eliminated for blood in the 5-star Grand Prix on Thursday, Judge Christof Umbach wiped the mouth of Sandra’s horse and held up the cloth so the blood could be seen, leaving no doubt about her elimination.
click here for 4-star Grand Prix Special results
