Take the results from April’s Land Rover Kentucky 5-star, mix in a couple of more big names and you have the standings from the dressage phase of this morning’s Aachen, Germany, eventing competition.
It’s run in the same format as a horse trials, with show jumping following dressage (later today) and cross-country as the finale tomorrow, rather than show jumping as the finale, the way it is in the 5-stars.
Kentucky winner Tamie Smith on Mai Baum is fifth with 26.9 penalties, the top American in the standings. Leading are two British riders, world champion Yasmin Ingham (Banzai du Loir,23.5) and Tom McEwen (JL Dublin, 24.3), who was second at Kentucky.
Mai Baum struts in the eventing dressage at Aachen. (Photo courtesy USEF)
Michael Jung, of whom you may have heard, stands third for Germany with 75.56 on fischerChipmunk FRH, while Tim Price, winner of last year’s Maryland 5 star with Coup de Couer Dudevin, is fourth on Falco (26). Another U.S. rider, Liz Halliday Sharp, third at Kentucky, is right behind Tamie in the standings with Miks Master C (27.3). Will Coleman, who won Aachen for the U.S. two years ago, is seventh on Off the Record (28.1).
So you see how it sets up. The U.S. is looking good for this Nations Cup, although you should know it is not part of the league in which nations are vying for a chance to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. And the U.S. already qualified with silver at the 2022 world championships.
Tamie said the cross-country course is “Non-stop,” citing its technicality and noting, “you’ve got to be really smart and on your A game.”
For dressage and jumping, the Aachen stadium is “like no other atmosphere. The first time is a little awe-inspiring. It’s a really unbelievable magical feeling to be on that grass.”
Note that she said “grass.” Think of all the complaints you’ve heard from riders when they don’t have state-of-the-art artificial footing. And then see how well they do on Aachen’s grass, which admittedly is maintained beautifully, though that might not be the case elsewhere.
Phillip Dutton and Z were fault-free in show jumping.
With half the jumping finished, Phillip Dutton went clean on Z. He was the first U.S. team rider to compete in this phase, and was twenty-fourth after dressage.