The best thing about the messed up evening for the German show jumpers at the CHIO in Aachen was the medical bulletin about the fallen Marcus Ehning and his stallion A la Carte.

"First of all, the most important thing is that horse and rider are okay," said national coach Otto Becker on Thursday evening after the Nations Cup.

"Marcus will have a few bruises and will probably have a harder time getting out of bed."

Without the 47-year-old Ehning, Beckers was a team decimated to three pairs at the home game in the Aachen Soers in the end without a chance and was sixth out of eight teams.

Even the two clear rounds by Daniel Deußer with his mare Killer Queen could not prevent the disappointing result.

Christian Ahlmann from Marl on Clintrexo - in the first run also without a drop - and David Will from Dagobertshausen on C-four collected a total of 24 penalty points.

Since the failure of Ehning meant that it was no longer possible to cancel the respective rounds, every mistake counted.

“We hoped that it would also be possible with three riders.

And at the beginning it still looked good, ”said Becker.

“No reproach to the boys.

You tried everything.

We have to do better next time. "

Victory in the prestigious team competition, which was endowed with one million euros for the first time, went to the USA again after 16 years with four penalty points.

In front of 18,000 spectators, Sweden (8) came second ahead of France (12).

Deusser, who lives in Belgium, looked ahead to the evening with mixed feelings.

"I am very satisfied with the performance of my horse," said the world number one about his Olympic mare.

"To be only sixth with the team in the end is a bit of a disappointment."

A total of five pairs had received no penalty points in both rounds.

With his sovereign performance, Deußer has positioned himself as one of the favorites for the million-dollar Grand Prix of Aachen on Sunday.

“I want to be on the winner's board,” the 39-year-old said before the start of the world's biggest tournament.

Becker was not able to say in the evening whether Ehning will start in some jumping competitions in Aachen until Sunday.

“He has to decide for himself.

He's experienced enough, ”he said.

Ehning was very dizzy after his fall in the warm-up area.

"He looked a bit shocked," said Becker.

The national coach expressly praised the quick intervention of the paramedics who took care of the injured rider.

Ehning was taken to a clinic as a precaution.

When he returned to the tournament, he had found his sense of humor again.

When he gets up, "I hope I don't feel too old," he told WDR.