When crossing the water hazards, the riders heard the frogs croak instead of the usual cheering calls.
As in the previous year, the spectators were locked out of the Luhmühlen tournament grounds due to Corona.
Also nice, such a nature experience.
But the top equestrian performances deserved more eyewitnesses.
Evi Simeoni
Sports editor.
Follow I follow
Above all, the top candidates for the German Olympic team in eventing provided more than just a foretaste of Tokyo. Michael Jung (Horb) with Chipmunk, Sandra Auffahrth (Ganderkesee) with Viamant du Matz and Julia Krajewski (Warendorf) with Amande de B'Neville showed goosebumps rides in cross-country, all three remained error-free and within the time limit. In the special jumping only Krajewski afforded a drop, but the top trio secured first, second, and third place in the German championship, which was built into an international four-star test.
Hans Melzer, the outgoing national coach, was almost touched at the sight of his best couples chasing, scurrying, sliding through the terrain. In addition, they made it easier for him to register for the Olympic team, because they practically lined up themselves, and that in the humid heat, which tends to be Tokyo conditions. Melzer needs three main actors and one supporting actor, because recently Olympic teams in the equestrian field consist of only three pairs, the prank results have been abolished. For this purpose, a replacement pair will be taken, which can still be substituted during the ongoing competition. This role falls to the fourth place in the championship, Andreas Dibowski (Döhle) with Corrida. If she were healthy, European champion Ingrid Klimke would certainly have claimed a place in her sixth game in Luhmühlen,but after a fall in Baborowko, Poland in late May, which seriously injured her chest, she is incapacitated.
Michael Jung, who surprisingly only became German champion in Luhmühlen for the second time after 2012, could make history in Tokyo and be the only eventing rider to win the Olympic gold medal in the individual competition for the third time. And that with the third horse. After Sam in London in 2012 and Rocana in Rio in 2016, this time it would be the 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding Chipmunk, whom he only took over from Julia Krajewski in February 2019. In the meantime, the two have adjusted to each other. Already after the dressage they were in the lead and never gave up until the finish.
Former world champion Sandra Auffarth with Viamant du Matz in second place stayed coolest despite the heat. The ride through the Westergellerser Heide was super relaxed, the time limit for the fast and rather stormy horse was no problem anyway. Besides, she said, Viamant always takes the inside lane of his own accord. A professional, he knows the fastest way.
Julia Krajewski, on the other hand, third in Luhmühlen, has promoted her mare Amande de B'Neville up two levels in the stable hierarchy since the loss of Chipmunk. Her second top horse, Samourai du Thot, had to be retired. After being vaccinated against a fungal disease, his immune system went crazy and he lost an eye due to the resulting inflammation. The mare Amande has accepted the role of star in the stable so thoroughly that the rider just raves about it. She describes flying through the terrain with this powerful horse as such a pleasure that she has to constantly call herself to order. “I have to concentrate and not just want to have fun.” A cross-country ride on a samourai was like going karting. On Amande it is like riding a lion.