It's nice to see the miniature Japan that the builders of the Tokyo Olympics thought up for the jumping specialists and their horses.

Over sushi rolls and along blooming cherry trees, past sumo wrestlers and samurais, the ride leads to possible medal luck.

National coach Otto Becker went into raptures at the sight of the obstacles before the individual finals on this Wednesday evening.

Seldom has a course been seen so diverse, so lovingly designed.

It was definitely worthy of such an occasion.

An hour later, there was not much left of the 62-year-old's enthusiasm.

Perhaps the course was a little too difficult.

In the round only six pairs remained clear of 30 and thus reached the jump-off.

The only German who was allowed to get into the saddle the day before after qualifying was not among them.

Eight points of failure for Deußer

The Wiesbaden-born Daniel Deußer, currently first in the world rankings, had to accept eight points of failure with the mare Killer Queen and finished the individual competition in 18th place. Deusser did not catch the jump in the double combination appropriately - the inevitable result was a drop at the jump. At the penultimate obstacle, a beautifully designed cherry blossom oxer, another mishap happened to him. “The horse felt great,” said Deußer self-critically, referring to the distance problem. "I just have to ride better."

The jump-off of the best six turned into a gala for Brit Ben Maher and his gelding Explosion, which lived up to its name. After 37.85 seconds, the two finished their flight through the course and were 17 hundredths of a second faster than the best pursuer. Maher didn't really take a jump either, but his powerful horse overcame this hurdle seemingly effortlessly. Second was the Swede Peder Fredricson on All In, bronze won the Dutchman Maikel van der Vleuten, who with his gelding Beauville had needed a second longer than the winner.

"I've never had such an incredible horse as him," said Maher, looking at his confident companion. "Its speed is on a phenomenal level." In addition, the two combine "a very special relationship". Explosion supported his rider in everything, "he would even prepare breakfast for me if he could".

Together, the two have already won the lucrative Global Champions Tour and the individual silver and team bronze at the 2019 European Championships in Rotterdam. It has only been a few months since Maher had to undergo an operation on his lower back - the operation seems to have succeeded. There had never been a major individual title for Maher before. As a result, there was no longer any criticism of the mode of the Olympic show jumping from him. He would have only wished for only three riders in the jump-off, "then everyone would have received a medal".

The Swede Fredricson, on the other hand, would have preferred the best teams to be determined as before.

“I prefer it the other way around,” he said.

"We are here for our country, and we usually fight for it before it comes to the individual medals." His team is now favored for the Nations Cup because his two compatriots also made it to the jump-off: Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward came fourth, Malin Baryard-Johnsson with Indiana Fifth.

“I was impressed by our horses,” emphasized the runner-up.

“They are obviously in good shape.” They seem to have enjoyed the tour through small Japan.

Breakdowns just slip up?

On Friday and Saturday, when it comes to the team medals (12 p.m. CEST each time), the contrite Deusser can prove that the mishaps in the individual finals were only slips. He should be set for it, even if, according to Becker, the line-up of his trio has not yet been determined. Andre Thieme (Plau am See) and Christian Kukuk (Riesenbeck) had already been eliminated in qualifying for the individual finals, but were ready for the team.

What is certain is that with Maurice Tebbel and Don Diarado fresh forces will be brought in.

Becker does not believe that those who have contested the individual finals enjoy an advantage because their horses are already better acquainted with the “partly ghostly, partly funny fences” that irritate the horses, according to Deusser.

On the contrary, he reckons that one or the other will show signs of the strain.

"You have already been on duty twice for this."

The national coach is not only hoping that the course designer Santiago Varela from Spain will have some understanding and will build a little lighter in the first round on Friday in order to give more riders the chance to get through without unsightly scenes.

In the finals of the ten best teams on Saturday, he will be sure to put the riders and horses through their paces.