Younger rider heads Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI4*-S dressage day one

Rising German star Anna Lena Schaaf and home-bred Fairytale 39 have taken the lead on the primary day of the Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI4*-S dressage at the moment (13 June).

Anna, 22, and the 17-year-old Fidertanz 2 mare posted a rating of 26.0, pushing Anna’s compatriot Michael Jung and Kilcandra Ocean Energy into in a single day second on 27.1. New Zealand’s Tim Value and the 2022 Maryland 5 Star winner Coup De Coeur Dudevin are in provisional third on 28.1.

Anna and Fairytale 39 produced a stunning flowing check, simply dropping marks for his or her stroll pirouettes when the mare gave the impression to be briefly distracted by one thing exterior the world.

“The trot half was actually good, she was actually in entrance of me and I might actually journey her,” mentioned Anna.

“Within the stroll I don’t know what occurred within the pirouette, however she was in a little bit of a rush and I mentioned to her ‘Okay, keep right here’. The canter work was additionally actually good, however within the flying adjustments I might have ridden them a bit extra, so in coaching it was possibly value one level extra. Nevertheless it was good, and I’m joyful.”

Fairytale 39 was bred by Anna’s grandfather Gerd Neukäter and first competed by Anna’s mom Ilka in dressage, earlier than Anna took over the journey in 2015 when she was 14. The pair have loved continued success, together with successful double gold on the junior Europeans in 2018, and taking the German younger rider championship in 2021. Final month the pair had been fifth within the Wiesbaden CCI4*-S.

Anna, who completed fourth with Fairytale 39 within the Luhmühlen CCI4*-S final yr, mentioned retirement might quickly be looming for the much-loved “household horse”.

“Possibly this will likely be my final yr together with her, so I actually wish to take pleasure in it,” she mentioned.

“I believe she’ll retire subsequent yr – however I additionally mentioned that final yr, so we are going to see how she feels.”

Michael Jung took early CCI4*-S dressage lead at Luhmühlen

Michael held the Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI4*-S dressage lead all through the morning on Kilcandra Ocean Energy, and Michael believes there are nonetheless extra marks to come back from the 11-year-old.

“He’s a extremely, very nice horse,” mentioned Michael, who topped the Strzegom CCI4*-L with the gelding final yr.

Michael has produced the horse, having purchased him as a five-year-old on the Goresbridge Go for Gold gross sales in 2018 for €19,000.

“He’s very good to journey within the dressage. The canter is the most effective half from him, he does very nice flying adjustments,” mentioned Michael.

“There’s nonetheless loads to enhance. It’s very good when you might have a superb check however you continue to really feel like there’s one thing to get higher. He’s a brilliant jumper and really straightforward within the cross-country so fingers crossed for Saturday.”

Because the Luhmühlen CCI4*-S incorporates the German nationwide championship, Michael mentioned on the subject of cross-country course-designer Mike Etherington-Smith’s observe, “It’s often all the time a bit greater than a traditional four-star”.

“We now have lots of high riders right here and everybody needs to win this week, however for me it’s nonetheless additionally a bit about preparation for Paris,” mentioned Michael, including that this implies he is not going to essentially be chasing the clock.

“We could have a couple of per cent extra management on the cross-country, it’s not all about catching the time.”

Michael confirmed that Kilcandra Ocean Energy is his first reserve horse to FischerChipmunk FRH for the Paris Olympics. Michael and FischerChipmunk are drawn for the second day of Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI4*-S dressage, tomorrow (14 June) at 11.42am UK time (12.42pm native time).

Tim Value in search of Olympic qualification at Luhmühlen

Tim was pleased with 12-year-old Coup De Coeur Dudevin’s efficiency, describing it as higher than their check at Wiesbaden CCI4*-S final month, the place the pair completed second.

“Whereas the Wiesbaden check scored higher (25.4), I assumed this was a greater check. He’s a correct genuine eventing horse; he’s not a high dressage horse, however he tries his hardest and he’s only a nice cross-country horse and jumper,” mentioned Tim.

“The stroll was a lot better at the moment, and I believe he simply relaxed a bit of bit extra by his physique and was capable of swing. He didn’t peek out the perimeters at what was occurring round him and I might simply really feel him concentrating actually onerous in every single place.”

Tim confirmed that Coup De Coeur Dudevin is on his Paris “quick checklist”, alongside his different four-star journey Falco, whose dressage is tomorrow at 10.57am UK time (11.57am native time).

“However they should qualify, which is nice enjoyable… attempting to indicate off horses and never do something silly!” he mentioned.

The Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI4*-S dressage continues tomorrow, with the three Brits nonetheless to come back ahead. Paris Olympic hopefuls Laura Collett and London 52 are on at 9.02am UK time (10.02am native time), Yasmin Ingham and Banzai Du Loir at 9.47am UK time (10.47am native time), and Tom McEwen and JL Dublin at 10.10am UK (11.10am native time).

The primary day of the CCI5* dressage will get below approach this afternoon, with eight Brits on at the moment’s begin checklist together with Yasmin Ingham and her different Paris potential journey Rehy DJ (at 1.15pm UK time/2.15pm native time), Laura Collett and Hester (2.50pm UK time/3.15pm native time), and five-star debutant Storm Straker and Fever Pitch (3.27pm Uk time/4.27pm native time). Tom McEwen is first to go within the five-star dressage with CHF Cooliser at 1.15pm UK time (2.15pm native time).  Ros Canter and Izilot DHI, who’re additionally amongst the potential British Paris entries, are on tomorrow at 1.07pm UK time (2.07pm native time).

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H&H senior information author

Since becoming a member of H&H in 2018, Becky has coated a broad vary of equestrian information together with welfare issues, veterinary research, FEI Tribunal hearings and street security campaigns. She has additionally interviewed high riders together with Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to call only a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, in addition to the Royal Highland and Blair Fortress Worldwide Horse Trials nearer to residence. She was additionally a key a part of the distant reporting workforce for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.