Story Christopher Hector Photos Libby Law
Some years ago, I decided that my eventing format of preference was the short form, CIC, and the pinnacle of CIC eventing is Aachen. Each year, the contest provides first class – horse friendly, spectator friendly – eventing of the highest standard.
And the Aachen crowd has learnt just how cool this eventing can be – for the second year running they had to shut the gates to the cross country track as it reached spectator limit, but not to worry, over in the main arena there is a big screen, heaps of seating (although by the end of the class it was about two thirds full) and some fun fences right there, as the riders and horses try to run down the clock.
This year the riders agreed that Rüdi Schwarz’s course was the toughest Aachen track yet, and there was plenty of thrills and spills, but no horses hurt, and the ones who did make the finish line came in with their ears pricked and looking, relatively, fresh.
Once again, Isabel English was the first cab off the rank, and her little grey ‘pony’ Feldale Mouse was starring. They came home with just 12.8 time and would finish in 18th place in front of a gaggle of eventing ‘names’ riding horses that were far more fashionably bred.
Right away the riders’ assessment of the course was proving sound. German veteran Peter Thomsen and Casino parted company in the water, and two of the German riders, Anna Siemer on FRH Butts Avondale and the very experienced Frank Ostholt on Jum Jum had stops.
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The first to show how the course could be conquered was Aussie star, Christopher Burton on Polystar. The handsome black gelding ate the course, coming home with just 4 time. Alas some whacko scoring by one of the dressage judges, and a rail in the showjumping, meant that they finished in 9th, but the horse didn’t lose any of his fan club.
There were two more stops and one long walk home before Michael – the Master – Jung breezed home on Star Connection, adding just 5.2 to his dressage score to finish in 7th place on 32.1.
More stops, more drama, but no bad stuff.
Kevin McNab has always looked one of Australia’s most stylish riders, seems now all that talent, and dedication, may be about to find its reward. Kevin had a lovely cross country run on Willunga, three rails in the showjumping didn’t help, but with just 9.6 time in the final phase, they finish on 48.5 in 16th.
There is a long break as the re-build one of the Rolex fences that Phillip Dutton had tried to demolish on Albano Z (yes, I know they enter it as Z, but mucking around with horse’s names is not just bad karma, it’s downright rude). Phillip has a rather damp walk home… but with 32.8 out of the dressage and 12 from the jumping, they were never going to do much for the American total.
Piggy French has a simply super run on Quarrycrest Echo, just 1.6 time, they will finish sixth.
Andrew and Vassily
But the next run is even faster, Andrew Hoy and Vassily de Lassos. Foot perfect through the dreaded Rolex complex, the horse is a cross country machine, with such a wonderful ground eating gallop stride. Their time? 1.2, and they finish on 29.5 in fifth.
Christopher and Quality Purdey – no time faults
Christopher Burton goes that tiny bit faster, home with absolutely no time at all on Quality Purdey, they finish on their 27 dressage score in third.
Michael and Chipmunk, the new partnership is looking great…
Michael Jung and the €800,000 worth of horseflesh,fischerChipmunk FRH, what a rider this man is. He has his horses so balanced, giving them every chance, and this new ride for him is looking a serious threat going into the Europeans. They picked up an uncharacteristic four faults in the jumping, to finish on 25.5.
Now it all comes down to the local heroine, Ingrid Klimke, can her SAP Hale Bob star yet again? Of course he can, Bobby is simply magnificent on this tough track, they too run down the time, and even with a rail in the showjumping, they finish on 24.7 to take first place.
Ingrid and Bobby WINNERS!
What an event. What a finish.
Teams: 1. Germany 94.5; 2. New Zealand 102.7; 3. Australia 112.4 (followed, in order, by Great Britain, France, Ireland, Sweden and the USA.
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Lucky then to catch up with Christopher Burton for a de-brief…
What did you do to Ms Binder, the judge who marked you right down?
“You go straight for the throat, don’t you Chris.”
Okay all the results were all over the place, three judges had four winners, but your ranking went 4, 9, and 18!
“It just hasn’t been Polystar’s show for whatever reason. He prepared beautifully, we were very excited about Aachen. Of course we love the horse, he is good in everything. We were happy with his test, but then there was a discrepancy, we were happy with his showjumping, had an unlucky four faults, super cross country then I had a breastplate break and it really got to him. Sometimes things can go your way, sometimes they don’t, but I am not disappointed.”
He came into that dressage arena looking one million dollars…
“He’s beautiful, the big black horse.”
Your mare, Quality Purdey went well too?
“She was super. I was happy with her dressage, and she is a really special animal. She steals my heart on cross country, she is really strong and she runs through, but I find her quite extraordinary because she will quite happily shift a cross country fence but she will not touch those show jumps. She’s adorable.”
What was it about that Rolex complex that caused such grief?
“Rudiger said in the press conference that he does have a tough job because he has to make Aachen CIC the best. The Grand Prix Showjumping of Aachen is the toughest in the world and people come to the eventing and they expect it to be tough. Maybe we’ve got forty of the best riders here, maybe there was a middle bunch who were not riding well, however it was a tough fence. They were trying to stay away from the red flag and they were hitting the white flag.”
I think we talked about this a couple of years ago when I suggested that this is the format for me, I’m quite happy to never see another long format CCI. This is the nicest form of eventing, it is spectator friendly, the horses hit the finishing line with their ears pricked, looking perky…
“Why not Chris, let’s say it again, what a great event this is, and what a simple formula that we already have, that we could run in all the championships.”
It’s a no brainer – what do you want to see, hurt riders and damaged horses? Exhausted horses staggering over the finish line, how does that add to the enjoyment of our sport?
“The Swiss are making a movement for it, a move to short format eventing and they have engaged me because they know I have a strong view on it. But also there is another argument as to why I am not such a fan of the long format, although I do it, and that is, I love these horses. We work so hard with them, we spend so many hours training with them, in the dressage, in the showjumping, training for the cross country. If we did short format, I would get to enjoy these horses for longer…”
And the public would be happier because they build up a bond with these horses…
“Exactly.”
Like I said, a no brainer, it’s just the old troglodytes who don’t have the talent of dedication to be really good at dressage and showjumping, who want to see a bit of suffering because it gives them a chance to win…
“I just can’t see that they have an argument. Anyone who says it is a different skill riding long format… is it? What is the difference? That makes no sense.”
What does the run up to Tokyo look like for you?
“I’m always working on having a stronger team, of course some of the horses I have are older now so you never know. We do our best and we work closely with the vets to manage them as well as we can and get there hopefully in good shape.”
Will you be doing any big five star events, or will you be acting like a smart German and keeping them under wraps in the run up?
“Of course we have British owners who want them to go to Badminton and Burghley, some would say they would rather do a Badminton or a Burghley than a championship like the Games or WEG, so I just try to do my best, and if that is good enough, hopefully I will be selected.”
Chris and Bek Burton
ends