United States Eventing Association

FIRST DRESSAGE DAY AT THE HSBC FEI EUROPEAN EVENTING CHAMPIONSHIP

Fontainebleau (FRA), 24 September 2009

The German squad has begun the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships at Fontainebleau (FRA) as they mean to go on, with 3 riders in the top 4 and a healthy 14-point lead over defending champions Great Britain at this very early stage of proceedings after the first day of Dressage.

France is in bronze position, thanks to an excellent performance from their second team rider, Eric Vigeanel on the 19-year-old Coronado Prior, who is lying indivually 6^th. “My horse is like a good wine – he improves with age,” joked Vigeanel.

And Belgium is lying 4^th, with the promise of a good test to come tomorrow from anchorwoman Karin Donckers (BEL) on the graceful Gazelle de la Brasserie.

In the current individual standings, Frank Ostholt (GER), second to go for his team on the 14-year-old Hannoverian gelding Air Jordan, has a minute 0.4 lead over individual rider Dirk Schrade (GER) on Gadget de la Cere, and team rookie Michael Jung (GER), their trailblazer, is in equal 4^th place on his 4* winner La Biosthetique Sam, also the HSBC FEI World Cup™ Eventing Champion.

“We are World and Olympic Champions but somehow the European title has evaded us over the last few years,” said Ostholt, noting that Germany’s last European team gold medal was, astonishingly, as far back as Kiev (USSR) in 1973. “We hope to put that right this weekend!”

William Fox-Pitt (GBR), second to go for Great Britain, interrupted German domination with a beautiful test on the long-legged French bred chestnut Idalgo, who was produced by Nicolas Touzaint.

And British individual Lucy Wiegersma lies in equal 4^th place on Woodfalls Inigo Jones, a rising star who was 5^th at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event in April.

“He was very suspicious of the arena and seemed to think there was a ghost hiding behind every flowerpot,” said Wiegersma. “It was a big step up for him and I’m thrilled, because I think there is a lot more to come.”

Germany should consolidate their lead tomorrow, when Ingrid Klimke (GER) and Andreas Dibowski (GER) perform their tests, and Britain has Olympic bronze medallist Kristina Cook (GBR) and dual 4* winner Oliver Townend (GBR) to come, while great excitement will surround the team debut of Italian rider Roberto Rotatori following his brilliant 4^th place at on his 4* debut at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR) in May.

However, all riders acknowledge that Pierre Michelet’s (FRA) Cross-Country course could completely change the order. “It is a real championship course,” said Frank Ostholt. “There’s a lot to jump, it’s very technical and you need to remain very focussed.”

STATISTICS

65 riders have started the competition from 18 nations, with 8 nations forming teams

The ground jury is Michel Asseray (FRA), David Lee (IRL) and Anne Mette Binder (DEN)

Technical delegate is Tom Ryckewaert (BEL)

RESULTS

TEAM

1 Germany, 84.2
2 Great Britain, 98.2
3 France, 101.3
4 Belgium, 105.90
5 Italy, 115.40
6 Netherlands, 117.00
7 Ireland, 118.9
8 Sweden, 121.30

INDIVIDUAL

1 Frank Ostholt/Air Jordan (GER) 39.2
2 Dirk Schrade/Gadget de la Cere (GER) 39.6
3 William Fox-Pitt/Idalgo (FRA) 41.5
4= Michael Jung/La Biosthetique Sam (GER) 45
4= Lucy Wiegersma/Woodfalls Inigo Jones (GBR) 45
6 Eric Vigeanel/Coronado Prior (FRA) 46.7
7 Pascal Leroy/Glenburny du Leou (FRA) 48.3
8 Joris Van Springel/Bold Action (BEL) 49.2
9 Niklas Lindback/Mister Pooh (SWE) 49.8
10 Didier Dhennin/Ismene du Temple (FRA) 50.6

FOLLOW THE EVENT

Full results and start sheets on www.fontainebleau2009.com

WATCH THE EVENT ON FEI TV

Extensive and high-quality live and on-demand coverage of the event will be offered on www.feitv.org

Confirmed (live) broadcasting times on www.feitv.org are:
Friday, September 25 (tbc): 19:00-20:00 CEST (highlights package)
Saturday, September 26: 11:00-17:00 CEST (Cross-Country)
Sunday, September 27: 10:00 – 12:00 CEST (Jumping Part l)
Sunday, September 27: 14:00 – 16:30 CEST (Jumping Part ll)