Germany’s Olympic champion Michael Jung returns to the scene of his 2015 triumph, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (USA), third leg of the FEI Classics™ 2015/2016, in an attempt to score back-to-back wins on the same horse, his brilliant mare FischerRocana FST. If successful, Jung, who also won the world title here in 2010, would […]
via FEI Classics™: Olympic Champion Jung Bids For Kentucky Double #Eventing — newfanzoneblog
Astier Nicolas (FRA) had an excited French crowd on the edges of their seats as he scored his first ever CCI4* win in fantastic style at Les 4 Etoiles de Pau (FRA), opening leg of the FEI Classics™ 2015/2016.
With the hopes of his home country resting on his shoulders and Pau’s Jumping course proving as influential as ever, Nicolas, who was third after Cross Country, rode a skillful clear round on Piaf de B’neville in the Jumping arena.
This put serious pressure on 19-year-old Emily King (GBR) and Olympic, world and European number one Michael Jung (GER), who was down to one horse after withdrawing the overnight leader Halunke FBW at the final Horse Inspection, and, to Nicolas’s evident disbelief, they each had a fence down.
King dropped from second to fourth on Brookleigh, but it was a brave effort at her first CCI4*, and Jung, who has made very few mistakes this year, slipped from first to second on fischerRocana, losing the win by just 0.9 penalty, after the mare hit the third fence.
Tim Price (NZL) and the Dutch-bred Wesko, a reliable horse in the final phase, having started his career in a Jumping yard, rose from fourth to third with an immaculate clear round.
Astier Nicolas is the first French rider to win the CCI4* at Pau since Nicolas Touzaint in 2007 and, to make it even more special, the city of Pau is his home, although he is a familiar face on the British circuit, having been based there for a while.
“I wasn’t at all nervous because I had two riders in front of me and didn’t think I would win,” said Nicolas. “It’s very special to win my first CCI4* in France.”
The French crowd had even more to cheer about when two of the seven clear rounds came from Karim Florent Laghouag (FRA), who rose from eighth to fifth place on the lovely black stallion Entebbe de Hus and from 14th to seventh on Punch de l’Esques.
The young German rider Claas Hermann Romeike, watched anxiously by his Olympic gold medalist father, Hinrich, also kept a cool head, jumping clear on Cato 60 to rise seven places to sixth at only his second CCI4*.
Tim Lips (NED) slipped five places to 11th when Bayro incurred 12 Jumping faults and Andreas Dibowski (GER) was lucky to only drop two places to 12th when FRH Butts Avedon had four fences down. Paul Tapner (AUS) also departed from the top 10, falling from seventh to 17 with an unfortunate six rails down on Indian Mill.
As well as the sad departure of Halunke FBW from the Horse Inspection, Bill Levett (AUS) also withdrew Shannondale Titan, 10th after Cross country. Thirty-three horses completed the competition.
The FEI Classics™ 2015/2016 season has started in style with a thrilling contest. Next, the action moves to the southern hemisphere for the Adelaide International 3 Day Event (AUS) on 19-22 November.
About the Les 4 Etoiles de Pau winner
Astier Nicolas (FRA), 26, is the youngest CCI4* winner this year. He represented France at Pony, Junior and Young Rider level and won an individual silver medal in the Young Rider Europeans at Waregem (BEL) in 2009. His previous best CCI4* result was sixth at Pau in 2012 on Jhakti du Janlie.
Riding Piaf de B’neville, he won the u25 CCI3* at Bramham (GBR) in 2012 and was a member of France’s senior bronze medal team at the 2013 FEI European Eventing Championship in Malmö (SWE).
The combination finished runner up at Saumur CCI3* this year. He was also recently second in the young horse CIC3* at Blenheim and ninth at Boekelo CCI3* (NED) on Spes Addit’Or.
Nicolas is from Pau in France but has been based for some years in Gloucestershire in Great Britain, where he came to study for a degree in equine management at the West of England University at Hartpury College.
Piaf de B’neville is a 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding by Cap de B’neville.
Final results
1 Astier Nicolas/Piaf de B’neville (FRA) 38.5 + 0 + 0 = 38.5
2 Michael Jung/fischerRocana FST (GER) 35.4 + 0 + 4 = 39.4
3 Tim Price/Wesko (NZL) 40.0 + 0 + 0 = 40.0
4 Emily King/Brookleigh (GBR) 38.3 + 0 + 4 = 42.3
5 Karim Florent Laghouag/Entebbe de Hus (FRA) 40.6 + 2 + 0 = 42.6
6 Claas Hermann Romeike/Cato 60 (GER) 44.1 + 3.2 + 0 = 47.3
7 Karim Florent Laghouag/Punch de l’Esques (FRA) 49.3 + 0 + 0 = 49.3
8 Sarah Bullimore/Valentino V (GBR) 45.8 + 0 + 4 = 49.8
9 Clare Abbot/Euro Prince (IRL) 49.1 + 1.6 + 0 = 50.7
10 Sir Mark Todd/NZB Campino (NZL) 43.3 + 0 + 8 = 51.3
FEI Classics™ 2015/2016 Leaderboard (after 1 of 6 events)
1 Astier Nicolas (FRA) 15 points
2 Michael Jung (GER) 12
3 Tim Price (NZL) 10
4 Emily King (GBR) 8
5 Karim Florent Laghouag (FRA) 6
6 Claas Hermann Romeike (GER) 5
7 Sarah Bullimore (GBR) 3
8 Clare Abbot (IRL) 2
9 Sir Mark Todd (NZL) 1
Kate Green
Michael Jung (GER) has made a great start in the CCI4* at Les 4 Etoiles de Pau, first leg of the FEI Classics™ 2015/2016, and is in first and second places after Dressage, with his two horses split by just one penalty.
Pau is one of very few major events that the Olympic champion has yet to win, but he looks to have two excellent chances: he heads the field of 49 on his 2013 European champion, Halunke FBW, an 11-year-old black gelding by Heraldik, and is second on the mare fischerRocana, winner of Kentucky in April.
Both horses, which Jung had brought with him on his “French tour” – he won the six-year-old CIC1* at Le Lion d’Angers (FRA) last weekend – were among the quartet to score below 40.
In contrast to Jung’s mighty record, 19-year-old Emily King (GBR), a member of Britain’s gold medal-winning Young Rider team this year, is competing at her first CCI4*.
The teenager has made quite an impression already and currently holds third place in this stellar field with the brilliant mark of 38.3 on the German-bred Brookleigh, a 13-year-old gelding previously ridden by Clayton Fredericks (AUS). The pair were recently second behind Sir Mark Todd (NZL) and NZB Campino at Ballindenisk CIC3* (IRL).
“I’ve been to Pau lots of times with Mum [Mary King, the 2011 FEI Classics™ winner] and have dreamed of riding here,” said King. “It’s such a lovely, friendly event and I feel very lucky to be here.”
She added: “The Cross Country is quite different to some of the major tracks in England. It’s nice and bold and challenging, but also more twisting and technical. I’m excited about it!”
The home side have plenty to cheer about with Astier Nicolas (FRA) in fourth place on the 12-year-old Piaf de B’neville with the good score of 38.5 and Karim Florent Laghouag (FRA) in sixth place on the 10-year-old black stallion Entebbe de Hus with a mark of 40.6.
The accomplished New Zealand combination of Tim Price and Wesko, Luhmühlen winners in 2014 and Kentucky runners-up behind Jung this year, are fifth on 40.0 penalties. Price’s wife Jonelle is 19th on Faerie Dianimo on 47.7.
Six nations are represented in the top 10: Tim Lips (NED) is seventh on Concrex Bayro, Paul Tapner is the highest-placed Australian in eighth on Indian Mill and Jennie Brannigan is best of the American riders in ninth on Cambalda.
“Indian Mill is in the best form ever, so I’m confident,” said Tapner. “I will be disappointed if he doesn’t finish the Cross Country within the optimum time. I think there’s quite a few potential problem fences out there, but there is no one fence that I’m stressed about.”
Mark Todd (NZL), currently well in touch in 14th place on NZB Campino with a good mark of 43.3, predicts that the water complexes will be influential. “The course looks good with a lot of forward distances,” he said.
“The last water complex could be quite a big effort. There’s a big drop in and a bounce out of it. And I think the two corners in the preceding water are big. There’s lots of places where riders could be caught out.”
First on course tomorrow is Britain’s Sarah Bullimore with Valentino V at 14.00 local time.
Results after Dressage
1 Michael Jung/Halunke FBW (GER) 34.5 penalties
2 Michael Jung/fischerRocana FST (GER) 35.4
3 Emily King/Brookleigh (GBR) 38.3
4 Astier Nicolas/Piaf d’B’neville (FRA) 38.5
5 Tim Price/Wesko (NZL) 38.5
6 Karim Florent Laghouag/Entebbe de Hus (FRA)
7 Tim Lips/Concrex Bayro (NED) 40.9
8 Indian Mill/Paul Tapner (AUS) 42.3
9 Jennie Brannigan/Cambalda (USA) 42.6
10 Bill Levett/Shannondale Titan (AUS) 42.9
Kate Green
Michael Jung (GER) is in the French Pyrenees to see if he can add the CCI4* at Les 4 Etoiles de Pau, first leg of the FEI Classics™ 2015/2016 – which unites the world’s top six four-star Eventing competitions – to his trophy cupboard.
Jung, the reigning Olympic and European champion and runner-up to Ingrid Klimke (GER) in last year’s series, has won at Kentucky (USA) and Burghley (GBR) this year, and is a previous victor at Luhmühlen (GER), as well as being a Badminton (GBR) runner-up.
His best result at France’s premier event so far is a third place in 2012, but German riders have a good record here, winning four out of eight times since the CCI4* began in 2007.
He is bringing the brilliant mare fischerRocana, his Kentucky winner and the horse on which he had a rare Cross Country mistake – an early fall in the water at Burghley last month. His other mount, Halunke FBW, the 2013 European champion, has been saved especially for Pau as it is thought Pierre Michelet’s (FRA) flat racecourse track will suit the 11-year-old German Württemberger gelding.
Sir Mark Todd had won his first CCI4* – Badminton in 1980 – before Jung was even born. New Zealand’s double Olympic champion has been in fine form this season and has an obvious chance to win at Pau on the 13-year-old German-bred NZB Campino, winner of two CIC3*s this year.
Todd’s compatriots have plenty of CCI4* form between them, especially former world and Olympic champion Blyth Tait, who has followed his old team mate out of retirement. Tait, who has never competed at Pau before, rides Bear Necessity V.
Eventing’s ‘power couple’, Tim and Jonelle Price (NZL), are also sure to make an impact. Tim has his Kentucky runner-up Wesko and has picked up a new ride on Julie Tew’s (GBR) Lord of the Owls, while Jonelle will be seeking her first CCI4* win. She has a great chance on the talented little grey mare Faerie Dianimo, fourth here in 2014 and second at Luhmühlen this year.
There hasn’t been a French winner since Nicolas Touzaint in 2007, so expectations will be high for the in-form Astier Nicolas, who rides Piaf de B’neville and the well-named Quickly du Buguet, plus former world champion Jean Teulere with the experienced Matelot du Grand Val.
Other competitors to watch include the 2010 winner Andreas Dibowski (GER), who rides FRH Butts Avedon, and Lucy Wiegersma (GBR), who will soon celebrate her marriage to Irish team rider Padraig McCarthy – she rides Mr Chunky.
Germany’s Claas Hermann Romeike (Cato 60), the son of 2008 Olympic champion Hinrich Romeike, and Britain’s Emily King (Brookleigh), daughter of the 2011 FEI Classics champion, Mary King, also make their débuts at Pau.
Ten nations will be represented and around 50 horses are expected to start in what promises to be a thrilling competition.
FEI TV – live action
Watch the entire FEI Classics™ at Les 4 Etoiles de Pau live on http://www.feitv.org
Live results – Les 4 Etoiles de Pau
See live results on http://www.event-pau.fr.
Kate Green
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