Eventing World Championship for Young Horses – Lion d'Angers (France)

On Wednesday the usual routine takes place: the morning is devoted to the official walking of the course and in the afternoon the horses are inspected, which is far from being a mere formality. As a matter of fact, this is where the judges verify that the horses are capable of participating in the competition. For this, each rider presents his horse in-hand and makes it trot. If the judges have a doubt and want to ensure that the horse is not lame for example, they can ask the rider to present the horse again, and even ask the veterinary to examine the horse (this is known as going in the “holding box” or even to prison). Once this examination has been carried (it is preceded, in particular by the palpation of the limbs), the horse and the rider return before the judges, who decide, once the veterinary has given them his opinion, whether or not to allow the horse to compete.

On Wednesday, there were no unpleasant surprises apart from for the 7 year old horses: Arlequin, Romero Inaki's Spanish stallion, was not accepted by the judges.

This year, several riders are riding offspring which they have bred themselves. This is the case of Mary King for example with Kings Temptress. But there is also Andrew Nicholson with Avebury, Sylvia Lugeon with Nilios en Solo CH, Laurent Bousquet with No Comment and Frank Ostholt with Quite Easy.

Last year, Barlovento, a wonderful Spanish bay horse, competed at the World Championships for 6 year old horses with Albert Hermoso Farra. They finished 27th. This year, the gelding has returned to the World Championships, but this time it will be ridden by the sextuple winner of the competition, Nicolas Touzaint.

This year again, the World Championships has accepted the maximum number of riders and has had to turn some down…

There will be 109 riders and their horses competing in this 22nd edition: 56 are in the World Championships for 7 year old horses and 53 in the World Championships for 6 year old horses.

Provisional Results (18.10.07)

DRESSAGE – 1º Day – 18.10.07

World Championship – 6 Year Olds

1º Golden Boy 0134 – Alessandra Gherardi (Ita) – 434 – 68,89%
2º Schwalbenprinz – Esther Andres (Sui) – 430 – 68,26%
3º Desperado S – Michael Jung (Ger) – 424 – 67,30%
4º Acroliance Embregts – Iris Pemen (Ned) – 424 – 67,30%
5º Mr Cruise Contral – Andrew Nicholson (Nzl) – 416 – 66,03%
6º 25 Trequite – Sarah Cohen (Gbr) – 412 – 65,40%
7 Thornton Crusador – Aoife Sisk (Irl) – 399 – 63,33%
=8º Nocomment – Laurent Bousquet (Fra) – 397 – 63,01%
=8º Reve D'été Du Mirland – Lara De Liedekerke (Bel) – 397 – 63,02%
10º Freddie's Star – Alberto Basilico (Ita) – 394 – 62,54%

12. Ucrania – João Duarte Silva – 390 – 61,90%

World Championship – 7 Year Olds

1º Cast Away II – Piggy French (Gbr) – 551 – 73.47%
2º Avebury – Andrew Nicholson (Nzl) – 537 – 71.60%
3º Prada – Lucinda Fredericks (Aus) – 535 – 71.33%
4º Must Des Sureaux – Aurelien Khan (Fra) – 534 – 71.20%
5º Frh Fantasia – Andreas Dibowski (Ger) – 532 – 70.93%
6º Savoir Faer – Daniel Jocelyn (Nzl) – 529 – 70.53%
7º Silver Johnnie – Malin Larsson (Swe) – 524 – 69.87%
8º Mutin Du Vallon – Stanislas De Zuchowicz (Fra) – 520 – 69.33%
9º Valentino Flying Ch – Tiziana Realini (Sui) – 516 – 68.80%
10º Fernhill City Boy – Elisabetta Moranzoni (Ita) – 502 – 66.93%