Jung and Townend go head to head at Strzegom

Germany’s Michael Jung and Britain’s Oliver Townend, both winners of HSBC World Cup™ Eventing competitions this season, go head to head at Strzegom (POL) this weekend (June 24-27) as they both bid to take over the lead in the 2010 rankings from Australian Megan Jones, who has scored a win and a second place in the series so far.

Jung, who had an incredible season in 2009, winning Luhmühlen and a European bronze medal on La Biosthetique Sam, is already a winner at this Polish venue having scored at the HSBC World Cup™ Eventing Final here last year.

In contrast, Townend made an early exit at Strzegom last year; having led the Dressage phase, he suffered an unlucky fall on the flat across country when Flint Curtis lost a shoe.

Jung kicked off his 2010 campaign with a win at Marbach (GER) last month on Sam and he brings this horse to Strzegom, plus Weidezaunprofi’s River Of Joy and Leopin; Townend, who won at Tattersalls (IRL) on Ashdale Cruise Master, travels to Poland with ODT Master Rose and Brigadier, a new ride this season.

Word has spread about the excellent competition offered at Strzegom, especially Rudiger Schwarz’s Cross-Country course, and the HSBC FEI World Cup™ has attracted an impressive 39 entries from 13 nations.

But the combination in the limelight will be Olympic Champion Hinrich Romeike (GER) and his 16-year-old superstar Marius Voight-Logistik, a veteran of six consecutive championships. Following the grey gelding’s lay-off through injury, Romeike is now on the qualifying trail for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in September.

And local interest will centre on Pawel Spisak (POL) and Weriusz, the combination which thrilled the home crowd last year when claiming a seventh-place finish.