Strong performances by the first two German riders have put their team in the lead after the first day of dressage at the Agria FEI Eventing European Championship at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire (GB).
Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Carlitos Quidditch K (pictured) head the leaderboard on 27.8 and team pathfinder Libussa Lübbeke is now in second place on Caramia 34 with 28.3.
Yasmin Ingham, who was first to go for Great Britain with Rehy DJ, is in joint third place with France’s Sebastian Cavaillon riding Elipso de la Vigne on a score of 29.
Piggy March is fifth on the stallion Halo, on 29.4, putting the British team second at this stage.
Malin, 47, who runs a farm in rural east Germany, already has the advantage of good form around the undulations of the beautiful park at Blenheim as she and the 13-year-old Holsteiner Carlitos Quidditch K won the CCI4*-L here in 2022.
“My horse was fabulous three years ago, but I know that I will still need to be focused,” said Malin, who was team pathfinder in Germany’s silver medal team at the 2023 European championships at Haras du Pin, France.
“It’s really special to be back here on the German team, and I must admit I am a little bit happier not to be first to go this time – Libussa is a really cool rider.”
Libussa, 24, is making her senior team debut on a 15-year-old Hannoverian mare that was bred by her parents and has already taken her to team gold and silver medals at Young Rider level .
“It’s a big step up to a senior championship and we never thought that she would reach this level so this is like a dream to be representing Germany and we are just enjoying it.”
World champion Yasmin, a member of the winning British team in 2023 on Banzai du Loir, is also riding her Young Rider medallist, another 15-year-old, who she has been competing for nine years.
“We are a great partnership and I was delighted with him,” she said.” He tried so hard, he was accurate and his flying changes were amazing. It’s so exciting to be here and a real honour to be pathfinder for the British team.”
Sebastian Cavaillon, France’s second rider, also comes to Blenheim with good form, including a third place at Bramham in June. “We know that the course here will be strong, and that Captain Mark Phillips is a very good designer, but we are ready for that – that’s why we came to Bramham, to prepare for the hills here.
“My horse has a great galloping stride and is a very good show jumper. A mark of 29 is bad for him actually, and I am quite disappointed, but that is the sport.”
Other riders to perform their dressage tests today include the hugely experienced Belgian rider Karin Donckers, for whom this is a 30th senior championship and a 15th Europeans. She scored 34.9 on Ceres de la Brasserie, a daughter of her former team ride Gazelle de la Brasserie, and is in 15th place.
Karin is one of only a few riders to have ridden at the 2005 Blenheim Europeans, where she finished fourth individually. “It’s nice to be back again and see the Palace again,” she said. “Everything is so ‘horsey’ in England, and it’s so green and lovely.
“Representing my country never gets old and as long as I have the right horse and am able, I will keep going.”
At the other end of the experience spectrum, Kumru (Kuki) Say made history as the first Turkish rider to compete at a championship. She and Baladin de L’Ocean LA are in 21st place on 37.1.
Tomorrow, the third and fourth team riders will perform their dressage tests, starting at 10.30am.
In the GFS Saddles 8 & 9 Year Old CCI4*-S, Britain’s Gemma Stevens is now in pole position riding the Rex Syndicate’s Cooley Park Muze on a score of 22.9. Fiona Cashel is second on Monbeg Cazador on 25.0 and Ireland’s Sian Coleman is third on Kilroe Frolic on 26.8.
