Great Britain challenges Germany at this weekend’s 2017 European Eventing Championships

After dressage Friday, the competitors at the CCI3* event are battling on the cross-country course today, with jumping set for Sunday. And not unexpectedly, the powerhouse German team made up of Olympians and World No.1s like Ingrid Klimke (on Horseware Hale Bob OLD) and Michael Jung (fischerRocana FST) were sitting atop the leaderboard heading into Saturday’s cross-country stage. But Great Britain, also a traditional power in the sport and host to many of its best-known competitions, was also well-placed in third and fifth after Day 1, in the form of riders Gemma Tattersall (Quicklook V) and Nicola Wilson (Bulana), respectively. Other strong Brits, such as Piggy French (Quarrycrest Echo) and Oliver Townend (Cooley SRS) were further back. But anything can happen in this multidisciplinary sport, which showcases the unique versality of Eventing riders. The live leaderboard can be followed here with the competition schedule here.

Riders, horses, owners, grooms and trainers from 19 countries are in Poland with a group of international volunteers for this first senior Eventing championships at the Stragona Equestrian Centre in Strzegom, and Germany’s rivals — including last year’s Olympic champions France, represented by Thomas Carlile and the grey stallion Upsilon — are aiming to break the country’s streak in the event. Indeed, Germany is targeting its fourth straight European team gold medal at this year’s championships in Poland, with Jung himself looking for another title following Luhmühlen, Germany in 2011 on La Biosthetique Sam, Malmö, Sweden in 2013, on Halunke, and Blair Castle, Great Britain in 2015 on fischerTakinou. HIs mare this year, fischerRocana FST, is a two-time winner of the Kentucky CCI4* as well as Team gold and Individual silver medalist at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France in 2014. Jung is also joined by compatriot and recent Luhmühlen winner Julia Krajewski on Samourai Du Thot.

For more information and to follow all the action, see the competition web site, http://www.strzegom2017.pl/en/