‘Junggernaut’ at Fountainbleau!
By Paula Parisi March 28, 2012
Michael Jung and Leopine had two x-country time faults. (Photo: PSV Jean Morel)
Reigning World Champion Michael Jung proved a juggernaut, leading Germany to a decisive victory in the first leg of the FEI Nation’s Cup Eventing tour in Fountainbleau, France, where he claimed three of the top four individual slots.
The Netherlands was second and France third, followed by Spain, Australia and Great Britain at this inaugural event, March 22-25.
With three entries, the 30-year-old Jung dominated the proceedings from the onset, leading after dressage on his Olympic contender, La Biosthetique Sam FBW. He proceeded to top himself, adding just two cross country time penalties to his existing 37.4 dressage score on Leopin, his Badminton entry, which saw him coming out of cross country in first, second and third place.
The massive cross country track – 3,500 meters (nearly 2.2 miles)—had a time allowed of only 6.9 (6’09”) minutes, which proved too much for virtually everyone: Of the 56 horse and rider teams that made it to cross country, France’s Donatien Schauly and Pivoine des Touches was the only pair that did not incur a time fault.
For the 56 riders and horses still in the competition, the cross country consisted of 21 natural fences that represented 29 jumping efforts. The 3,500-meter course had an allowed time of 6 minutes 9 seconds. France’s Donatien Schauly and Pivoine des Touches was the only team to manage it, completing in 6 minutes 4 seconds, propelling the French military rider from 21st to 5th place.
Australia’s Clayton Fredericks and Bendigo, who sat at fifth after dressage, jumped one place to fourth, thanks to a very good cross country and in spite of time penalties. A clean stadium jumping round the next day saw him push Jung and Weidezaunprofi’s River Of Joy into fourth at the expense of their two two rails. “Clear is clear and I am very pleased,” crowed Fredericks. “It takes constant work to get there but we had a good warm-up. We are working towards the Olympics and this was good preparation.”
Jung’s teammates Andreas Ostholt (Franco Jeas, individual seventh) and Andreas Dibowski (FRH Fantasia, 22nd) and they completed with a healthy margin of 14.8 penalties ahead of The Netherlands.
France netted third on 226.2 penalties after Australia, which was on target for second following the Dressage, dropped out of the reckoning when Wendy Schaeffer was eliminated on the Cross Country.
Clayton Fredericks and Bendigo were third overall. (Photo: PSV Jean Morel)
But it was Jung who was the “big news” at this event. He went to Fountainbleau a star and leaves a superstar. Since making his CCI4* début in 2009 on home turf at Luhmühlen and winning on La Biosthetique-Sam, Jung has gone from strength to strength. In 2009, he also secured victory at the HSBC FEI World Cup™ Eventing Final at Strzegom (POL) and clinched individual bronze at the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships at Fontainebleau in the same year.
In 2010, he topped the HSBC FEI World Cup rankings once more and went on to win the individual World title at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky, again on Sam, the horse he rode to team and individual gold at last year’s HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships in Luhmühlen.
“Leopin was excited at first but he calmed down in the middle of the course and finished clear, which was very satisfying,” Jung said. “Sam was also a real pleasure to ride. He had an excellent warm-up and maintained it throughout the course. River Of Joy is the least experienced and he isn’t used to this atmosphere which is probably why he made a few mistakes but overall he jumped well.”
FEI Director, Eventing & Olympic, Catrin Norinder said she was pleased with how the event unfolded, and that Fontainebleau “set the scene” for the FEI Nations Cup Eventing. “The world famous Grand-Parquet was the ideal place to host the start of this brand new team eventing competition, and it was great to see six nations with some of their best riders and horses battling it out.”
The USA—in the process of selecting a replacement for eventing chef d’equipe Captain Mark Phillips, who will retire this year—sat this year, chose to sit this one out. “In 2012 we didn’t support the Nations Cup because we didn’t feel it would help in our Olympic preparations,” a USEF representative said, noting that the costs associated with touring Europe are considerable for U.S. teams. But the door is open for future participation: “It will be up to our next coach as to whether we send horses to it going forward.”
The next event is at Houghton Hall (GBR) on 24-27 May. The six-leg FEI Nations Cup Eventing series is open to all nations fielding one team of three or four riders.
“The new CICO format is very good and the French have supported that,” Fredericks added. “Other federations need to get behind it and support it and hopefully the next stage will see more riders competing.”
FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing team results:
1 Germany: 172.2
2 The Netherlands: 187.0
3 France: 226.2
4 Spain: 314.4
5 Australia: 1120.2
6 Great Britain: 1151.2
Individual results *denotes team member:
1 Michael Jung/Leopin (GER*) 37.4 + 2 + 0 = 39.4
2 Michael Jung/La Biosthetique-Sam FBW (GER) 35.6 + 5.6 + 0 = 41.2
3 Clayton Fredericks/Bendigo (AUS) 42.2 + 7.2 + 0 = 49.4
4 Michael Jung/Weidezaunprofi’s River Of Joy (GER) 38 + 4 + 8 = 50.0
5 Elaine Pen/Vira (NED*) 48.6 + 6.8 + 0 = 55.4
6 Lucinda Fredericks/Flying Finish (AUS*) 44.6 + 12.8 + 0 = 57.4
7 Andreas Ostholt/Franco Jeas (GER*) 43.4 + 15.2 + 0 = 58.6
8 Clayton Fredericks/Dunges Laurent Rose (AUS*) 46.4 + 8.4 + 8 = 62.8
9 Eric Vigeanel/Kalin De Burgo (FRA*) 51.8 + 3.6 + 8 = 63.4
10 Tim Lips/Concrex Oncarlos (NED*) 48.2 + 11.2 + 4 = 63.4
Full results, click here.
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