After the first round of the Mercedes-Benz Prize, part of the Meydan FEI Nations
Cup™, there was a draw between five nations on four penalty points. However, only Ireland was able to keep their total score down to four penalty points after the second round.
The last rider Denis Lynch didn’t even have to compete – the nation had already secured itself the victory. “We are all strong riders, but a lot of us have new horses. We all put in a great performance,“ reported the Irish rider who lives in Münster. There is a strong bond between him and the CHIO Aachen, the World Equestrian Festival: In 2009 the 34-year-old won the Grand Prix at the Soers and when he first moved to Germany he was stationed at Peter Weinberg’s stables in Aachen.
In addition to Lynch the Irish team comprised of the Individual World Champion in 2002, Dermott Lennon (41) on the Irish gelding, Hallmark Elite, the 30-year-old Cian O’Connor, who jumped clear in both rounds with the Holsteiner mare, K Club Lady by Calido I/Landgraf I and the 33-year-old Billy Twomey, who picked up only 4 penalty points in total with the Tinka’s Boy daughter, Tinka’s Serenade.
The German team took second place with a total score of nine penalty points. After collecting 18 penalty points in the first round, Ludger Beerbaum and his mare Gotha showed an incredible improvement in the second round by jumping clear. “We jumped over a triple bar on the warm-up arena before the second round,“ the national coach, Otto Becker, reported. “Aged only nine Gotha is still a very young horse, and she still lacks experience when faced with such special demands. When Ludger jumped the sun was very low and probably had an irritating effect.
“ Becker was nevertheless satisfied with his team. The newcomer to the team, Janne-Friederike Meyer, put in a very respectable performance. The 29-year-old picked up four faults in the first round with the Holsteiner, Cellagon Lambrasco, and finished the second round on just one time fault. “I was delighted at being nominated for the team here.
I received great support from the rest of the team and it is fantastic that young riders are also given such a chance. It is of course extremely nerve-racking when you ride into the stadium at the Soers, but at the end of the day you just have concentrate on yourself and your horse and when things go right, the joy is all the more greater,” commented Meyer.
The rider who lives in Schleswig-Holstein has competed seven times for Germany in the Nations Cup to date – however it was her team debut here in Aachen. Marcus Ehning, who jumped clear in the first round, didn’t have to compete in the second round.
“Of course we wanted to win here in front of our home crowd, but unfortunately we didn’t quite manage it,“ the 36-year-old commented. Marco Kutscher, who had saddled the Holsteiner Carthago son, Cash, finished on a total of four penalty points after the two rounds. “We really wanted to win, but nevertheless we are still pleased about coming second,“ summed up Otto Becker.
Third place went to the USA, comprising of Lauren Hough and Quick Study, Candice King with Skara Glen’s Davos, Nicole Simpson with Tristan and Laura Kraut with Cedric, their total score was twelve penalty points.
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