The Eventing Test Event that is a preview of the FEI World Championships™ 2022 (September 15-22) started Thursday, May 12, at Pratoni del Vivaro with the dressage test.
Day one saw 35 riders from nine nations (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland) competing in the CCIO4*-NC-S that is the first leg of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ 2022.
The leader in the individual ranking is Germany’s Ingrid Klimke (24.8 riding SAP Hale Bob Old), also putting Germany in the lead in the ranking for nations (78.7) in front of France (82.30) and New Zealand (87.50).
Klimke, 54, riding for Germany, is one of the most important competitors in the Eventing Test Event being held from today until Sunday at the Pratoni del Vivaro, a real rehearsal for the FEI World Championships™ 2022 (September 15-22).
Three times on the Olympic podium (team gold in Beijing in 2008 and in London in 2012, team silver in Rio de Janeiro 2016), bronze medal winner at the 2918 World Champions, twice the winner of the individual World Championships, the German rider with her SAP Hale Bob Old immediately made her presence felt at Pratoni during the first day of dressage, finishing in the lead (24.8). That was no surprise, since at a previous CCIO4* in 2020, riding the same horse, Ingrid obtained the best score ever in dressage at Pratoni (20.8) and also the best score ever in a three-day event there (24.4).
“I am delighted as SAP Hale Bob Old performed splendidly. He was fresh and felt very positive and reactive and gave me really a good feeling.”
Ingrid Klimke will be back in the dressage arena tomorrow as she is also competing with a second horse named Equistros Siena Just Do It. On Saturday she will be riding over the 3.55 km long cross-country course with its 37 jumps (optimum time 6’14”, maximum time 12’28”) designed by Giuseppe Della Chiesa.
“I walked the cross-country course yesterday and I think it’s fantastic and that the ground is in perfect condition. During the first part one goes up the hill and then comes back down where the jumps on the flat include a series of interesting but demanding and very tight combinations, including the water, to then finish with quite a flowing series of jumps. Among the combinations it is number 7 [Panoramic Corners] that is perhaps the most challenging, but so is the last but one, no. 14 (The Swan Lake], especially if one does not have the correct line. In any case it is a course I know perfectly, and I always love being at Pratoni where there is everything one needs to do one’s best. The organisation too is perfect and Italian hospitality is always special.”
Dressage Day 2
On day two of the CCIO4*-NC-S Test Event, once again the best performance came from Germany’s Ingrid Klimke, this time riding Equistros Siena Just Do It (22.7pp) which meant she overtook herself, having finished first yesterday riding SAP Hale Bob OLD (24,8).
Ingrid Klimke with Equistros Siena Just Do It. (Massimo Argenziano photo)
In the final ranking for the dressage, Klimke is followed by France’s Maxime Livio (Api du Libaire, 25.4) and New Zealand’s Jonelle Price (Faerie Magnifico, 25.9).
Germany remains in the lead in the team standings ahead of France and Switzerland going into Saturday’s cross-country phase.
Team standings here.
The cross-country is scheduled for Saturday at 10.30 am with the jumping test on Sunday (10.30 am). Check out the spectacular CCIO4*-NC-S cross-country course at Pratoni del Vivaro HERE and on the Cross Country 2 app available on App Store (iPhone) and Google Play (Android).
Individual results HERE.
More from News:
