Canada’s Jessica Phoenix and 18-year-old Fluorescent Adolescent delivered a fault-free jumping performance across a demanding cross-country track at the FEI Eventing World Championship in Aachen, adding only time penalties to move into 36th place heading into Sunday’s show jumping finale.
Phoenix and the Canadian-bred mare known at the barn as Lacey completed Giuseppe Della Chiesa’s twisting, technical course in 10:20, 30 seconds over the optimum time of 9:50, adding 12 penalties to their dressage score of 35.1 for a two-day total of 47.1.
“She definitely knew what today was, and she could not wait to make the start flags,” Phoenix said. “And she just fought so hard all the way around, had a beautiful, easy gallop, and just made it feel effortless.”
It was a significant performance for the veteran mare, who had already produced a five-star personal best in the dressage and then jumped clear over a track Phoenix described as unlike anything she had previously encountered.
“This championship course was incredibly intense from start to finish,” Phoenix said. “So there were very few spots where you could gallop. It was always turning, turning, turning, turning.”
The compact Aachen venue meant the crowds were often close to the track, obscuring the horses’ view of what was coming next. Phoenix said riders could see the fences over the spectators, but the horses sometimes had only three strides to identify and understand the next question.
“It’s really a test of how much they trust you and how quickly they can lock onto the flags and understand the questions,” she said, adding that even major five-stars, Pan American Games and Olympic courses generally give horses more time to focus on what is ahead.
The course proved enormously influential. Of the 87 combinations who started, 53 completed without jumping penalties, but just six finished inside the optimum time and nineteen failed to complete.
Della Chiesa had deliberately incorporated turns into the largely flat Aachen terrain to control speed without disrupting the course’s flow. The direct route contained 42 jumping efforts, with numerous alternatives available to accommodate the wide range of championship experience in the field.
Fluorescent Adolescent, known as Lacy, appeared to relish the challenge and left strides out in a few locations. Phoenix said the mare’s determination has always been her greatest asset.
“Her heart has never been a question. When she needs to dig deep, you always know she will dig deep. She just is a phenomenal partner in that regard.”
The partnership carries an additional Canadian connection. Fluorescent Adolescent was bred by Phoenix’s first eventing coach, Kelly Plitz.
“It’s epic,” Phoenix said. “It’s so incredible to have my very first eventing coach breed the horse that I am now riding at a World Championships at Aachen. Like, how cool of a story is that?”
Michael Jung (GER) and fischerChipmunk FRH lead the standings heading into Sunday’s stadium jumping. (Cealy Tetley photo)
Jung Takes Command
At the top of the leaderboard, Germany’s Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH produced one of the day’s six rounds inside the time to remain on their dressage score of 23.0 and take the individual lead into show jumping.
Great Britain occupies the next three positions – Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo are second on 23.4, just four-tenths behind Jung, while Laura Collett and London 52 sit third on 23.6. Teammate Tom McEwen and JL Dublin are fourth on 28.6.
Jung said the experienced Chipmunk gave him an exceptional feeling from the moment he left the start box.
“He was so well listening today. Was so lovely to ride. He has all the experience. It’s such an honour to have this horse,” Jung said.
Despite the importance of the optimum time, Jung said his strategy was not simply to gallop as fast as possible. He deliberately established his rhythm early and saved enough horse to attack the latter part of the course.
“The time is not everything,” he said. “Sometimes it’s better to give the horse a few seconds to stay in a good balance, in a good feeling.”
By the closing stages, Chipmunk still had enough in reserve for Jung to press harder.
“Then in the end, I was fighting a bit more, and he was absolutely with me, and that’s a great feeling.”
Canter was similarly emphatic about the intensity of Della Chiesa’s track.
“It’s a very, very intense track to ride,” she said. “Badminton and Burghley feel a little bit easier for Walter, because you can cruise along in between, whereas today you have to go so fast in between, and there doesn’t seem to be any space.”
Canter ultimately stuck to her original plan, including taking a direct route late on course when she briefly considered an alternative.
Thailand’s Korntawat Samran and B.Grimm Carouzo Bois Marotin. (Cealy Tetley photo)
Thailand Makes its Mark
One of the standout performances of the day came from Thailand’s Korntawat Samran and B.Grimm Carouzo Bois Marotin, who finished just three seconds outside the optimum time to move into 19th with 35.4 heading into show jumping.
The 29-year-old has been based in France for more than 12 years and trains with French five-star rider Maxime Livio, who has also previously ridden his horse. Samran has been supported by Thailand’s equestrian program since he was a teenager, moving to France to train and compete in Europe. The president of the Thai Equestrian Federation is Dr. Harald Link, a Thai-German billionaire businessman, industrialist, and philanthropist who has heavily supported the team in preparation for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and hopes such performances will inspire a new generation of riders in Asia.
A Demanding Day
While the championship produced numerous outstanding clear rounds, it also brought several dramatic moments.
New Zealand’s Clarke Johnstone pulled up Rocket Man at fence 12 after the horse suffered a nosebleed. The horse was subsequently reported to be comfortable back at the stables.
Great Britain’s Gemma Stevens and Flash Cooley were eliminated, while Australian Sam Woods fell from SS Eight Count at the second-last fence. Italy’s Paolo Torlonia pulled up Zinny at the very last jump after the horse appeared very lame. An official FEI update on Zinny’s condition was still awaited at the time of writing.
With one phase remaining, Great Britain has a solid grip on the team standings, leading on 75.6 penalties. Germany is second on 90.4, while Switzerland has moved into bronze-medal position on 106.5. Ireland sits fourth on 110.1 and the United States fifth on 112.3.
The margins in the individual competition are considerably tighter. Jung has only 0.4 penalties in hand over Canter and 0.6 over Collett, meaning a single show jumping rail could completely rearrange the podium.
Phoenix, meanwhile, heads into the final phase with confidence in a mare who at 18 continues to produce some of the best performances of her career.
“She’s been really getting better in her show jumping,” Phoenix said. “She’s feeling so confident, so strong in her body, and her shape is really becoming consistent. So I can’t wait to get in there tomorrow.”
Results here.
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