Chris Pratt emerged as the top Canadian after a challenging opening day of show jumping at the FEI World Championships in Aachen. France’s Julien Epaillard and Fringin de Vesquerie topped the massive field of 145 starters from 50 countries. Germany is the leading team, followed closely by Belgium and the USA, with Canada in 23rd.
The opening competition was run as a speed class, with four seconds added for each jumping fault. The resulting times were then converted into the final score, with Epaillard’s leading time counting as zero and the remaining riders ranked according to the difference from his winning score.
Epaillard said his round did not unfold entirely according to plan, but he was encouraged by how relaxed his horse remained in the Aachen stadium.
“I feel the horse good, relaxed in the ring,” he said, explaining that Fringan can be sensitive to atmosphere. “Today was really relaxed, so it’s good news to have him like that.”
Julien Epaillard (FRA) and Fringan de Vesquerie top the leaderboard after the first day of jumping competition. (Cealy Tetley photo)
For Canada, Pratt and Ideaal ES finished as the best of the four combinations with 4.85 penalties. The pair were fast and despite having two rails were the top placed Canadians in 66th position, demonstrating the importance of speed in the opening format.
It was Pratt’s first appearance at Aachen in 20 years. “I’ve got a bit more experience than the last time I was here.” noted Pratt who last rode at Aachen in 2006. “I’ve ridden a lot of super horses since then.”
Pratt was particularly pleased with Ideaal.
“He came out roaring today. He is on form,” he noted with a smile. “I feel I let him down at both the rails there. I think riding a little differently, I could have had a clear round, but that’s the way that it goes.”
Kyle Timm, the first Canadian into the ring, produced the team’s only clear round. (Cealy Tetley photo)
Kyle Timm, the first Canadian into the ring, produced the team’s only clear round and finished in 70th position and a score of 5.03.
Timm took a conservative route through an early section of the course, but explained afterwards that it was deliberate. His horse is wary of objects on the ground and, with the water jump and other fences creating distractions, he felt he needed to sit up and ride every stride rather than become committed to a particular distance.
“I think it gave a few people a few gasps, but that’s what I needed to do to nurse him through that part of the course,” he said. “Is it the round that’s going to win today? Absolutely not. But I think it’s a solid round for the team, and I hope a solid round individually moving forwards.”
Amy Millar and Jagger HX. (Cealy Tetley photo)
Amy Millar and Jagger HX were second out for Canada and ran into trouble early, having both elements of the combination at fence three down. They recovered impressively with no more rails, finishing in 102nd with a score of 7.93.
“We made one mistake and we got serious punishment for it,” Millar said. “I’m disappointed about that, but the rest of it was super. My horse is jumping great.”
Millar said the speed competition was always likely to be the most difficult phase for Jagger.
“He’s not naturally comfortable going that fast. So I am very optimistic that tomorrow we can lay down a good score for them.”
Having competed at her first World Championships in Herning four years ago, Millar said she arrived in Aachen knowing how demanding the week ahead would be.
“I learned that it’s a marathon, and I learned that it’s the hardest thing that you can do in show jumping. And at the end of this week, whoever wins really deserves it,” she said. “We’re just at the start of the marathon.”
Canada’s day took a more dramatic turn when Ballard, riding last for the team aboard Fave d’Authuit, fell off after jumping fence five. Ballard was immediately back on her feet and confirmed afterwards that she and her horse were unhurt.
Erynn Ballard parted company with Fave d’Authuit, but neither were injured. (Cealy Tetley photo)
Ballard had gone into the ring intending to be competitive and ride eight strides to that fence. “It’s a sport of millimeters. It’s not feet,” she said. “Trying to be competitive, trying to do the eight. Maybe he got his eye on it late. You know, I wanted to do the eight. If I went in again, I would do it the same. And sometimes you take your chances and it works, and sometimes it doesn’t.”
There had been rain not long before and several horses had lost shoes on course. Ballard acknowledged that the increasingly greasy grass might have played a role, but refused to blame the conditions, noting that other late starters were continuing to produce strong rounds.
“It was my job to anchor for the team. It was my job to go in and get a good result, and it didn’t work out the way that we had planned.”
Her elimination ends Ballard’s individual championship, but she remains eligible to return for Canada in the team competition tomorrow.
Chef d’équipe Ian Millar acknowledged it had been a difficult start.
“Today did not go as planned, obviously,’ he said. “Disappointed, definitely. But I’ll tell you this: I’m never disappointed in these riders. They really come ready to play, and they are extremely good at what they do. This is the best of the world right now, and sometimes it works.”
After the first round Germany is in the lead with a score of 3.48 followed closely by Great Britain with 3.69, the USA with 4.85, Great Britain with 4.98 and France with 4.99. Canada is in 23rd with 17.81.
The opening competition took a significant toll with 10 combinations being eliminated and another four retiring on course. The competition also produced several dramatic moments. Brazil’s Marlon Modolo Zanotelli and Dorette OLD were eliminated after jumping the flag at the wall at fence seven, another setback for a Brazilian team that arrived in Aachen amid controversy following Yuri Mansur’s withdrawal from the squad before the Championship.
Later, Hungary’s András Jun. Kövy pulled Egano van ’t Wingerd Hof Z up before fence 11 after the stallion appeared severely lame. Screens were quickly placed around the horse before he was loaded into the equine ambulance and taken from the arena. A statement was released, reading, “Egano was examined by a FEI veterinarian on the field of play. He was able to walk into the horse ambulance and was transported to the veterinary clinic for further examination. He has been diagnosed with a soft-tissue injury, is being monitored and remains under the care of the Hungarian veterinary team.”
The championship continues tomorrow with all entries competing again with faults carried forward. The top 10 teams after tomorrow’s competition will compete again on Friday night along with the top 60 individuals – all ties included. The individual final will be held on Sunday with the top 25 riders competing in round 1 and then the top 12 riders competing in round 2 with scores accumulated throughout the championship.
Individual results HERE.
Team results HERE.
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