Eventing: German team in the lead after the dressage

The German team enter the cross-country competition of the Eventing World Championships with a good head start. After the dressage Bettina Hoy with the Irish gelding Ringwood Cockatoo, Frank Ostholt with the Hanoverian gelding Air Jordan, Ingrid Klimke with the English thoroughbred Sleep Late and Hinrich Romeike with the Holstein gelding Marius Voigt-Logistic have notched up a total score of only 122,5 (minus) points. Bettina Hoy achieved the best individual result with a score of 36.5. The Australian team rank second after the dressage (136.1). Andrew Hoy with Master Monarch an English thoroughbred, Megan Jones with her Irish thoroughbred Kirby Park Irish Jester, Sonja Johnson with the Australian gelding Ringwould Jaguar and Clayton Fredericks with his Irish thoroughbred Ben Along Time have a narrow lead over the British team, who are close behind them in third place (138.60).

"The atmosphere here is terrific. It is a wonderful experience riding into the stadium filled with thousands of German fans," stated the winner of the dressage Bettina Hoy. She also noted that the cross-country course is fantastic. "Rüdiger Schwarz is one of the best course designers in the world," commented the 43-year-old, who lives with her Australian husband in Gatcombe, Great Britain. Ingrid Klimke who came second in the dressage with Sleep Late (39.10) was also very satisfied and is looking forward to the cross-country. "Sleep Late is a fast horse, and I think this is a good course for him." Andreas Dibowski with his Hanoverian FRH Serve Well came joint third with the American rider Kimberley Severson on her thoroughbred Winsome Adante (49.9). Dibowski will be entering the cross-country course as an individual German rider. He was a little disappointed at not being able to ride for the team, but nevertheless showed understanding for the trainer's decision. "Now I can follow my own concept. It is difficult for me to estimate in what time the mare will be able to finish the course, because she is not one of the fastest."

The cross-country starts at 9.30 a.m. on Saturday. The 78 riders will then have to master a 6,380 m long course with 31 natural obstacles (45 fences in total).

www.aachen2006.de