Birthday win for Felix Vogg at Luhmühlen CCI5*L

Colero gave his rider a tremendous birthday present — the first five-star victory of his career! Just like the cross-country course, the show jumping of the Luhmühlen CCI5*-L proved to be very influential. Only the top two riders stayed clear and within the time allowed.

With a very fresh and smooth round, Felix Vogg (SUI) and Colero held onto their dressage score of 29.0 points. Kirsty Chabert (GBR) and Jonelle Price (NZL) completed the podium.

It was Felix Vogg’s week. He laid the foundation for Sunday’s win on Friday with a super dressage, which was rewarded with 29.0 points. Vogg and Colero then mastered the demanding cross-country and show-jumping courses clear within the time. The Swiss rider proved to have nerves of steel: “When I rode into the arena, I just focused on keeping calm and tried to blank out everything else. That took the pressure off me and also off the horse, which was important. Even with a pole, the result would have been a personal highlight. He can jump fantastically and he showed that today.”

In the award ceremony, the 32-year-old thanked everyone who contributed to his win: “Many thanks to the audience, the horse’s breeders and the organisers. This victory is extraordinary for me!”

Kirsty Chabert was the only other rider to finish the Longines CCC5*-L on her dressage score – her biggest achievement so far: “Classic has been fantastic this whole week. She gave me a phenomenal round cross country and she’s a very, very good jumper. It’s a team effort and we go out of our way to keep her in her happy place and then she rewards us by going above and beyond.”

Jonelle Price’s week was off to a rocky start. “I was a little frustrated with our dressage result. Faerie is brilliant but also a right little madam. It’s her fourth time in Luhmühlen and she’s already seventeen, so you’d think she knows her job but the dressage was hard work, we had a few mistakes and during today’s prize giving I couldn’t help but think ‘what if…’. On the other hand, she gave me lovely rides in the cross country and show jumping phases and she’s always trying to do the right thing. She’s an incredible nice little mare and deserved a podium finish. She’s also quite pretentious, so I’m sure she enjoyed the prize giving today and thinks she has won.”

Another gold highlight for Michael Jung in the CCI4*-S

Michael Jung won the CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy with Highlighter and therefore the German Championship. Silver went to Dirk Schrade, bronze to Sandra Auffarth.

Michael Jung (GER) was the only rider to finish on his dressage score of 25.6 points. He could even have afforded a rail in the show-jumping phase without jeopardising his lead but Jung kept his cool and finished the competition with an excellent clear round: “I am overjoyed. Highlighter has come a long way. To win the German Championship title with him now means a lot to me. He has been going strong all season and I am so proud of him. He has done so well all week and wasn’t fazed by the enormous crowd at all. He’s so cool.”

The runners-up of the CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy Dirk Schrade and Casino also had a great week. Schrade could not afford a single time fault, a fact he managed to ignore before he went into the ring: “Casino is simply a great jumper. I was a little worried that he would be impressed by the atmosphere because there were so many spectators on site but he jumped really well, and was absolutely focused on his job.”

Sandra Auffarth was also very pleased with her nine-year-old Rosveel, who was only competing in his second fourstar-season. “I am so happy. His dressage has improved significantly and I had the feeling that he wanted to show what he is made of this week. In the cross country, I can absolutely rely on him. He was fit as a fiddle yesterday and very full of himself in the vet inspection. In the show-jumping he was very attentive and wanted to do everything right. I think he was actually quite proud of himself.”

Full results here.

Source: Luhmühlen Horse Trials press release

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