Saturday saw the show jumping phase of the GFS Saddles 8 & 9 Year Old CCI4*S at Blenheim International in the UK, where four Australian riders are competing with their up-and-coming stars of the future.
Kevin McNab and Wilfred Lancer jumped clear to finish the day as the highest placed Australian combination. The pair did accrue two time penalties, which was enough to see them slip from ninth to 12th – but still a very strong position in a competitive field of over 80 combinations.
The Australian combinations hold the following positions ahead of Sunday’s cross country phase:
Kevin McNab and Wilfred Lancer: 31.4 (12)
Kevin McNab and Faro Imp: 36.7 (34)
Sammi Birch and Parkfield Artie Blou: 40.3 (50)
Sarah Clark and Casallia S: 46.8 (69)
Isabel English and Cil Dara Bombay S: 47.6 (73)
New Zealand rider Samantha Lissington leads the CCI4*S with Quantas R, adding nothing to her dressage score of 22.4.
The 2025 edition of Blenheim International not only hosts the prestigious CCI4*-S for up-and-coming equine stars, but also the Agria FEI Eventing European Championship (CCI4*-L).
Germany dominates as Collett steals the show in the Agria FEI Eventing European Championship
Cross-country day at the Agria FEI Eventing European Championship 2025 delivered high drama, leaderboard shakeups, and a thrilling individual battle that set the stage for a nail-biting finale.
Germany stamped its authority on the championship, holding a commanding lead after the Cross-Country phase on a score of 113.7. Behind them, the leaderboard was shaken up as Ireland surged from seventh after Dressage into second on 150.7, while Switzerland moved into third with 161.3.
The shock of the day came from host nation Great Britain. Hot favourites for team gold, they suffered two eliminations after athlete falls and slipped to seventh. But there was redemption in the individual standings: Laura Collett produced a sensational round with her evergreen partner London 52, reclaiming the individual lead on 26.6. She edged out Germany’s Michael Jung, who sits second with 28.3 on FischerChipmunk FRH, while fellow Brit Tom McEwen is close behind in third with JL Dublin on 26.2.
No athlete managed to finish inside the time on Captain Mark Phillips’ bold four-star tracks which saw a number of experienced combinations face challenges, including three British athletes parting company from their horses. “The biggest surprise for me was fence 11, with the two corners,” said Phillips. “I thought it was quite a senior question, but it rode like a Pony Club fence all day. The rounds from Collett, Jung, and McEwen were world-class. The time was always going to be tough because of the water and the terrain. And I added a few extra speed bumps.”
When asked if he expected nobody to make the optimum time, he admitted: “I knew it was possible. There weren’t many horses capable of it. What you saw was that the best-trained horses, those three, were simply in another league.”
Collett was overjoyed with her 15-year-old gelding: “I can’t quite believe it. He just dug so deep. He owes me nothing, but he keeps on giving. The crowd was amazing, and you can see from the Dressage he loves all that and it really got us going and kept us going all the way to the end.”
Looking ahead to Sunday’s Jumping, where she faces Jung once again for individual gold, Collett said: “I let him beat me in Paris last year after a fence down. Let’s hope I don’t do it two years on the trot.”
She also credited teammate Tom McEwen: “Tom told me, ‘save a bit for the end and get stuck in.’ It was hard work out there, but my horse never stopped fighting.”
Jung was equally pleased with 17-year-old FischerChipmunk FRH with who he won individual gold at last year’s Olympics in Paris: “He galloped really well, fast, strong, and responsive. He gave me a super feeling everywhere. My plan was to go as fast as possible without pushing him too much.”
The German superstar is optimistic about both his individual and team chances: “We had a great day, both the team riders and individuals. We were well prepared, and everything went as we wished. For sure, luck was on our side.”
Germany was the only nation to bring home all four team members without jumping penalties. Alongside Jung, the squad features debutant Libussa Lübbeke with her homebred Caramia 34, 47-year-old mother of three Malin Hansen-Hotopp with Carlitos Quidditch K, and Jérôme Robiné with Black Ice. Their depth and consistency leave them with a comfortable cushion over the chasing Irish.
With the stage set for tomorrow’s decisive Jumping phase, fans can expect fireworks as Collett, Jung, and McEwen battle for individual glory, while Germany look to secure team gold.
Source: FEI press release byEleanore Kelly
