Emotional Win for Bettina Hoy in Luhmühlen CIC3*, Hannah Sue Burnett Finishes in Top 25

Bettina Hoy and Seigneur Medicott. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Germany’s Bettina Hoy and Seigneur Medicott continued their winning streak with a start-to-finish victory in the Luhmühlen CIC3* this morning. They added a single show jumping time penalty to their career best dressage score of 26.3 to top the CIC3* and clinch the German Championship title.

The 11-year-old Westphalian gelding has been in Bettina’s yard since he was six. He’d only done show jumping before that, but has taken everything in stride, with recent wins at Blenheim, Chatsworth and Houghton.

“This horse is simply amazing,” Bettina says. “He has won four international events in a row now, I am so happy!”

Bettina went in the ring with ample breathing room but was careful to never let down her guard. Coming over the second to last fence, she says, “Although I knew not much could go wrong then, my actual thought was to finish clear within the time.”

With another victory on the books, Bettina will be at the top of selectors’ list when it comes time to select the German squad for the European Championship in Strzegom in August. “The Europeans are of course my dream, especially with this wonderful horse, but the decision lies with the German team trainers,” she says.

The country’s top riders were all fighting to put their best foot forward in this week’s competition, and 12 of the top 15 placings were occupied by a who’s-who of Germany’s top combinations.

Michael Jung finished second with his up-and-coming Star Connection, bred here in Luhmühlen, in the horse’s second three-star start. “Star Connection is a fabulous horse and I am so glad that he is back after being injured before,” Jung says. “He made a terrific impression this weekend.”

Sandra Auffarth and her veteran Opgun Louvo rounded out the top three. “Wolle was certainly glad to be back,” Sandra says. “He was brilliant in all three phases and you could just tell how much he enjoyed it too. He was focused and gave me a super feeling in dressage on Friday, in cross-country yesterday, and show jumping today. I cannot fault him in any way.”

A rail bumped Ingrid Klimke and Horseware Hale Bob OLD from third to fourth. Supermare fischerRocana FST‘s week got off to a rocky start — they performed their dressage test in the pouring rain and she was a bit tempestuous at the start — but managed to jump her way up to fifth.

Hannah Sue Burnett and RF Demeter. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

The sole U.S. representative in the CIC3* was Hannah Sue Burnett with RF Demeter, who faced off against the world’s best to finish 25th in their first three-star start together. Campaigned through the four-star level by Marilyn Little, who is here contesting the CCI4* with RF Scandalous, Hannah Sue and the 15-year-old Oldenburg mare owned by Ms. Jacqueline Mars are an exciting new partnership and looked super throughout the week.

“Obviously it’s the biggest event I’ve done on her,” Hannah says. “It’s a lot of atmosphere so the warmup wasn’t really ideal, I was struggling a little bit with my position. She’s a lot different from any other horse I’ve ever had, just with my balance and how to help her. She tries 100% all the time but just the tiny bit of moving my body makes a difference with her.”

They had one rail down in today’s show jumping for a final point tally of 54.8.

“Marilyn has done a beautiful job training her in the show jumping,” Hannah says. “She goes in the ring and tries incredibly hard and is such a blast to ride. It was actually really fun — after I jumped the first few we were zooming around and it was going really well, and unfortunately I just got ahead of her in the double.”

Hannah is staying abroad this summer with Barbury, Millstreet and Blenheim on the calendar. “I’m excited for Barbury and the next couple events coming up,” she says. “Our partnership is growing and should be good for the future.”

Luhmühlen CIC3* Final Top 15: 

The CCI4* will be underway soon. Go USA! Go Eventing.

Luhmühlen Links: Website, Entries, ScheduleSJ Starting Order, Live ScoresFEI TV, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram