THE COMPETITION: There are two key competitions taking place this week: the Longines CCI5*-L, which is the fourth five-star of 2024, and the Meßmer Trophy CCI4*-S, which incorporates the German National Championship and is also, crucially, basically the final major European box-ticker ahead of the Olympic selection deadline, other than Strzegom to follow. Both classes feature some seriously sparkling entries, but the four-star in particular is about as spicy as it gets, with a bit of a Diet Olympics feel as many horses and riders that we’ll see in Paris come forward to put in one last serious bid for the nod from selectors. Like Paris, we’ll see the first and final phases on a surface here, and the CCI4*-S runs with showjumping on Sunday, so it’s a great way to put these horses and riders to the test in a simulation of what’s to come in Versailles.
WHAT’S AT STAKE: Well, Olympic selection, of course, if we’re focusing on the four-star, which sees a particular focus from British, German, Belgian, Aussie, Kiwi, and Swedish competitors. A great or disappointing run could rewrite a rider’s summer. And over in the ‘other’ class, the chance to fight for one of the most coveted titles in sport and join the small, über-elite ranks of the five-star winners’ club. Plus, there’s some cash on the line, too: a €125,000 prize pot in the five-star, and a €20,000 prize pot in the four-star.
THE OFFICIALS: Denmark’s Anne-Mette Binder will preside over the CCI5* ground jury, which also includes Sandy Phillips (GBR) and Joachim Dimmek (GER). The CCI4*-S President is Xavier Le Sauce of France, who will be joined by Germany’s Edith Schless-Störtenbecker. Mathias Otto-Erley will be the Technical Delegate for the competition, assisted by Rob Janssen of the Netherlands. The eagle-eyed among you may have noticed something interesting: both Ground Jury Presidents this week are members of the Paris Olympics ground jury, so we’ll be looking closely to see the marks from C and what they tend to like to reward.
Once again, Mike Etherington-Smith returns as cross-country course designer, assisted by fellow Brit David Evans, who’s also chief course builder. Marco Behrens (GER) will design the showjumping tracks, which are renowned for being at the top end of their levels in difficulty.
THE ENTRIES: Bold and beautiful, baby. There’s 44 in the CCI5*, representing ten nations, and a serious mix of established and up-and-coming talent. Leading the charge is European Champion Ros Canter and her quirky, but very, very capable, Izilot DHI, who won Blenheim CCI4*-L and Pau CCI5* last year but comes to Luhmühlen off the back of an early retirement at Badminton. Will he be wiser for the experience and back in his element here, or will this be another learning week? It’s a tough call, but on his day, he’s a formidable competitor and on paper, he’s the hot favourite to win this one. He’s joined in the list of could-be winners by 2021 champion Mollie Summerland, who debuts the young star Flow 7 this week, and last year’s third-placed finishers Yasmin Ingham and Rehy DJ. We’ll also see Burghley runners-up David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed, whose favourite hobby is picking up placings at five-stars, and who’ll have a firm fan following after the disappointment of their withdrawal from Badminton before cross-country. Tim and Jonelle Price come in with a horse apiece: the super-experienced but mercurial McLaren for Jonelle, and for Tim, it’s five-star sophomore Viscount Viktor, who made his debut at Pau and had an educational, rather than competitive, week there – but Tim has described the 10-year-old as his next superstar, so he’ll be worth following closely. Local rider Nicolai Aldinger will start with Timmo, who has had a bit of rotten luck in his attempts to step up to five star with two unfulfilled entries so far – and this week, we hope, it’ll be third time lucky with a serious cheering section behind him.
In the CCI4*-S, trying to pick a winner is an enormously painful activity that we recommend wholeheartedly, frankly, because that’s our favourite kind of debate. Will it be Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH? Laura Collett and London 52, who won last year’s CCI5*? World Champs Yas Ingham and Banzai du Loir? Tom McEwen and the exceptional JL Dublin, two-time runners-up at Kentucky? Tim Price and his World Champs ride Falco? Sandra Auffarth and Viamant du Matz? Who’ll make the British team? The Belgian team? The Swedish team? Will those sneaky Aussies throw a few spanners in the works? Will our blood pressure rise and rise and rise again until steam comes out of our ears and we have to drink strong German beers for breakfast to avoid a nervy b? PROBABLY!
The competition will be streamed in its entirety on Horse & Country TV, and you have a few options where subscriptions are concerned. If you’re already a member, Luhmühlen will be included in your package, or, if you’d prefer to take an a la carte approach to event viewing, you can purchase an event pass for the week.
There’ll be plenty of social media coverage of the event, too, with some of Europe’s best platforms giving it their all. First of all, the Luhmühlen Instagram page is a super starting point, with lots of behind the scenes coverage and videos, and you’ll be able to ‘walk’ the courses virtually, too, with the CrossCountry App. Follow Horse & Country for on-site videos and excitement, and friend of EN Juliane Barth, or JulisEventer, will be creating her top-notch video content through the week, which is always unmissable. Don’t forget to follow EN, too – we’ll be bringing you all the insanity in the middle you could possibly need! (And if you’d like to see the real behind-the-scenes life of an EN journo on tour, you certainly can. #shamelessplug) Want to know the juiciest stats throughout the competition? Make sure you follow EquiRatings.
Wednesday, 12 June:
- 4.30 p.m. (3.30 p.m. BST, 10.30 a.m. EST): First horse inspection CCI5*
Thursday, 9 May:
- 8.30 a.m. – 13.10 p.m. (7.30 a.m. – 12.10 p.m. BST, 2.30 a.m. – 7.10 a.m. EST): CCI4*-S dressage
- 14.15 p.m. – 17.00 p.m. (13.15 p.m. BST – 16.00 p.m. BST, 8.15 a.m. – 11.00 a.m. EST): CCI5* dressage
Friday, 10 May:
- 8.15 a.m. – 13.00 p.m. (7.15 a.m. – 12.00 p.m. BST, 2.15 a.m. – 7.00 a.m. EST): CCI4*-S dressage
- 13.30 p.m. – 16.40 p.m. (12.30 p.m. BST – 15.40 p.m. BST, 7.30 a.m. – 10.40 a.m. EST): CCI5* dressage
Saturday, 11 May:
- 8.45 a.m. – 12.00 p.m. (7.45 a.m. – 11.00 a.m. BST, 2.45 a.m. – 6.00 a.m. EST): CCI5* cross-country
- 12.40 p.m. – 16.00 p.m. (11.40 a.m. – 15.00 p.m. BST, 6.40 a.m. – 10.00 a.m. EST): CCI4*-S cross-country
Sunday, 12 May:
- 7.30 a.m. – 8.00 a.m. (6.30 a.m. – 7.00 a.m. BST, 1.30 a.m. – 2.00 a.m. EST): Final horse inspection CCI5*
- 8.00 a.m. – 9.00 a.m. (7.00 a.m. – 8.00 a.m. BST, 2.00 a.m. – 3.00 a.m. EST): Final horse inspection CCI4*-S
- 9.25 a.m. – 10.45 a.m. (8.25 a.m. – 9.45 a.m. BST, 3.25 a.m. – 4.45 a.m. EST): CCI5* showjumping, followed by prize giving
- 12.15 p.m. – 14.40 p.m. (11.15 a.m. – 13.40 p.m. BST, 6.15 a.m. – 8.40 a.m. EST): CCI4*-S showjumping, followed by prize giving
THE FORM GUIDE:
To Germany We Go: Your Form Guide to the 2024 Longines Luhmühlen CCI5*
FRIDAY, JUNE 14:
Bold and Beautiful: The Luhmühlen CCI5* Cross-Country Course Gallery
“We Haven’t Come to Be Middle of the Pack”: Ros Canter Takes Luhmühlen CCI5* Dressage
A Very Good Feeling: Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH Take Luhmühlen CCI4*-S Dressage Lead
THURSDAY, JUNE 13:
Laura Collett Leads Luhmühlen, The Sequel: Hester’s On Top in CCI5* Day One
A Star Is Born: German Up-And-Comer Takes Luhmühlen CCI4*-S Lead Ahead of Eventing Greats
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12:
The Big Luhmühlen Cometh: Two Held, All Accepted in First Horse Inspection
PRE-EVENT COVERAGE:
Taxiing for Takeoff: Ryan Wood and Cooley Flight Head to Luhmühlen
The Final Countdown to Paris: Luhmühlen Entries Go Live with Two Red-Hot Line-Ups
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