Cross-country morning has dawned here at the 2022 FEI World Championships of Eventing — crisp, drizzly, breezy, and with the promise of serious sport to come (though none of the torrential rain and thunderstorms we’d been forecast at the beginning of the week, crucially). We’ll see 88 horses and riders leave the start box today, representing a tightly-bunched field of 26 nations, and there’s very little room for error across much of the leaderboard as it currently stands.

Here’s the breakdown of the course to come by numbers:

• 5600m
• Optimum time: 9:50
• Jumping efforts: 42
• Fences: 30

So what is it that makes Pratoni so unique – and what will be the primary factors in today’s competition?

In a word: hills. Pratoni is situated in a volcanic crater, which means there are plenty of them, varying in intensity from long, slow pulls to steep, sharp, short runs. It’s unlike any other venue in the world, and will be a serious stamina test, even over a sub-10 minute track. But course designer Giuseppe della Chiesa has been sensible in how he uses them: they’re packed into the first half of the track, while the latter half, particularly the final couple of minutes, are on much flatter ground, to avoid punishing tired horses.

What makes it even more interesting is that, because of its shorter length — as is the norm at Championships — there’s a higher number of jumping efforts per 100m than you’d see on a normal long format. That ups the ante intensity-wise, because there’s not a lot of room to just get into a gallop. It’ll be a physical stamina test, but just as crucially, it’ll be a mental one, too.”

“All the jumps are jumpable by themselves, but reminds me a little bit of Tryon — I think the quantity is what gets you,” says Ireland’s Sam Watson, who’s one of the first riders out on course this morning with SAP Talisman.

“The first six minutes, you go up and down these hills a lot,” he continues. “I think more than anyone was expecting. And when I walked the course the first time, I was fit enough and I didn’t really notice it. When I ran the course — and I’ve run Avenches, I’ve run Tokyo, I’ve run a lot of courses recently –and this one took it out of me way more. It was interesting. I didn’t realise I was going up the hill for like the fourth, maybe the fifth little pull — that was just enough to kind of knock the wind out of me. So I think the first six and a half minutes are tough.”

Fence 1 is a friendly rolltop question with a significant groundline.

As is customary, Giuseppe’s placed a few single fences at the start to get horses and riders moving on in a positive rhythm and allow them to find their feet out on course. The first three fences are inviting, with solid groundlines, but fairly quickly, we head straight onto a hill — which is truly the main feature of the course. Fence one and fence two — which have the largest galloping space of the course in between them — are on the flat, but the second our riders land from the second fence, they’ll start the long pull up the first hill on course, which will open their horses’ lungs up nice and early.

Fence 2 is situated at the base of the first significant hill on course, and is a surprisingly small jumping effort.

After a pull uphill, there’s another straightforward single question at 3.

At the top of that hill, they’ll find another single fence — and a jolly big one, too — which will get their minds back on the job at hand before the first related question.

The first related distance at 4 and 5 offers a left- or right-handed option at both jumps.

The fences at 4 and 5 are reasonably narrow but shouldn’t cause problems.

At fences four and five we have a line of fences that feels kind of like a combination, but isn’t numbered as one — which means that riders could feasibly circle between the two without incurring penalties. They really shouldn’t have to do anything of the sort, though: that sort of lack of control at this early, straightforward question would be indicative of much bigger problems to come.

This is the first time we see Giuseppe give his competitors the luxury of choice, which will be an ongoing theme on this course. There are two reasonably narrow tables to choose from at 4, and the same again at 5, with a sharp dip in the ground between the two. Riders can go from either of the tables at 4, which are next to one another but on slightly different angles and distances, to either of the tables at 5. For those who want to choose the most economical line possible and save one or two valuable seconds early on, the left-handed fence 4 to the right-handed fence 5 will get them across the space faster.

Fence 6 is a triple bar that’ll require a positive, attacking approach.

From then, they’ll come to another single fence, though it’s a seriously wide one — and on the approach, it gives the illusion of taking off into space, because the landing side slopes away on a decline, so the key here will be to kick on for a forward, positive stride (and try, as best as they can, not to miss!). This is the first time on course that we’ll see MIM clips, so a miss here could result in early penalties. For those who get it right and respect it, it’s a chance to put their horses into full attacking mode — and they’re about to need it.

One of the talking points of the course is the formidable Pratoni slide, which comes up early at 7ABC and will ask a serious question of fit horses.

Lots of big-league cross-country courses have an iconic fence to their name: at Burghley it’s the capacious Cottesmore Leap, while Badminton boasts the Vicarage Vee as its bucket-list rider frightener. At Pratoni? The most talked about fence, and the one that has become emblematic of this historic venue, is the Pratoni Slide. This week, it goes by the moniker of The Kep Italia Target, but fundamentally, it’s the exact same question that we saw posed at the 2007 European Championships here. Let’s take a little leap into the eventing time machine to see how that looked:

And, before we move onto the final details, another look at that view from the top, this time with a Padraig McCarthy in situ for scale. This ‘slide’ was carved into the hillside in 1960 for use in the eventing at the Rome Olympics, so it’s another real nod to the past in a venue that largely has to rely on portable fences because of its status as a protected piece of countryside.

There’s a couple of options here for riders to choose between, and what is perhaps most interesting about the whole thing is how different the long route is this year, as opposed to in 2007. That year, which marked Giuseppe Della Chiesa’s championship designing debut, saw the majority of the field opt for the long route, which proved to be nearly as quick as the direct route and considerably less risky. Then, they could jump the log drop at the A element and cruise on down to the right over another fence, effectively just adding a swooping loop to the line — but this time, likely in order to force the frontrunners to take the risk and go direct, Giuseppe has crafted a much longer alternative that doesn’t feature the log drop and wends its way through the wooded area to the left of the slide instead. This certainly walks as a much slower route, and it still features some sharp terrain that’ll make it difficult enough, so we’ll likely see the slide taken head on by much of the field.

If they do run into issues when they get to the first of the skinnies on the direct route, they can add in an extra loop and jump a 7BC skinny, but that can only be jumped after a runout. Here’s how those routes look:

For good measure, here’s a view of the direct route from the bottom of that first major hill on course.

This is, without a doubt, the first part of the course that’ll have everyone’s beady eyes on it in those crucial early rounds — particularly as riders and trainers alike work out how gettable the time is. In the last few World Championships, the time has proven to be almost disappointingly easy to catch, with double-digit numbers of riders coming home inside the time. But when we last saw a championship run here, back at that Europeans in 2007, just one horse and rider caught the time. That was eventual winner Nicolas Touzaint, who is competing here again this week and sits 66th overnight on 34.4 with Absolut Gold HDC, with the great Galan de Sauvagere. If the time is similarly influential this weekend, the risk v reward factor may skew in favour of straight routes here. If, however, the time is catchable, we may well see more riders go long on team orders.

“The slide comes quite early, and I think we’re possibly underplaying its influence,” says Sam. “It’s identical to 2007 — they’re placed in the same place. I’ve looked at it back on the video. But what we’re all thinking is that that was 15 years ago, and these horses have all been jumping skinnies since they were baby horses. Skinnies have been in their life since they ever started doing cross country, so they’re just going to lock on more.”

The real question here, he points out, is the second of the skinnies — just as it was in 2007.

“I think what people are underplaying is there’s a bit of a drop at the back of the second skinny, and they’ve just come down a really steep hill. That Slide, that’s really steep. I actually think there’s a psychological element to some horses thinking that they won’t want to jump that second skinny because they can’t see the landing on the back of it. And in their head, they’ve just gone down the steepest bit of ground they’ve ever gone down — so I think there’ll just be more horses than we think [that run into issues here].”

The slide itself shouldn’t be an issue, he says, no matter how frightening it might look.

“Where we can warm up, our hacking route, where some poor Belgian and Austrian riders were calmly walking their horses, I came flying past them to go down the hill just to see if I had brakes, and [SAP Talisman] balanced up beautifully once the terrain got steep enough — and that wasn’t even as steep as the slide,” he says. ” There isn’t a horse in the world, to be honest, that will be out of control going down that slide. When we run downhill, we suddenly get to a point where you balance and you check your stride. I think with the first skinny, that you keep the fence in the way of the horse and you keep the horse in front of you. I just think you’ve got to apply a little bit of leg and a little bit of pressure to the second one and get them to the base of it. Giuseppe’s been kind with the distance, but you’ve got to get them there.”

The direct comparison that he makes, in terms of influence, is the waterfall feature at Tryon in 2018, which threw a number of experienced combinations out of contention.

“We had a lot of number one riders pick up penalties and that’s what suddenly threw it open for the U.S., the Australians, and I think the Kiwis,” he says. “There were three big nations suddenly on the back foot. I think we could see that here, which is exciting for everyone.”

Fence 8 will feel like a real relief after the tricky question at the combination prior.

Once they’ve made it through the slide one way or another, competitors find themselves back down at the flat bottom part of the course, where they’ll jump a timber oxer to get back on the move again and inject a boost of run-and-jump confidence before the next combination.

There’s a double of angled brushes at 9AB, which should ride well but could see a few fresh horses drive by the second element.

The combination at 9AB features two big, angled brushes on five strides. This feels forgiving after the slide, but could open the door for a horse who’s not quite on the money to slip out to the left. Realistically, though, it should be one of the less influential questions on this course.

There’s an identical triple bar to the one at 6 when you get to fence 10, which heralds the arrival of hill number two.

Then, there’s another single fence at 10, and it’s a bit of a case of deja-vu: it’s the same triple bar we saw at fence 6, but this time, it’s on a bit of flat ground, making it a real run and jump fence — albeit one that is, once again, set with MIMclips.

The first element of 11 at the direct route is lettered 11AB, so once riders commit here, they have to see this route through.

Once they’ve jumped fence 10, riders will be faced with a gallop up the steepest, though not the longest, uphill climb on the course, and at the top, they’ll be met with a serious question. Fence 11ABCD is one of the combinations on course with a number of route options, but more significantly, the fences are largely lettered in such a way that you have to be very aware of where you’re going, lest you jump the same letter twice and get yourself eliminated. That means that, as seen in the route diagram below, competitors who commit to the direct route — a brush-topped hanging log with an angled groundline, followed by two brush corners — have to see it through, because the first element is lettered as 11AB, and the second element of the long route is 11BC.

The long route will certainly add some seconds, which could prove enormously expensive — but the direct route is a serious five-star question, with a tricky three-stride line between those two brush corners. We’ll almost certainly see some horses — very possibly even top-notch ones — pick up a run-out here or, even more likely, a contravention of the flag rule.

The second element of the direct route, 11C, is followed by another brush corner at 11D.

After clearing 11ABCD, it’s time for another ‘breather’ fence at 12, but this rolltop is made more interesting by its downhill position. This was used in the same spot at the test event in May, and jumped well throughout the day, but it’s a different feeling and riders will need to rebalance their horses on the approach.

Fence 12 is a straightforward rolltop, but situated on a downhill pull that’ll require a focused ride.

One of the interesting things about this course is that, despite the space available in this area of protected parkland, there’s not actually a huge amount of galloping space on offer — partly because Giuseppe, who had made clear his plans to add an extra loop on the flat, open section of land behind the water complex and ditch line, hasn’t actually built in that space. Instead, the course tends to twist and turn back on itself, lending it a short-format sort of intensity. But between fences 12 and 13, which is a wide table covered in Willberry Wonder Ponies, there’s a bit of space to motor on as the course begins to flatten itself out again.

Fence 13, the Wilberry Wonder Pony Table, is covered in representatives of the cancer charity that’s been so well-supported by the equestrian community.

This is a rather serpentine-y part of the course: after hanging left-handed to get to 13, competitors will navigate a bit of a hairpin bend to the right to get to the pagoda fence at 14.

The pagoda question at 14 crests the top of a hill, and shouldn’t cause issues — but it is MIM clipped, and those look like they could be very influential on Saturday.

The pagoda, which features a MIM-clipped upright question and is on the course’s altitude midpoint, isn’t likely to cause issues: it was part of the test event course, where just one person hit it and activated the clip after coming in too deep. The roof is more obvious this time, as it’s covered in foliage, but a good, bouncy canter into this will give horses confidence, keep them focused on the rail, and help them make a nice shape and avoid those pesky 11 penalties.

Fence 15 is another let-up fence before the next set of intense questions.

Then, it’s onward to a fence 15, which is plenty wide but very readable for horses. It’ll encourage a longer, flatter, more open jump, though, which is in interesting opposition to the way they’ll want to be jumping to get the best result at the next combination — but at this midway point on course, riders should find they have plenty more adjustability to play with.

The MIMclip Complex at 16ABC features two elements on its direct route: a clipped timber oxer, and a yellow-clipped open corner.

Fence 16ABC, the MIMclip Complex, is actually a two-part question if you go straight, but it comes with an element of risk — and the clue, there, is in the fence’s name. The A element, which is the same for both routes, is a clipped timber oxer on a cambered approach, and if riders continue on straight from there, they’ll jump a right-handed open corner that’s seriously wide. It’s also, as per reasonably new FEI rules, clipped with yellow MIMs rather than red ones. Those yellow clips, which were designed precisely for this sort of fence, are more easily activated than red ones.

If, instead, riders choose to go long, they’ll give themselves an extra jumping effort, but more space to play with and no yellow clips.

The open oxer at 17 features a sandpit underneath it – perfect for containing errant children, perhaps.

Fence 16ABC is situated on another of those hairpin bends, this time to the left, so those who go the direct route here will find themselves more easily on course for the next question — a wide timber oxer over a sandpit, which is where we’ll be recommending that any badly-behaved children be stowed for the day, just to spice things up a bit.

The rail-ditch-rail complex at 18 and 19ABCD features a number of different routes.

The question posed at 18 and 19ABCD is an interesting one and — surprise, surprise! — another to feature a choice of options that, on first walk, left most riders scratching their heads. Fence 18 is a a red-MIMed upright rail, while the direct route at 19ABCD, which comes up fast, is a sharp downhill to a ditch at 19ABC, followed by two strides up an incline to an arrowhead at 19D. To the right of that, there’s a ‘middling’ long route, which adds an extra element in the form of an extra upright rail at 19A, the ditch, sans declines and inclines, at 19BC, and a one-stride distance to an arrowhead at 19D. The true long route is a long serpentine of a route that takes the ditch out of the equation entirely but will add serious time. You can see the three routes below:

Fence 20 offers riders the choice of a forgiving wall with a spread, or a clipped gate — but those who want to cut off a few seconds here will opt to go left handed over the gates and hug the rope.

Once through the sort-of-coffin complex, there’s a single fence with three jumpable parts, which riders can choose between: there are clipped gates to the left and the right, or a wall with a spread in the middle. The middle option has the most forgiving profile, and takes out the risk of a frangible penalty, but those who are chasing the time will find that the left-handed gate allows them to keep hugging the rope and shave a couple of seconds off.

The first pass through the water complex comes at 21ABCD, with a choice of two routes through. Each route begins with this skinny on the island as the A element.

Something that’s particularly curious about this course is that horses won’t get their feet wet until seven minutes or so in, which is largely due to the fact that the protected area that the venue sits within doesn’t allow for the building of another water complex. Certainly, though, Giuseppe has made the most of the one he’s got, and the first trip through it here at 21ABCD is no joke.

Horses will get the chance to splash through the water before being asked to negotiate one of the 21A elements on an island in the centre. Both are brush-topped skinnies, but once you’ve committed to one, you’ll really need to see your line through — and it’s the left-handed of the two that sends you on the direct approach. After landing on the island, there’s another splash through the water and back onto dry land, where two angled brushes on an extraordinary angle away at 21BC and D. Riders will need to angle the first fence, ride a stride straight on, and then turn for the final two strides before the third element. This is a particularly compelling question, because it invites run-outs so abjectly and will likely be very influential as a result — but it’s also unlikely that a horse fall will occur here, because that door is so open for non-injurious penalties.

“There’s so much open space in front of you to run off that last angled brush — and again, I think there’ll be a couple of high profile fly-bys there,” says Sam. “We don’t see run-outs that much in the sport anymore; we hardly saw any run-outs at Badminton, and I just think that for the first time probably since Tryon, we just might see run-outs again. We didn’t see them Tokyo. So there’s plenty going on.”

That’s a reassuring notion after a season that’s seen run-outs at a minimum and horse falls nearing an all-time high.

The straight route out of the water is directly out the other side and over a stiff challenge of angled brushes on a curving three-stride line.

If they don’t fancy that line — and who can blame them, really? — riders can go for the right-handed skinny on the island and then head left out of the water, hang a right, and then jump a couple of angled brushes on a more forgiving line, taking the time penalties on the chin for having done so.

Fence 22 is a natural open ditch, which is a historic element of this course.

Another historical element on this course is the ditch line, which has been present since the 1960 Olympics, and now, horses and riders will pop over it twice in quick succession on a large semicircular line. Fence 22 is a natural, open, very rustic ditch, which jumped very well at the test event and is a classic hunting-style question, and the airy trakehner at 23 was similarly untroubling back in May.

Riders will do a wide, swooping turn back over an open trakehner at 23.

There’s no rest for the wicked, though, and after popping those ditchy questions, it’s straight back to the water complex for another big test.

The riders quickly come back around to the water complex, with two route options. The direct route, seen here, is a log drop in at 24AB.

Go direct here, and you’ll meet a big log drop into the water at 24AB, followed by a big right-handed brush corner in the pond at 24CD. It’s essential to get the line right here, even before you’ve left the ground for the first element, because that corner will come up quick — and because of the lettering here, once you’ve jumped that AB element, you’ll need to get yourself out over the CD. The longer route consists of three elements: a rolltop on dry land, marked 24A, and then two boats in the water, marked 24BC and 24D. This is both a slower route, and one that adds an extra jumping element — not generally an attractive prospect for a tiring horse.

From 24AB, the direct route goes to a beefy brush corner in the water at 24CD.

At this point, the end feels achingly close, but there’s still plenty to do. First up: another rolltop at 25.

Riders will be delighted to meet fence 25, an inviting rolltop.

Then, it’s down to the lowest section of the course and a combination at 26AB that begins with a colossal brush-topped rolltop fence, followed by one of two options: a direct route over a brush-topped skinny, or a wider route over another big rolltop.

The combination at 26AB has two options — a brush rolltop to a skinny, or a wider route to another brush rolltop.

Here’s the skinny in the direct route at 26B.

The penultimate ‘combination’ isn’t technically a combination at all, but the option of a related distance makes it read a bit like one. If riders want to play it safe here at 27 and 28, both of which are clipped oxers, they can pick a 27 option that’s a much further distance away, as seen in the foreground of this photo:

The clipped oxers at 27 and 28 give two options: a 27 much further away, but on a wider, slower turn, as seen in the foreground here, or one on a related distance to 28 that’ll shave off valuable seconds.

Or, they can choose a 27 that’s on a related distance to 28, which won’t gain them much time, but considering the tight margins on the leaderboard, could actually make a significant difference.

Here’s a closer view of the related distance between the short route option at 27 and 28.

The final combination — for real this time — is a choice of two brush horses. There’s plenty more than two horses in this patch of field, and as we’ve seen several times before on this course, they’re all lettered in such a way that mixing and matching has to be done carefully. Here’s a view of the line through the straight route.

The final combination on course presents a wide variety of options, but the straight route is a direct line between two brush horses.

There are two alternate routes here, which offer more space between fences, but each of them adds an extra jumping element, as seen here:

And then, finally, 5600 metres after they left the start box, our competitors can come home — all the need to do is jump one last big fence. It’ll be a welcome sight for them all.

It’s every rider’s final fence: jump this, and you’re home and done.

We caught up with course designer Giuseppe after the test event to find out his vision and goals for this week’s course this spring. You can read the article in its entirety here, and an analysis of this spring’s test event (where 11% of the field made the time) with insights from Sam Watson here, but here are some of the most valuable takeaways we learned in that conversation.

“I was a younger designer [at the 2007 Europeans], and it was a bit hot,” remembers Giuseppe. “There were lots of experts that said, ‘oh, this is too easy, it’s not a championship’ — and then they all went out on Saturday and were like, ‘oh!’ There’s a bit of a hidden difficulty here that you don’t find until you’re out there on your horse, moving up and down. You could count 33 jumping efforts while you’re walking, but there are many more efforts hidden in the ground.”

“This venue is a fantastic venue, but you must use it with care because — and this will be very similar at the Championship — you must never finish on a hill,” he says. “A tired horse on a hill will not finish; he just stops. He says, ‘I’ve had enough’. But a tired horse on flat ground, if the rider has a bit of a brain, has the chance of a softer route to bring him home. I didn’t use that so much in the short-format competition, but in the long-format, I will. I’ve always been a big believe that you must do hills early on and finish flat.”

By placing technical combinations in the final two minutes, too, he hopes to minimise the chances of a blind gallop to the finish, which can drain a hard-working horse’s final supply of energy and potentially lead to accidents.

“I want to give them a chance to come home, and I’m quite happy with that, because when you finish on the flat there’s a real risk that the riders will just look at the clock and run. So I have this idea of always trying to keep them a bit busy — in a soft way, but busy on the flat. I think it worked quite well [at the test event], because to the last minute, they needed to have something left. I wanted to challenge the riders without punishing the horses, and I think it worked.”

Cross-country will commence at 10.30 a.m. local time (9.30 a.m. BST/4.30 a.m. EST) and can be viewed in its entirety on ClipMyHorse. You can find starting times here — and a reminder of how our team and individual leaderboards are looking below. Go Eventing!

The top ten going into tomorrow’s cross-country at Pratoni.

The team standings at the end of the first phase.

FEI World Championships for Eventing:[Website] [Definite Entries] [Live Scoring and Times] [FEI TV] [ EN’s Ultimate Guide ] [EN’S Form Guide] | [Daily Digest Email] | [EN’s Coverage]

Chef d’equipe: Performance Pathways Manager Will Enzinger takes on the chef role. It’s a job that’s tended to move around from championship to championship – even team rider Stuart Tinney has previously worn this hat – and top-level competitor and coach Will, who cheffed in Tokyo, is forward-thinking and well-suited to the job.

Team members: 

• Kevin McNab and Scuderia 1918 Don Quidam
• Andrew Hoy and Vassily de Lassos
• Shane Rose and Virgil
• Hazel Shannon and Willingapark Clifford

Team reserve: Shenae Lowings and Bold Venture

When did they last win a medal? It’s been 16 years since Australia last won a medal at a World Championships, and on that occasion, they won two: team bronze, at Aachen in 2006, where Clayton Fredericks and Ben Along Time also took individual bronze. They also took team bronze at Gawler in 1986.

What’s their form like? Formidable. They took team silver — and an individual bronze for Andrew and Vassily — at Tokyo, and they’ve got some real cross-country bankers on their team across the board, including three-time Adelaide winners Hazel Shannon and Willingapark Clifford. It’s a team of stayers, and they can all start the week sub-30, which will put them in a serious position as they grit their teeth and work on staying on those scores.

What’s their secret weapon? A certain Mr Nelson Pessoa. The legendary Brazilian showjumper — and father of Rodrigo — has been working with the European-based Aussies for the few years to perfect their showjumping skills. Andrew Hoy based himself with Pessoa for ten days in Belgium en route to last year’s Luhmühlen Horse Trials in Germany, where he finished in the top three in the hot CCI4*-S. The team also keep in close contact with Bettina Hoy, who reviewed dressage videos and gave remote feedback throughout the constraints of the pandemic.

Chef d’equipe: Thomas Tesch.

Team members: 

• Lea Siegl and DSP Fighting Line
• Dr. Harald Ambros and Mountbatten 2
• Katrin Khoddan-Hazrati and Oklahoma 2

Team reserve: None

When did they last win a medal? Austria has not yet medaled at World Championships.

What’s their form like? Austria brings forward a three-member team, which is notable as they’re the only country without a valuable drop score. This World Championships is about building on the hard work that Austria has put in as a developing eventing nation to produce a team completion. The Austrians earned an impressive sixth place at last season’s European Championships, which they would be delighted to replicate here. Olympic qualification may allude them in Pratoni, but Austrian eventing is certainly growing in strength and has it in their wheelhouse for a solid performance.

What’s their secret weapon? Lea Siegl. The 24-year-old put herself on not only Austrian eventing radar, but the world stage finishing 15th at the Tokyo Olympics. She’s here with the same ride, DSP Fighting Line, as the anchor of the Austrian team. They’re quick on the cross country and as the penultimate pair, they’ll have a day’s worth of viewing to help them determine how they best can shave seconds, which should boost their mid-30s dressage.

Chef d’equipe: Kai Steffen-Meier, who rides for Germany and is married to team member Lara de Liedekerke-Meier. Together, they host the Arville International Horse Trials at their fairytale property.

Team members: 

• Karin Donckers and Fletcha van’t Verahof
• Senne Vervaecke and Google van Alsingen
• Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Hermione d’Arville
• Jarno Verwimp and Mahalia

Team reserve: Maarten Boon and Gravin van Cantos

When did they last win a medal? Belgium has not yet medaled at World Championships.

What’s their form like? Belgium were disappointed not to nab a spot at Tokyo after a tense showdown with Switzerland at the 2019 Nations Cup finale, and so their form is that of a nation that’s rebuilding itself over an Olympic cycle. The goal here will be to try to get as close as possible to securing their spot for Tokyo, and get valuable mileage into their horses, and they’re splitting their focus between some serious experience — Karin Donckers and Fletcha have a huge amount of team mileage, as does Lara, though her horse is just nine years old and inexperienced. In the addition of Senne and Jarno, who’s just 21, we’re seeing a commitment to nurturing the young guns of the squad, which is a savvy way to lay foundations for the future.

What’s their secret weapon? The power of serious team spirit. Not only are those experienced gals here to help their younger counterparts through, but 25-year-old Senne Vervaecke and individual rider Marten Boon have a long backstory together, too: Marten used to groom for Senne’s father, Kris, and babysat a young Senne. Now, Senne coaches Marten’s son. There’s a lot to be said for the kind of deeply-rooted confidence that bonds like that can bring to the table.

Chef d’equipe: Julie Purgly, although the Brazilian team largely operates under their own steam and in their own systems.

Team members: 

• Ruy Fonseca and Ballypatrick SRS
• Carlos Parro and Goliath
• Marcio Carvalho Jorge and Kilcoltrim Kit Kat
• Marcelo Tosi and Glenfly

Team reserve: None.

When did they last win a medal? Brazil has not yet medaled at a World Championships.

What’s their form like? They finished seventh at their home Games in Rio, a respectable spot halfway down the order considering that only one of the team logged a clear cross-country round. They fared slightly worse at the 2018 WEG, finishing 15th in that strong competition. Their team features two fairly inexperienced horses, plus one very experienced horse in Glenfly, so the aim likely won’t be to try to make a competitive mark – rather, this is a building block. They’re last to go in the drawn order of teams, and so they’ll get plenty of opportunity to see how the competition is playing out and plan accordingly.

What’s their secret weapon? William Fox-Pitt, who stepped in to help coach the team a few months ago and will assist them this week.

Chef d’equipe: Rebecca Howard, who was a stalwart of the Canadian team herself, finishing tenth at the Rio Olympics on Riddle Master.

Team members: 

• Holly Jacks and Candy King
• Mike Winter and El Mundo
• Karl Slezak and Fernhill Wishes
• Hawley Awad and Jolly

Team reserve: Dana Cooke and FE Mississippi

When did they last win a medal? Team silver in 2010, and a gold in 1978, the famously tough championships in Lexington.

What’s their form like? Canada has had checkered performances as a team in recent years, with many citing complaints about mismanagement from the top, but early this year Equestrian Canada rolled out the rider-driven Canadian Eventing High Performance Advisory Group with the goal of revamping the country’s High Performance program. The goal this week will be consolidation and getting a team score on the board, laying a foundation that can be built upon for the future. They won’t want to miss another Olympics, and while a top seven finish might not be that easy to grab, they’ll be quietly hoping the USA nails it here so they can use the Pan-Am Games qualification route as a way to get to Paris.

What’s their secret weapon? Diversity of location. That means that each rider has their own system that works for them, so they can take confidence in that and lean on it while Equestrian Canada is in a limbo period. They’ll feel less lost at sea that way. Also of note — though not a secret weapon — is the team’s commitment to honouring Canada’s indigenous peoples, which you’ll spot in a variety of ways in their attire through the week.

Chef d’equipe: Thierry Touzaint – uncle of rider Nicolas – continues his long reign as head of the French team. He’s tasted gold now, and will want to do so again.

Team members: 

• Nicolas Touzaint and Absolut Gold HDC
• Astier Nicolas and Alertamalib’or
• Tom Carlile and Darmagnac de Beliard
• Gaspard Maksud and Zaragoza

Team reserve: Cyrielle Lefevre and Armanjo Serosah

When did they last win a medal? They took team bronze in 2018 at Tryon, and have previously won silver at Punchestown in 1970, and again at Gawler in 1986, The Hague in 1994, here at Pratoni in 1998, and at Jerez in 2002. They’ve also had a World Champion in Jean Teulere, who took gold in 2002.

What’s their form like? Quietly excellent. They always seem to get the job done at Championships, despite never being particularly highly tipped in the lead-up. They were Olympic gold medalists at the Rio Olympics in 2016, and took bronze at Tokyo last year. Their riders are young, as are their horses, but there’s plenty of experience in their ranks and some serious talent to play with. All these horses would be ready to peak at Paris in 2024, which is undoubtedly the aim — but don’t underestimate their ability to get the job done this week.

What’s their secret weapon? Youth and hunger. These guys will dig deep and get agricultural if they need to, because the world truly is their oyster and it’s all to come.

Chef d’equipe: Prof. Dr. Jens Adolphsen takes on chef duties, ably assisted by team trainer Peter Thomsen, a former team rider in his own right, who tackles his first Championships solo after shadowing long-term chef d’equipe Hans Melzer for the last eighteen months or so. Now, Hans is enjoying his retirement, and Peter’s time to shine has come with a very strong team to hand.

Team members: 

• Sandra Auffarth and Viamant du Matz
• Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH
• Christoph Wahler and Carjatan S
• Julia Krajewski and Amande de b’Neville

Team reserve: Alina Dibowski and Barbados 26

When did they last win a medal? The Germans won team gold in 2014 at Normandy and 2006 at Aachen, silver at Luhmühlen in 1982 and Lexington in 1978 (both as West Germany), and bronze at The Hague in 1994, Stockholm in 1990, and Burghley in 1974 (again as the West German team). They also have a pretty good record of getting individual gold, with two of the last three World Champions coming from

What’s their form like? Excellent, though their period of championship dominance is rather behind them. They’re still an enormous threat, and will be Great Britain’s big threat this week. Their team is formidable this week, as is their 21-year-old individual competitor. The Germans are hungry to be back on top, and they won’t let a medal slip through their fingers easily.

What’s their secret weapon? Marcus Döhring, the team’s showjumping coach, who looks like something directly out of a Jilly Cooper novel. His significance can’t be understated at this Championship: the showjumping track will be seriously influential, as it’s on an undulating grass arena and designed by a Grand Prix showjumping designer who will amp up the technicality and make the best use of the space. If it doesn’t go to plan and you need a shoulder to cry on, Herr Döhring, EN is around…

Chef d’equipe: Chris Bartle and Richard Waygood, who both joined the team in late 2016 after a disappointing Rio performance a few months prior. Since then, the team has gone from strength to strength, and it’s no suprise: Chris Bartle was previously the architect of Germany’s success, and Richard Waygood helmed the British dressage team during its extraordinary trajectory from zero to hero.

Team members: 

• Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class
• Laura Collett and London 52
• Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo
• Tom McEwen and Toledo de Kerser

Team reserve: Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir

When did they last win a medal? Team gold in 2018, 2010, 1994, 1986, 1982, 1970, silver in 74, 90, 2006, 2014, bronze in 2002, 1998

What’s their form like? On top of the world. The Brits currently hold team gold at the Olympics, World Championships, European Championships, Young Rider Europeans, and Junior Europeans, meaning that the Pony European team gold is the only one they don’t have in their clutches. They also have the reigning World Champion and European Champion. They come into this competition as the firm favourites to win again.

What’s their secret weapon? Pure confidence. The Brits have been on such good form for a period of several years now, and there’s an untouchable sort of confidence that comes with knowing that you really are that good. They’ll be riding that wave as they work to retain their title.

Chef d’equipe: Two-time Swedish Olympian Dag Albert, who joined Horse Sport Ireland as Eventing Team Manager just last month.

Team members: 

• Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue
• Padraig McCarthy and Fallulah
• Susannah Berry and Monbeg by Design
• Sam Watson and SAP Talisman

Team reserve: Felicity Ward and Regal Bounty

When did they last win a medal? They took team silver in 2018, as well as individual silver for Padraig McCarthy and Mr Chunky. They also won the first ever World Championships team gold at Burghley in 1966. They’ve had a couple of other individual medals in their time, too — including a silver for Sam Watson’s father John Watson at Lexington 1978, and a bronze for  Virginia Freeman-Jackson at the first World Championships in 1966.

What’s their form like? Irish riders have certainly been making great strides. Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue were thirteenth at Tokyo last year; Padraig McCarthy and Fallulah were second after cross-country at Pau (though the showjumping proved an issue there). Susie Berry has been seriously impressive, particularly at Badminton this spring, though her ride this week is inexperienced, and Sam Watson is a real banker on the cross-country. As a team, it’s something of a building process — the results aren’t consistent on the world stage, but every championship is a step towards figuring out a system that works.

What’s their secret weapon? Tracie Robinson, who has been such a significant part of the British efforts as team dressage trainer. Ian Woodhead stepped down from the role at the onset of Covid, so he could focus his attentions on his business and family in England, and Tracie is a worthy replacement: she’s coached the Brits at four Olympics and numerous other championships. Oh, and of some help? Sam Watson’s EquiRatings. The data analysis company has been able to pull performance stats that the team can use to make valuable marginal gains.

Chef d’equipe: Giacomo Della Chiesa, who himself rode at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.

Team members: 

• Giovanni Ugolotti and Duke of Champions
• Evelina Bertoli and Fidjy des Melezes
• Susanna Bordone and Imperial van de Holtakkers
• Arianna Schivo and Quefira de l’Ormeau
• Marco Capper and Uter

Team reserve: Evelina Bertoli and Fidjy des Melezes

When did they last win a medal? Italy has not yet medaled at World Championships.

What’s their form like? Italy has the honor of hosting this year’s World Championships, fielding a talented and experienced squad for Pratoni. The Italians have won medals here before – they’ve thrice won bronze as a team at previous iterations of what would typically be labeled the World Equestrian Games – but they haven’t quite managed to catch the higher podium tiers yet.

The team for Pratoni will return two members of the Tokyo Olympic team in Susanna Bordonne and Arianne Schivo, both of whom will bring their Tokyo horses (Imperial van de Holtakkers and Quefira de L’Ormeu). Evelina Bertoli also makes her return to the senior championship squad for the first time since the 2014 WEG in Tryon. Marco Cappai, who last competed in a world championship in 2010 and also represented Italy in the 1996 Olympics, adds more breadth of experience to the team, as does 2014 WEG rider Giovanni Ugolotti. 

While this team would be a longer shot to duke it out for the podium, it’s smart not to count out the host country whose horses and riders will be the most familiar with the venue and conditions.

What’s their secret weapon? Home team advantage. There’s much to be said for the intangibles of the sport, like the roars of a patriotic crowd, and they’ll benefit from this on Saturday.

Chef d’equipe: Laurent Bousquet heads up the good ship Team Japan after a stint as France’s coach. He’s been in the role since 2016, having done a stretch from 1991 to 2004 as well.

Team members: 

• Kazuma Tomoto and Vinci de la Vigne JRA
• Ryuzo Kitajima and Cekatinka JRA
• Yoshiaki Oiwa and Calle 44
• Toshiyuki Tanaka and Swiper JRA

Team reserve: None.

When did they last win a medal? Japan has not yet medaled at a World Championships.

What’s their form like? Good, but perhaps not consistent enough to really take down the big boys. But don’t think that doesn’t mean they can’t medal: they spent years honing their system with Tokyo in mind, and they’re still benefitting from that hard work now. Kazuma Tomoto was fourth individually at Tokyo last year, and could well medal here — and if everything works in their favour, they could medal as a team. It’s a fairly safe bet that they should grab their Paris qualification here, anyway, and that requires a top seven placing (or top eight, if France is within that number, as they automatically qualify for Paris as the host nation).

What’s their secret weapon? It’s not so secret, really, but it’s chef d’equipe Laurent – or, in this case, his contacts in France. He’s been instrumental in the Tokyo pathway and beyond for the team since 2016, not just by orchestrating training and competition schedules but by using his French connections to secure some exceptional horses from his fellow countrymen, including Vinci de la Vigne, originally piloted by Astier Nicolas. Other excellent horses sourced for Japanese riders include Rio gold medallist Bart L, originally ridden by Mathieu Lemoine and now ridden by Yoshi Oiwa, and Ventura de la Chaule, who moved from Nicolas Touzaint to Atsushi Negishi.

Chef d’equipe: The great Jock Paget, who’s joined by 2014 Badminton winner and former Aussie team stalwart Sam Griffiths, who hung up his boots and moved to team trainer life this year.

Team members: 

• Monica Spencer and Artist
• Tim Price and Falco
• Jonelle Price and McClaren
• Clarke Johnstone and Menlo Park

Team reserve: Amanda Pottinger and Just Kidding

When did they last win a medal? 2010: that was a team bronze in Lexington. They also won team gold at WEG Stockholm in 1990 and Rome in 1998.

What’s their form like? A mixed bag of fresh faces and veteran riders received the call-up for this Championship’s Kiwi squad. They’ve been unlucky at championships in recent years, which is something of a surprise when you consider how formidable the Prices are in any given international. They improved upon a 7th place finish at the last World Championships to 5th in Tokyo last summer, but they’ll need to do at least that well to secure their spot in the next Olympic cycle.

What’s their secret weapon? 

Monica Spencer. Monica’s traveled over 18,000 kilometers for her team debut with the thoroughbred Artist. Monica and “Max” are a forced to be reckoned with back home, but Pratoni will be their first crack at challenging the likes of the field of the Northern Hemisphere. The pair have shared several wins including most notably the CCI4*-L at Puhinui where they finished on their dressage score of 25.5.

Chef d’equipe: Pedro Rey.

Team members: 

• Gonzalo Blasco Botin and Sij Veux d’Autize
• Esteban Benitez Valle and Milana 23
• Carlos Diaz Fernandez and Taraje CP 21.10
• Antonio Cejudo Caro and Duque HSM

Team reserve: None.

When did they last win a medal? Spain has not yet medalled at a World Championships.

What’s their form like? As a team, they’re very much in the development stages. The results aren’t consistent enough at this stage to pose any real threat, but they have a team full of riders who are working hard to lay strong foundations and ride talented young horses (with the notable exception of 18-year-old Milana 23, but the mileage she offers Esteban this week will be put straight into practice on his young Paris prospects, including the very talented Utrera AA).

What’s their secret weapon? Trailblazing. Not in a pathfinding sense in this competition, but because the Spanish system doesn’t have roots like the ‘big six’ nations do, every championship is a chance for riders, coaches, and Spanish federation officials alike to refine and adapt what they’re doing in a collaborative way. They’ll learn a huge amount here.

Chef d’equipe: Dominik Burger

Team members: 

• Nadja Minder and Toblerone
• Mélody Johner and Toubleu de Rueire
• Felix Vogg and Cartania
• Roben Godel and Grandeur de Lully CH

Team reserve: Patrick Rüegg and Fifty Fifty

When did they last win a medal? The Swiss haven’t yet won a medal at a World Championships, but they took team silver and individual bronze at the 1960 Olympics.

What’s their form like? The Swiss team has gone from strength to strength this season, and will hopefully peak here in Pratoni. They bring forward the advantage of individual and team gold achieved in the Nations Cup test event earlier this summer, which not only give the team a nod of confidence, but also valuable intel of the property and Giuseppe Della Chiesa’s use of it. Their red-hot form continued over the summer, as they won the Avenches Nations Cup for the home fans.

Their rising generation of talent has added to their momentum, taking them from the last country to qualify for Rio to potential threats. The 24-year-old Robin Godel won individual gold at the Avenches Nations Cup and the 32-year-old Felix Vogg won Luhmühlen over the summer — breaking a 60-year dry spell for Swiss five-star wins.

What’s their secret weapon? Andrew Nicholson. He has been a major catalyst for the Swiss since joining on as cross county coach in 2018. It’s a job he clearly adores, and the young Swiss team are flourishing under his intuitive instruction. Andrew’s mantra is ‘never change a winning team’ – and so he’s worked to support each rider’s current system and tweak the bits that need help, rather than do a total overhaul.

Chef d’equipe: British-based Fredrik Bergendorff, who has proven a solid captain for the Swedish efforts so far (and also wears a pair of chinos exceptionally well).

Team members: 

• Malin Josefsson and Golden Midnight
• Sofia Sjoborg and Bryjamolga van het Marienshof Z
• Aminda Ingulfson and Joystick
• Frida Andersen and Box Leo

Team reserve: Niklas Lindbäck and Focus Filiocus

When did they last win a medal? They’ve never medalled as a team at a World Championships, though they do have one individual medallist in their books in Paula Törnqvist, who took bronze in Rome in 1998. Their Olympic form is a different story, though a historical one, too: Sweden were the dominant force in eventing in the early 20th century, and it was at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics that eventing as a sport made its debut. They were the gold medallists there, of course, and at Antwerp in 1920, and then they took silver at Paris in 1924. They disappeared for a couple of decades from the podium but returned for silver at London 1948, gold at Helsinki 1952… and then the reign of Sweden as eventing’s most formidable team was over. Now, it’s a case of rebuilding.

What’s their form like? The Swedes have been consistent in the Nations Cup series, which is held at CCI4*-S and culminates at the CCI4*-L level at Boekelo. They’re very good at pinning down the series win, partly because they make sure to show up for as many legs as they can — and now they’re working on taking that consistency up to championship level. Their weakness at the moment is the dressage, and they’ve pulled in great help to work on this — but their team is based between the UK and Sweden, so the cohesiveness is tricky. They’ve stepped onto the podium at European Championships, which is a CCI4*-L competition, and while they probably won’t do that here, they’ll be girding their loins to try to secure that Paris qualification nice and early so they don’t have to chase their tails and try to qualify through the Nations Cups again.

What’s their secret weapon? Technology. Fred Bergendorff made the best of a bad situation in the pandemic and created a structure of virtual training, bringing in exceptional coaches to help sharpen the Swedish game and build camaraderie.

Chef d’equipe: Bobby Costello, who’s acting as interim chef until after the Championships. He rode at the top level himself, representing Team USA at the 2000 Olympics.

Team members: 

• Will Coleman and Off The Record
• Tamie Smith and Mai Baum
• Lauren Kieffer and Vermiculus
• Boyd Martin and Tseterleg

Team reserve: Ariel Grald and Leamore Master Plan

When did they last win a medal? They took team gold in 2002, and prior to that, we saw them take gold at Burghley in 1974. They’ve also won bronze at Luhmühlen in 1982 and Lexington in 1978.

What’s their form like? It’s safe to say that it’s on the up and up, despite a period of turbulence in the management sphere of the high performance camp. The US has been performing better and better on the world stage, with a team silver at Aachen last year (and a historic first-ever US individual win, taken by Will and Off The Record) and team silver at the Nations Cup finale at Boekelo, too. This feels like the strongest US team in a long time, and realistically, they really ought to take a medal this week. There’s a good case for them taking more than one, too — their riders have what it takes to fight the big boys individually. Could this be the beginning of a renaissance for US eventing? We reckon so.

What’s their secret weapon? In a strange way, it’s probably this limbo period. The US system is due a rejig, and there’s compelling reason to believe that the sort of Wild West that it finds itself in at the moment will allow riders to lay their own roots in terms of structure, coming together as a unified group with their own systems that work for them. Erik Duvander is on site coaching a couple of the riders, and everyone looks to be sticking to what has served them well as individuals, which could pay dividends and lead to a new way of doing things going forward.

FEI World Championships for Eventing:[Website] [Definite Entries] [Live Scoring and Times] [FEI TV] [ EN’s Ultimate Guide ] [EN’S Form Guide] | Daily Digest Email | [EN’s Coverage]

You’ve met the riders of the Pratoni field — now it’s time to get to grip with the horses coming forward to fight for those coveted medals and Paris Olympic qualifying berths. We’ve got your need-to-knows condensed into a handy-dandy coffee-break scroll. We won’t mind if you make yours an Aperol.

FEI World Championships for Eventing:[Website] [Definite Entries] [Live Scoring and Times] [FEI TV] [ EN’s Ultimate Guide ] [EN’S Form Guide] | Daily Digest Email | [EN’s Coverage]

Yasmin Ingham and her elegant, rangy French-bred Banzai du Loir take an early lead at Pratoni. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

After a drizzly start to proceedings — and a tough one, too, with some harshly-marked early tests — the first day’s morning session of dressage at the 2022 FEI World Championships blossomed into a showcase of exceptional young talent peppered with fresh faces and up-and-coming superstars. Chief among their ranks is 25-year-old Yasmin Ingham, who rides as the individual for Great Britain this week. She produced a dazzling test with the eleven-year-old Selle Français gelding Banzai du Loir (Nouma d’Auzay x Gerboise du Cochet, by Livarot), putting a score of 22 on the board that absolutely skyrocketed past the horse’s four- and five-star average of 27.

That 22 isn’t just her best-ever international score, it’s also one of the top five tests ever delivered at a World Championships. It goes into joint fourth in the all-time rankings — equal with a certain Michael Jung and La Biosthetique Sam FBW, who posted the same score in 2010 en route to becoming the World Champions.

“Honestly, it’s the first time we’ve gone in the boards at an event and he’s felt like he’s completely listening and with me, even with the crowds and the cameras and everything atmosphere-wise,” says a delighted Yaz, who pilots the rangy gelding for longtime supporters Sue Davies and Jeanette Chinn. “He didn’t really seem to flinch or bother with it. I’m just so proud of him; he’s really special horse and I still think there’s plenty more in there, which is even more exciting.”

Like many riders, Yaz found that her horse didn’t feel quite as fresh this morning as he has done in previous tests — something that’s no doubt due to the last two days of heat at the Italian venue. But that meant that Yaz was able to take risks in the ring, and her extended canter was a particular highlight of the test, with a clear, bold transition into and out of the movement.

“He maybe felt a little bit tired, so he probably could have been a little bit more sprightly — but I’d rather him do a test like that then have a little break somewhere or something like that. I just couldn’t really fault him today at all,” she says.

Yaz Ingham gets a hug from British chef d’equipe Chris Bartle after a superb performance. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Yaz credits her trip to Kentucky CCI5* this spring, where she finished second, and the opportunity to ride through the test in the main arena at Burghley, with helping her and Banzai deliver their best-ever performance today.

“I think we’ve had more experience now in the bigger, atmospheric arenas, for example Kentucky earlier this year. Then we also had Burghley just before we came here, so we’ve been trying different techniques with the warm up and how long we work him in for, and what we do with him in those work-ins — and I think we’ve come to the bottom of that now,” says Yaz, who has worked closely with British team trainer Chris Bartle to help fine-tune the process. Their schooling regime and warm-up today put them right on the money for their test, which was unanimously put into first place by all three judges.

“He’s actually come here really settled, and I think he’s getting more used to travelling and coming to the bigger events now, so it’s becoming a little bit more normal for him. We did half an hour of work at eight o’clock this morning — just sort of long and low, with lots of simple changes and easy things so as not to stress him out, and to keep him quite happy and confident. Then I worked him for half an hour at quarter to ten, and we started to do a couple of changes and some half-passes and things and just make it a bit more difficult to get him ready for this this afternoon. The work in then was just 20 minutes before we we came and did the test. He’s quite a fit and sharp character, usually, so we do have to make sure we give him enough work so that he doesn’t go in there and just go ‘ahh!'”

Yaz, who makes her Senior squad debut this week after winning every national age title in Britain, is living out something of a fairytale this week.

“It’s so special. I mean, I’ve worked towards this since I’ve started riding,” says Yaz. “It’s always something that I’ve wanted to do, and it’s always been one of my goals and to achieve that has just been a dream come true. Obviously, the team behind the scenes is what sort of helped me get there and my owners, Sue Davies and Jeanette Chinn, and my family. All my trainers, the World Class team — there’s just an army that’s behind every rider and they’ve all helped me get here, so it’s a big moment.”

Monica Spencer makes an 18,000km journey worth it with a superb test aboard full Thoroughbred Artist. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Another rider who’s living out a dream in real time is New Zealand’s Monica Spencer, who held the lead for much of the morning with the full Thoroughbred Artist. Their score of 25.6 was the first of the day to go sub-30, and came after a mammoth journey from the Southern Hemisphere: the CCI4*-L Puhuini winners travelled for over fifty hours from New Zealand to the UK five weeks ago, where they based themselves with teammate Clarke Johnstone.

“They actually announced the team three days before my flight and the horse’s flight left,” she says. “So you kind of plan like you’re going in case you’re going — and then all of a sudden you’re going, and then it’s action!”

The magnitude and complexity of the journey required new mum Monica to leave her husband, Spence, and ten-month-old baby Gus behind, “so I’m a little more emotional than I am normally,” she says.

But what a pay-off. Their test sees them sit second provisionally — and puts team New Zealand in the lead — at this stage in Monica’s debut on a championship team, and her first experience of competing in the Northern Hemisphere. The difference, she says, is huge.

“There’s not many people at a lot of our events — we’re kind of in the middle of a farm somewhere,” she laughs. “I mean, we have some great events too. But yeah, it’s pretty cool to be on this kind of stage, for sure.”

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo give Britain plenty to celebrate with a competitive test for provisional third. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

It’s been a jolly good morning for the Brits, who have two riders in the top three at the lunch-break — and third, provisionally, is team pathfinder and reigning World Champion Ros Canter. Her mount this week isn’t her 2018 World Championships ride, Allstar B, who was euthanised this summer after an injury at Aachen, but rather, a worthy heir apparent to his throne: the ten-year-old British-bred gelding was second on his five-star debut at Badminton this spring, and has a spate of impressive four-star wins and placings to his name over tough tracks. Though he didn’t quite catch his Badminton score of 26 today, his 26.2 puts him in an enviable position at this early stage of the game.

Like Yaz, Ros was able to bring ‘Walter’ to Burghley to run through the test in the atmospheric main arena, where the practice run also served as an exciting demonstration for spectators after the close of the competition’s dressage phase.

“I’m absolutely delighted with Walter — he’s only a ten-year-old, o coming here is a big occasion for him,” says Ros, who brings Allstar B along for the ride in the form of tail hair bracelets worn by herself and groom Sarah Charnley. “We were lucky enough to practice our tests at Burghley, and every day is still a school day for him, so we’re only just scratching the surface at this level. I truly believe that in the next few years, you’re going to see a bigger and better Walter. I’m just delighted that he went in there and was a complete professional — I don’t think he acts his age.”

Since stepping up to the upper levels, Walter has proven himself a horse who thrives in an atmosphere — and Pratoni is certainly delivering that, even on Thursday morning.

“He’s a very self confident horse,” says Ros with a smile. “He’s very happy in his own skin, and he adores attention. When I was practicing outside, Ian Woodhead, who’s our dressage trainer, said ‘don’t do a halt too close to the crowds, because they’re going to clap’ —  but he doesn’t give a monkey’s. He’s in his element when people clap; he thinks it’s all for him.”

Ros opted for a shorter warm-up today, schooling for twenty minutes first thing this morning and then doing a twenty-minute final work-in before her test, which put Walter right in his sweet spot for an excellent test.

“As soon as I went in, I knew he was with me,” she says. “We got the preparation right today, I think. And when he’s like that, he’s very easy, and he has beautiful balance, so I can sit up and he comes back to me, which is what makes him a lovely cross country horse, too.”

Will Coleman and Off The Record get Team USA’s campaign off to a great start with a 26.4. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The USA sit in bronze medal position after the first rotation of riders, thanks to an excellent test from Will Coleman and Off the Record that joins the top-five all-time dressage tests by a US rider at a World Championship. They sit fourth at the lunch break on their 26.4, which sees them just two-tenths of a penalty behind Ros Canter. It’s also one of 2021 Aachen champion ‘Timmy’s’ best-ever international tests, though Will no doubt hoped to match the 23.9 they delivered in their final run at Great Meadows CCI4*-S. But, he concedes, travelling to an event in Virginia is a very different prospect to travelling to Italy.

“We’ve had a lot of traveling, like a lot of horses, to get here, and I think that’s never easy on them,” he says. “Given everything, I thought my horse tried very hard today and I’m very happy with him. I don’t know if I would describe anything as ‘highlights’, but I thought we squeezed every point out of it we could, which, when he came out this morning, was sort of my mentality. I was like, ‘okay, it may not be our best stuff — but let’s just see if we can ride as clean a test as we can, and leave as few penalties on the table as we can.’ And I think we did that. So in that respect, I’m happy: I don’t know if there are any highlights in it, but it was clean and relatively mistake-free.”

Will once again takes on the pathfinder role for the US, a job he took at the last World Championships in 2018 — and one that comes with its own unique pressures.

“It’s a tough job,” he says. “I’ve been first before, and I’ve been last before in some instances, but I think we all have the same sort of approach that we want to go out and execute and just give our horses the best chance of coming home clear, and with as few time penalties as possible. It’s a really intense track, so my job is to go out there and bring back some good feedback for the other guys, and that’s what we’re going to try to do. He’s not the most blood but he’s a real fighter.”

Niklas Lindbäck and Focus Filiocus. Photo by Shelby Allen.

Sweden’s Niklas Lindbäck rounds out the top five after delivering an excellent test for a score of 29 with his experienced mount Focus Filiocus, who tends to average well into the 30s in this phase. The pair, who finished 35th at Tryon in 2018, come forward as the individual combination for Sweden this week — and already, they’ve exceeded their own expectations.

“Expecting is so hard, but we were hoping for this,” says Niklas. “Dressage isn’t maybe his strong point; he’s normally very stable and settled, but not going for the high marks — but we really tried here and it was actually fantastic. It’s the best feeling he’s ever given me.”

The top ten at the midway point of day one in the 2022 FEI World Championships for Eventing.

The team standings after the first rotation of riders.

FEI World Championships for Eventing:[Website] [Definite Entries] [Live Scoring and Times] [FEI TV] [ EN’s Ultimate Guide ] [EN’S Form Guide] | Daily Digest Email | [EN’s Coverage]

There are few things hotter than the Italian weather right now — but giving it a jolly good go is the field of entries in the 2022 FEI World Championships of Eventing. With 89 riders and 26 nations in the line-up, it’s a showcase of the very best of the sport, and if you don’t have the bandwidth to learn about all the finer details of their lives and competitive records in our extensive form guide, we’ve rounded up the quick fire details you need to know!

FEI World Championships for Eventing:[Website] [Definite Entries] [Live Scoring and Times] [FEI TV] [ EN’s Ultimate Guide ] [EN’S Form Guide] | Daily Digest Email | [EN’s Coverage]