Great Britain and Ingrid Klimke Earn Gold at European Championships

Ingrid Klimke and Horseware Hale Bob. FEI/Jon Stroud Photo.

As Equiratings‘ Diarm Byrne would say, Happy Hale Bob Day! Ingrid Klimke and Horseware Hale Bob OLD have won individual gold at the FEI European Eventing Championships, an accomplishment that has long eluded this decorated rider.

“This is our first individual gold medal that I’ve won,” Ingrid smiled. “I’m so pleased because Horseware Hale Bob did such a wonderful job in all three phases. He couldn’t be better. He really deserved it.”

They had no rails in hand going in, and while one rub had the entire arena holding their breath, the ultimately left all the poles in their cups to finish on their dressage score of 30.3.

“You just have to keep going and after 20 years it will happen! I always want to be a team player, but this was my dream,” she continued.

Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST. FEI/Jon Stroud Photo.

Though Michael Jung’s efforts to be the first rider to earn four consecutive wins at Europeans were thwarted, he still ends the weekend with a silver medal. He and fischerRocana FST kept the pressure on Ingrid adding nothing to their dressage score (32.8) in either jumping phase.

Great Britain’s gold medal team: Nicola Wilson, Rosalind Canter, Oliver Townend and Tina Cook. FEI/Jon Stroud Photo.

If this weekend is any indication of future results, Great Britain looks to be the new team to beat. The first championship with Chris Bartle at the helm, Team GB clinched team gold with all three team riders jumping clear and standing in the top five individually.

Nicola Wilson and Bulana won individual bronze. They rose through the ranks starting in seventh after a 35.5 in dressage to fourth after finishing one second above the time on cross country, and finally to third after a clear show jumping round.

Nicola Wilson and Bulana. FEI/Jon Stroud Photo.

Fourth place belongs to Tina Cook and Billy The Red. Three positive performances had them finishing on their dressage score of 38.2. “We are very excited to be back on top,” Tina said of her gold-medal winning team. “We’ve got some amazing riders and horses and we’ve worked hard for this”

Team debutant Ros Canter is fifth with Allstar B on a score of 40.2. 1.6 time penalties are the only mark on their otherwise faultless weekend.

Kai Rüder and Colani Sunrise, individuals for Germany, landed in sixth place with 40.3 after a double clear show jumping trip. Despite having one down, Ireland’s Sarah Ennis and Horseware Stellor Rebound remain in seventh place for Ireland on 43.4.

Two rails moved Gemma Tattersall and Quicklook V to eighth place with a finishing result of 44.7. Overnight third-placed Sara Algotsson Ostholt and Reality 39, who were members of the Swedish team, picked up 12 penalties to drop to ninth. France’s Thibaut Vallette’s clear round earned him a tenth place result with Qing du Briot.

Great Britain’s gold medal result rests on their team score of 113.9. Germany’s European rein ended and they settle for silver on 123 points. Though Sweden missed a chance at an individual medal, they secured their spot on the world stage with team bronze on 148.4. They were also the only nation who had all four team members complete yesterday’s tough cross country.

Of today’s 56 finishers, only 15 achieved clear rounds including the top six riders. In a sport where men and women have the opportunity to compete as equals, it was ladies day at Strzegom. We saw two on the podium, and the gold medal winning team scores were from women riders. #GirlPower

EN is proud to have our Europeans coverage powered by EquiRatings, who are also the official statistics provider for the championships. Be sure to follow EquiRatings on Twitter @EquiRatings for real-time data, analysis and commentary as the action unfolds. Go Eventing.

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