Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk. Photo courtesy of LOTTO Strzegom Horse Trials.
Is June the most action-packed month of the season? It’s very possible – and certainly, here at EN HQ, we’re pretty sure the crazy train has never whizzed along quite so quickly. In Europe this week, hot off the back of last week’s Luhmühlen CCI4*-S and CCI5* – and ahead of next week’s CHIO Aachen – all eyes have turned to rural Poland, where the LOTTO Strzegom Horse Trials has attracted a host of serious competitors for classes from CCI1* through to CCI4*-L. Most notably, though, is the Nations Cup CCIO4*-S that’s happening this weekend – partly because it’s the latest leg to play host to the intense battle for series domination this year, which will earn one nation a coveted place at next year’s Paris Olympics, and partly because it’s also the site of the latest USEF development grant. The US has a strong team of four tackling this week’s competition, gaining experience and fighting for top placings, too.
Dressage has now concluded, and the small but perfectly-formed German team is in the lead, followed by our US European Development Grant-winning team in second. The Dutch team sits third, and best-placed of the nations who are fighting for that Olympic qualification at the end of the season. Individually, it’s even better news for the US: Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake are out in front going into tomorrow’s jumping phases on a score of 28.1, followed by Germany’s Johanna Marloh and Crazy Carlotta on 29.3 and the Netherlands’ Sanne de Jong and Enjoy on 29.4. You can check out the full scores so far here.
Tomorrow is all about cross-country, and it’ll be starting at 13.00 local time (12.00 p.m. BST/7.00 a.m. EST). As part of the FEI Nations Cup series, it’s all free to watch live on the FEI’s YouTube channel, and you can also rewatch the action that’s happened so far. Here are tomorrow’s starting times, and you can rewatch day one’s dressage here:
And day two’s dressage here:
Here’s where you’ll be able to find tomorrow’s cross-country stream:
And finally, following Sunday morning’s horse inspection, you’ll also be able to tune in for the Nations Cup showjumping, from 14.30 local time (13.30 BST/8.30 a.m. EST), here:
Go Eventing!
