I feel a little shift in the eventing world … Within the past year and half or so we’ve had some really spectacular five-star finishes with somewhat surprise winners in the end. Think: Tamie Smith at Kentucky 2023, Auston O’Connor at Maryland 2023, Caroline Powell at Badminton 2024, and now Lara de Liedekerke-Meier at Luhmühlen. You can throw Laura Collett and Ros Canter in there too for their wins in 2023 at Luhmühlen and Pau respectively, though we might consider them less “surprising” winners than the aforementioned.
What I’m trying to say is, it seems those years when every other five-star winner went by the name of Michael or Oliver or Tim seems to be over for now. And no shade to any of those riders — they’re clearly all still going strong — but with incredible depth and top performances now coming from so many corners of the sport, what an exciting time we’re in right now! It sure keeps show jumping day exciting.
International Events
Longines Luhmühlen (Germany) [Website] [Results] [Live Stream – H&C+] [EN’s Coverage]
U.S. Weekend Results
Aspen Farm H.T (Yelm, WA) [Website] [Results]
Full Gallop Farm June H.T. (Aiken, SC) [Website]
Horse Park of New Jersey H.T. I (Allentown, NJ) [Website] [Results]
Seneca Valley Pony Club H.T. (Poolesville, MD) [Website] [Results]
Shepherd Ranch Pony Club H.T. I (Santa Ynez, CA) [Website] [Results]
Silverwood Farm Spring H.T. (Camp Lake, WI) [Website] [Results]
Monday News & Reading
If you had to ask, ‘Lara de who?’ at any point this weekend, then it’s high time you met the now first Belgian five-star winner. Get to know Lara in this previous EquiRatings podcast episode When Nicole Met … Lara de Liedekerke-Meier.
Lithuania will have two equestrian representatives in this year’s Olympics, one of those being eventer Aistis Vitkauskas. And as of Paris, at the age of 51, Aistis will become his country’s oldest ever Olympian, taking over from shooter Rolandas Račinskas who was 48 during the Rio Olympics.
So far only Ireland has announced their Olympic teams for all equestrian disciplines. Of the selected riders headed to Paris, jumper Cian O’Connor is the most experienced of the bunch, having participated in the Olympic Games over the past few decades. He has a few wise words about competing at this level, borne out of his experience.
Video Break: Hear from a shocked Lara and more in this final episode of this year’s Luhmühlen Lates recap show.
