Karen's WEG Blog - Showjumping's Speed Class

Eric Lemaze & Hickstead (CAN) second in the speed class on Tuesday August 29th Photo © Kit Houghton / FEI

Jumping Under Way
Aachen may be one of the best grass fields in the show jumping world (Spruce is pretty hard to beat), but you could hear the horses squishing past in the wetter places today in the speed class. A contest for most facial hair would be won hands down by the United Arab Emirates rider Mohammed Al Kumaiti, who has a full-on Taliban beard. Big shock of the day so far was an elimination for Swedish rider Malin Baryard-Johnsson on her Jerez partner Butterfly Flip. The mare decided to say ‘no thanks’ to the double Liverpool. Malin is only the second woman ever to make it to the final four in world championship show jumping.

Eric’s speed round on Hickstead was extremely exciting. It seems the horse can jump from anwhere, and always pops way up over his fences. From my position in the stands right in front of the last fence, it didn’t look at all like Eric was going to make the last fence. He says Hickstead thought he was done and was heading to the gate, which was just past the jump. The look on Eric’s face in the replay was one of both surprise and determination. Bravo Hickstead! Like Eric said, “I got away with that one.”

The only problem with WEG show jumping is that some weaker countries qualify and then they really crash and burn on these huge courses. Some of the horses already looked outclassed yesterday in the speed class, which is really only the warm up class.

Learning German Whether I Want to or Not
My friend Gail, who has been to all five WEGs, says that this is easily the least foreigner-friendly one she has been to. Half-time interviews are often entirely in German, and some of the press information comes out to us in German only as well. On Monday there was no competition, but in the afternoon there was a four hour German Stallion Parade for which many people bought tickets. I only saw the tail end of it, but it was ENTIRELY in German. No translation. Even the screen hanging over the covered vaulting and reining stadium where it took place was in German. The many foreigners in the group had to rely on their neighbours any time they wanted to know what was being announced. The sole exception was a wonderfully funny dressage spoof performed by a man dressed up as a farmer riding bareback on his adorable roan draft stallion. He translated his comments often into English, and got lots of cheers from those of us not following all the German. So I am, by repeated bombardment, learning a bit of German. Eine Warsteiner bitte!

Beezie Madden & Authentic (USA) leading rider after the first round of the team competition Photo © Kit Houghton / FEI

General view of the showjumping arena on the first day of jumping. Photo © Kit Houghton / FEI

 

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