The International Jumping Riders Club since 1977 is the voice of the showjumping riders from around the world.
International Jumping Riders Club
Paris 2024 day 1: Germany leads Paris Olympics qualifying
The German riders Christian Kukuk, Phillip Weishaupt, and Richard Vogel achieved superb clear rounds with their horses Checker, Zineday, and United Touch, respectively. Their performances resulted in the only zero score of the day on a difficult course designed by Santiago Varela from Spain and Gregory Bodo from France, which kept athletes and horses focused from start to finish.
Top 10 teams have qualified for tomorrow's team medal final, with Germany starting as the last team to go, followed by USA that finished second with just six faults, while Great Britain, Belgium and The Netherlands filled the next three slots with eight faults apiece. Ireland finished sixth with nine faults and the hosts from France finished seventh when putting 12 faults on the board.
As we read in the FEI Press release, the firsy clear round of the day was produced by the reigning double world champions and Tokyo 2020 team gold medallists Henrik von Eckermann and his phenomenal King Edward. The 14-year-old gelding, typically jumps barefoot but had front shoes specially fitted for the Games. However, after losing one shoe during today's round, von Eckermann opted to continue without shoes for the remainder of the Games.
“I always think the first track is the worst one because you're not really sure. I mean I know my horse very, very well, but still, you never know - it’s animals, not machines, and you just want to have a good feeling, and you don't know how it is going to be before you do it!”
Henrik von Eckermann (SWE)
The other clear round of the day were:
defending individual champion, Great Britain’s Ben Maher and Dallas Vegas Batilly, plus Christian Kukuk and Checker 47, America’s Laura Kraut and Baloutinue, The Netherlands’ Mikael van der Vleuten and Beauville Z and Brazil’s Pedro Veniss and Nimrod de Muze. However, in accordance with the rules, the Brazilian pair were eliminated when a small amount of blood was found on the horse’s side after he left the arena.
“Normally at these events there's always some different fences and we already see that today. I don't know what the other riders are saying but things are coming quick enough today, it’s quite careful jumping and there are no second chances this week!” Ben Maher (GBR)
The team just behind the leader is the United States of America with: Laura Kraut, McLain Ward and Karl Cook at his first Olympic who replaced Kent Farrington and Greya.
“It's what we were mentally preparing for. We decided the right strategy was to prepare like we were jumping even if we weren’t. I came with blue pants but I packed everything as if I was showing. I had to do it like that so it was easier if I got called with two minutes to go”, Cook explained.
France the hosts Nation, finished seventh with: Simon Delestre, Julien Epaillard and the first reserve Olivier Perreau who replaced Kevin Staut.
