Top Kiwi Eventers Germany Bound

By: Diana Dobson/ESNZ

The Luhmühlen International Horse Trials this week are the last big hit out for top New Zealand eventers keen to impress selectors for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. 

And they’re not the only ones, with star-studded fields in both the CCI4* and CIC3* at the German event.

Sir Mark Todd, who won the event in 1986 with the mighty Charisma, and Oloa (owned by Di Brunsden, Peter Cattrell, Pip McCarroll and Todd) lead the charge in the CCI4*. However, missing are 2013 CCI4* winners Andrew Nicholson and Mr Cruise Control, who is out for the season.

Lining up in the CCI4* are Craig Nicolai on his own Just Ironic, Jonelle Price with Classic Moet (owned by Trisha Rickards) and The Deputy (owned by Lucy Sangster, Tim and Jan Morice and selwood.com), her husband Tim on Wesko (owned by the Wesko Syndicate), Annabel Wigley on Frog Rock (owned by Sally, John and Annabel Wigley) and Kate Wood on her own Easy Tiger.

Not on the CCI4* card is a very disappointed Lizzie Brown who has had to pull Henton Attorney General (owned by Tessa Grant and Brown) due to a minor injury. However, Brown will be starting Playtime (owned by Tessa Grant and Brown) in the CIC3* alongside Tim Price and Haddon Trump Card (owned by Varenna Allen).

There are plenty of big names entered in both divisions at Luhmühlen, with many countries using the top event as a selection for WEG. Riders from Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Sweden, The Netherlands and the United States are all entered in the top-tier event.

The dressage for both the CCI4* and CIC3* starts on Thursday (GER time), and will continue through Friday, followed by the cross country on Saturday and showjumping on Sunday.

The event is also part of the FEI Classics Series, which includes the six CCI4* events – Pau (FRA), AustralianInternational 3DE (AUS), Kentucky (USA), Badminton (GBR), Luhmühlen (GER) and Burghley (GBR). Luhmühlen is the second to last event in the series, which is curently being led by William Fox-Pitt (GBR). The winner will pocked $US40,000.

Quick Links

• For more information, head to http://tgl.luhmuehlen.de/start