Ehning gets the edge in first Final Competition…
Markus Ehning took the early lead at the FEI World Cup final in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia today with a copybook performance from Sandro Boy in the opening speed competition.
Winner in Las Vegas in 2003 and equal-third at the same venue last year the German rider made Frank Rothenberger's 12-fence track look easy as his big bay stallion snatched the lead with just six of the 35 starters left to go. Switzerland's Beat Mandli slotted into second ahead of reigning champion Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum from Germany in third, but Ireland's Jessica Kuerten, tipped by Michaels-Beerbaum as favourite to win, was next in line ahead of yet another German contender Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst while Margie Engle kept the USA in the frame when sixth. It looks to be shaping up for a real battle of the giants over the remaining two competitions which will decide the 2005/2006 season title-holder.
It was Michael Whitaker who set the early pace when clear with Insul Tech Portofino. The 12 year old mare was right on form at the last qualifying leg in Gothenburg when the British rider took a chance that didn't pay off leading to an unfortunate stop in the jump-off, so he seemed determined to take no risks this time out when steering a clever if slightly cautious line, finishing with a strong gallop to the last to stop the clock in 63.14 seconds which proved good enough for seventh place at the end of the day.
Alison Firestone followed with the fastest run of the class when clearing the line in 58.18 seconds but her 11 year old gelding Secret Love kicked out the oxer at fence five and then caught the stile at fence nine so, with four seconds added for each fence on the floor, she had to settle for the time of 66.18 seconds.
Two horses later Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst demoted Whitaker from the top of the order with a super round from Candy who, as usual, had her ears pricked as she crossed the line in 61.68 seconds and the next combination to leave all the fences standing were Estonia's Gunnar Klettenberg and Novesta but they were almost three seconds slower. Starting 19th, Germany’s Markus Beerbaum and Constantin got it wrong coming to the third where the 12 year old gelding stopped and was then eliminated for throwing in a further objection at the second time of asking. Richard Spooner and his new ride Camaron Hills Shanroe were very impressive but a single error kept this US duo out of the frame so it was Jessica Kuerten who next set the class alight.
The Irish rider has described her 10 year old mare Castle Forbes Libertina as “wild”, but there was nothing undisciplined about her performance today even when Kuerten tried to turn inside fence one to get a quicker route from the double of verticals at four to the oxer at five and almost collided with the first fence. Recovering quickly she continued around the longer route and still came home quickly enough to take the lead in 61.25. But her advantage was short-lived as Switzerland's Beat Mandli, without turning a hair, shaved almost a full second off that with the ground-eating stride of Ideo du Thot. However if Mandli's big 10 year old seemed casual then Ehning's elegant Sandro Boy seemed even more so as he cruised home a further second faster with what appeared to be the greatest of ease but there were still five left to go and plenty of speed merchants left in the final group.
Britain's Robert Smith and Kalusha set off at a cracking pace and clocked up one of the quickest rounds in 59.75 seconds but left the vertical at fence six on the floor to add four seconds while second-last into the ring America's Margie Engle and Quervo Gold were well in touch with the leading pack when breaking the beam without penalty in 61.86s. Only the reigning champion stood between Ehning and victory now and as Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum set sail with Checkmate she looked like she really meant business but, crossing the line in 60.62 seconds, she slotted into third behind Mandli – an excellent placing but not the one she had planned.
“I really wanted to finish in sixth place” she said afterward. “That's where the last three winners of the World Cup finished after the first class and I was trying to do the same!” she pointed out with a degree of superstition. Fourth-placed Kuerten wanted to finish in the top five so she was pleased with her result but was only cautiously optimistic about her chances. “It's hard work for Libertina having to jump for all three days, but she's a fighter” she pointed out. “I had decided that if something went wrong after the first day I would pull her out but I got a really good feeling from her” she said. She dismissed the pundits who have made her favourite to take the title this weekend. “I think Meredith is unbeatable and Beat and Ideo could come second if on form but it is really quite open between Meredith and Markus – I would be in a different situation if I had Quibell here” she said, referring to her decision to withdraw her main ride due to problems with long-distance travel.
Markus Ehning sounded quietly confident. “I hope my horse holds his form for Sunday” he said. “This was not a course to take at a really fast speed but I was happy with my horse. Sandro used to spend a lot of time in the air over his fences but he's not losing so much time now and today he was in a good rhythm all the way. I think I'm looking quite positive for the next few days” he added.
Results (27.04.06)
1ª Qualifying round – World Cup – Kuala Lumpur
Tabela C – 1,50m
1º Sandro Boy / Marcus Ehning (Germany): 60,06s
2º Ideo du Thot / Beat Mändli (Switzerland): 60,28
3º Checkmate / Meredith Michaels Beerbaum (Germany): 60,62
4º Libertina / Jessica Kurten (Ireland): 61,25
5º Candy 195 / Alois Pollmann-Shweckhorst (Germany): 61,68
6º Quervo Gold / Margie Engle (USA): 61,86
7º Portofino / Michael Whitaker (Great Britain): 63,14
8º Albin II / Juan Carlos García (Italy): 63,46
9º Kalusha / Robert Smith (Great Britain): 63,75
10º Novesta / Gunnar Klettenberg (Estonia): 64,59