Reed Kessler wins Munich championship
–“I'm so happy that I didn't make the same mistake I made in Hanover,” beams 19 year-old Reed Kessler cheerfully. “There I made a mistake on exactly the same line in the arena. I'm just thrilled everything went well this time.
” And it wasn't just the US amazone who was pleased; her trainer was also delighted with the victory at the Munich championships. Her trainer is Marcus Ehning from Borken, who decided against competing himself in the Bavarian metropolis, as the show jumper and his wife Nadja are about to become parents for the third time. The latest addition to the family is expected any day now.
Reed Kessler and eleven-year-old Belgian mare Cylana did everything right. “The arena here is fantastic,” enthused Reed Kessler, who was the youngest-ever show jumper of all time to compete as part of the US team at the Olympic Games in London. “There I was at the closing ceremony where the stadium was packed, but here in Munich the horses are in an Olympic stadium – that's pretty impressive.”
Securing second place was Oliver Lazarus from South Africa, who first rode Pour le Poussage just five weeks ago. He had held onto the lead in the final of the championships, and then along came Reed with Cylana. “I decided to take it like a gentleman”, joked the show jumper before going on to rave about Pour le Poussage. “He gives me a very, very good feeling.” Britain's doyen John Whitaker rode into third position with stallion Argento.
Also putting on a flawless performance was Carsten-Otto Nagel from Wedel, who managed a perfect stint with his world-class mare Corradina, but he decided against the jump-off. He has his sights set on overall victory in the DKB Riders Tour, which he will compete for in the Grand Prix on Sunday. Hot on his heels is Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, who is the only one who can now catch him. She, along with horse Checkmate, had a pretty bleak day – 16 penalty points led to the petite blonde throwing the towel in. Despite that, she qualified for the Grand Prix..
Anna Cavallaro ahead after the first round
This weekend, the Munich Indoors play host to the the opening stage of the FEI World Cup Vaulting, and the current title holder from Italy is yet to put a foot wrong. Anna Cavallaro won the first of two free rounds with Harley and her trainer and lunger Nelson Vidoni, with a score of 8.75. Swiss competitor Simone Jäiser followed in second place, ahead of German vaulter Corinna Knauf. A total of eight women are competing in Munich. The top-ranking Bavarian woman was Regina Burgmayr from Kirchseeon in sixth place.
Amongst the men, Torben Jacobs – a medical student from Düsseldorf – came top with Flash Back and lunger Alexandra Knauf (8.01). He was top of many of the experts' lists ahead of the competition, just like Czech Lukas Klouda who came second, and World Cup runner-up Thomas Brüsewitz from Garbsen.
The World Cup premiere of the Pas de Deux had been awaited with baited breath, and in the first round this went to current world champions Lukas Wacha and Jasmin Lindner from Austria. The two German competitors, Gera Marie Grün and Justin van Gerven, performed spectacularly, achieving a well-deserved second place with Danny Boy, and undoubtedly benefiting from the support of former world and European champion Patric Looser as lunger. The 2013/ 2014 season is the first time the Pas de Deux has been a component of the FEI World Cup Vaulting.
Check the video clip of Reed Kessler and Cylana's jump-off below.