German riders gave a master class in Jumping at the finale of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ Eventing competition to give Germany the full set of titles: Olympic, European and now World team gold medals, with Sandra Auffarth also taking individual gold.

Written by By Kate Green

All four riders – Sandra Auffarth, Michael Jung, Ingrid Klimke and Dirk Schrade – were flawless over the coloured poles and Auffarth, whose performance on the magnificent Opgun Louvo has been exemplary throughout the event, deservedly collected what looks like the first of many individual titles.  Click here for audio interview with Sandra Auffarth.

“It’s unbelievable that we are double world champions,” said the modest Auffarth. “When I first rode Opgun Louvo I didn’t think he was a future champion, but we have taken every level step by step and he’s been fantastic this weekend, really working hard.”

Defending champion Jung, who won individual silver on his brave little mare fisherRocana FST, was quick to compliment his team mate. “Sandra is a true world champion,” he said. “She went across country last of all in the worst ground but she and her horse know each other so well.

“For me, it would have been great to come to a world championships on the same horse (La Biosthetique Sam) four years later, but I’m happy with silver because my mare did such a fantastic job. She’s a very clever horse.”

As at last year’s FEI European Championships, only William Fox-Pitt (GBR) and Chilli Morning, the Cross Country leaders, were able to halt German domination of the medals by taking individual bronze.

Although Britain’s team silver medal always looked secure, thanks to a great clear round from Zara Phillips and High Kingdom, the Germans’ brilliance pushed Fox-Pitt right to the wire and he had no leeway to win the individual title that so many people feel this classic horseman deserves.

His charming stallion Chilli Morning was impeccably behaved, considering the deafening cheers for Auffarth that would have blown the roof off had the stadium had one, but he just caught the second fence with his front legs and, to muffled groans, that was the gold medal gone.

“Of course I’m frustrated, but I’m probably lucky not to have had two fences down,” Fox-Pitt said philosophically. “I’ve never ridden a stallion at any decent level before. He’s a real worker and trier, and he’s a rare commodity. I’m very proud of him and it’s great for his future as a sire.” (Click here for audio interview with William Fox-Pitt)

Meanwhile, an interesting battle had been developing for team bronze. The Australians held third place in the team competition after Cross Country but lost it at a strike with an unfortunate 24-fault round from Shane Rose and Taurus.

The French could have benefitted from this, but Jean Teulere (Matelot du Grand Val) and Cedric Lyard (Cadeau du Roi) collected eight faults apiece. Sadly, Maxime Livio’s superb clear round on Qalao des Mers, which elevated him from eighth to fifth place individually, was not enough to rescue the home team’s medal chances.

Instead, the Netherlands team, who have been giving notice of deepening strength with their consistent results in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ series, rode for their lives to be deserved recipients of team bronze, the country’s first ever medal at world championship level.

Elaine Pen and Vira have been one of the up-and-coming partnerships this year and they produced a beautiful clear round to rise seven places to 13^th individually. Merel Bloom (Rumour Has It) was also clear in 26^th place and the talented Tim Lips, who has long flown the Dutch flag in Eventing, finished in 18^th place on Keyflow N.O.P.

Speaking on behalf of his team mates, British-based Andrew Heffernan, who retired Boleybawn Ace on the Cross Country, said: “This means more than you can possibly imagine. We came here with one goal, which was to qualify for Rio, and not only have we done that but we’ve had a fantastic experience. It’s our first world medal, so watch out the rest of the world!”

An electric atmosphere in the 21,000-seat arena fully justified the decision to transport the horses from the Dressage and Cross Country venue into the D’Ornano Stadium in Caen as the capacity crowd got into the spirit of the occasion, sporting national flags, executing Mexican waves and cheering ecstatically.

Frederic Cottier’s Jumping course provided the perfect finale; it was testing – there were a few refusals – but not at all punishing and horses were jumping well despite the testing conditions of the previous day’s Cross Country.

The top six nations – medallists Germany, Great Britain and the Netherlands, plus France, Australia and Ireland – have all secured qualification for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Sandra Auffarth, 27, is steeped in horsemanship, having competed in Jumping to a high level as well as Eventing. Her parents, Karl-Heinz and Barbel Auffarth, breed competition horses at their Stal Auffarth, which has been established for 30 years. Sandra is closely involved with the business and plans to take it over when her parents retire.

She has ridden the 12-year-old Opgun Louvo, a Normandy-bred Selle Francais by Shogoun ll, since he was five. They sprang to prominence at the 2011 FEI European Championships when they won team gold and individual silver and in 2012 they won Olympic team gold and individual bronze. The horse spent part of 2013 on the sidelines, but came back to claim victory at the Aachen CCIO3* this year.

1 Sandra Auffarth/Opgun Louvo (GER)* 35.2 + 16.8 + 0 = 52.0

2 Michael Jung/fischerRocana FST (GER)* 40.7 + 11.6 + 0 = 52.3

3 William Fox-Pitt/Chilli Morning (GBR)* 37.5 + 12.8 + 4 = 54.3

4 Jonelle Price/Classic Moet (NZL) 48.5 + 4.0 + 4 = 56.5

5 Maxime Livio/Qalao des Mers (FRA)* 45.3 + 13.2 + 0 = 58.5

6 Karin Donckers/Fletcha van’t Verahof (BEL)* 42.3 + 13.6 + 4 = 59.9

7 Peter Thomsen/Horseware’s Barney (GER) 46.3 + 14.0 + 0 = 60.3

8 Boyd Martin/Shamwari 4 (USA)* 46.3 + 13.6 + 4 = 63.9

9 Andrew Nicholson/Nereo (NZL)* 45.3 + 7.2 + 12 = 64.5

10 Andreas Ostholt/So Is Et (GER) 46.3 + 10.4 + 8 = 64.7

(* denotes team rider)

GOLD: Germany 177.9 (Sandra Auffarth/Opgun Louvo, 52.0; Michael Jung fischerRocana FST 52.3; Ingrid Klimke/FRH Escada JS, 73.6; (Dirk Schrade/Hop and Skip, 135.3)

SILVER: Great Britain 198.8 (William Fox-Pitt/Chilli Morning, 54.3; Zara Phillips/High Kingdom, 68.9; Kristina Cook/De Novo News, 75.6 (Harry Meade/Wild Lone)

BRONZE: Netherlands 246.8 (Elaine Pen/Vira, 72.3; Tim Lips/Keyflow N.O.P., 79.9; Merel Blom/Rumour Has It, 94.6 (Andrew Heffernan/Boleybawn Ace, RET XC)

Full results on www.normandy2014.com

Written by By Berry Pattison

The competition takes place in Sartilly, just over 100 kilometres from the main Games venue in Caen and a total of 47 nations from as far afield as China, Colombia, Kazakhstan and Thailand will be welcomed onsite when the stables open next Monday 25 August.

The definite entries for the discipline show a total of 173 athletes, with 198 horses declared. National Federations are able to enter up to five athletes and seven horses for the pre-ride inspection, with chefs d’equipe declaring their final horses after the inspection.

The 2014 Games has seen the introduction of a higher minimum speed, this year set at 15kph, to ensure that all horses competing are fit enough to deal with the distance and tough questions asked on track. And for the first time at Championship level, the 160km track is made up of only five loops rather than the more traditional six-loop format.

With a start time of 7am, combinations will set out to tackle one of the most technical courses in recent Championship history. Loop 1, La Lucerne is 37.9km long and stretches to the north of the venue. Loop 2, Avranches is 35.8km long, and includes the stunning bay with the incredible backdrop of Mont Saint-Michel.

Champeaux, the third loop, is 32.8km long and covers ground to the west of the venue. The penultimate loop, Jullouville, is 33.1km long while the final loop, Dragey, is the shortest at just 20.4km long, stretching out to the south-west of the venue.

This year will see many familiar faces, both equine and human, battling for the ultimate title in Endurance riding. Expectations are high for the home nation, France, which has one of the most consistent track records of podium positions over recent years. France took team gold in Jerez de la Frontera (ESP) in 2002 as well as Aachen (GER) in 2006. The French also scooped team silver in 2010 in Kentucky (USA) and will no doubt be looking to step back up to first place on home soil.

Whilst the French team fields some new faces on the Championship scene, one of the most experienced team riders of all is included in the line-up. Jean Philippe Frances has, since 1997, represented his country at Championship level no less than 10 times and will certainly be looking to claim the gold in front of his home crowd.

Alongside France, there will be a keen interest in the UAE, Germany, Spain and Oman, who have dominated the top spots over recent years. But, with the emergence of some exciting new Endurance nations such as Costa Rica and Slovakia, the race is wide open. Both the United States, who narrowly missed out on a team medal in the 2012 World Championships at Euston Park (GBR), and New Zealand have a high chance of bringing home a medal, with both nations showcasing young, upcoming talent alongside experienced, seasoned combinations.

On an individual level the event is just as open. With the notable omission of the Endurance great Nobby, who is now enjoying his well-earned retirement, the status of favourite equine must be held by the incredibly talented 15-year-old mare, Yamamah (previously named Kurrajong Concorde and bred by FEI Award Winner Meg Wade of Australia) which is declared as one of the squad horses for the UAE. Another familiar name on the definite entries list is the legendary Easy Fontnoire, which was part of the silver medal French team in Kentucky. Four years on, this 12-year-old mare will now be partnered by Saudi athlete Tarek Taher.

Many young riders are included in the 2014 line-up and they pose a formidable threat to the senior opposition. Oriana Ricca (URU), winner of the 2013 Pan-Am Games, will partner Talita Kumi, the Spanish horse she rode to fourth place in the Junior/Young Rider World Championships in Tarbes (FRA) last year. Kelsey Russell (USA), who finished fifth in the same Championships aboard Valerie Kanavy’s My Wild Irish Gold, will once again partner this talented bay Anglo-Arab, competing in their first senior Games.

With such high levels of team work required, Endurance is often thought of as a family, all-inclusive discipline and this year is no exception. Nearly 60 years cover the ages of the athletes, with the youngest entrant being 14-year-old Constanza Laliscia (ITA), with the oldest – 72 year old Rouslan Gekiev from Russia – turning 73 just three weeks after the event.

No less than six teams include family connections. Both Germany and Luxembourg field sisters, Melanie and Sabrina Arnold competing for Germany, and Mickels and Valy Schmartz flying the Luxembourg flag. The well-known faces of Heather and Jeremy Reynolds will both be part of Team USA, whilst Spain will be represented by well-known husband-and-wife team, Jaume Punti Dachs and Maria Alvarez Ponton. The Spanish family links at the Games don’t stop there, as fellow team member Javier Cervera has a cousin competing in the Jumping at D’Ornano Stadium in Caen.

New Zealand has selected mother and daughter Andrea and Georgia Smith, who will both be competing on home-bred horses. And finally, it really is a family affair for Australia, with mother and daughter Penny and Alexandra Toft competing and father Peter Toft acting as chef d’equipe.

With such widespread talent the Endurance event at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy is sure to be one of the closest contests in a long time and is most certainly not one to be missed.

For the non-Olympic athletes competing in Endurance, the FEI World Equestrian Games™ is the absolute pinnacle of their sporting career, with many years of training and dedication going into just one day of performance. With horse welfare and fair play top of the agenda, the opportunity to watch the talents and abilities of these top level combinations competing across the dramatic French countryside is eagerly anticipated.

The nominated entries list, from which the final entries will be selected, is published today and is available on the event’s official website here.

Jumping has attracted the largest number of nations, with 54 countries entered for the competitions at Stade d’Ornano in Caen, closely followed by Endurance. Riders from 48 countries will compete in the Endurance event, which takes place against the spectacular backdrop of UNESCO World Heritage Site Mont Saint-Michel.

The breakdown of the entries per discipline is as follows:

ARG, AUS, AUT, BEL, BRA, CAN, CHI, COL, CZE, DEN, EGY, ESP, FIN, FRA, GBR, GER, HUN, IRL, ITA, JPN, KSA, MAR, MEX, NED, NOR, POL, POR, QAT, RSA, RUS, SUI, SVK, SWE, SYR, UAE, UKR, USA, VEN

AZE, BER, GRE, GUA, HKG, IND, ISR, JOR, KOR, LAT, LTU, NZL, PER, SLO, TUR, URU

AUS, AUT, BEL, BRA, CAN, DEN, ESP, FIN, FRA, GBR, GER, IRL, ITA, KAZ, LUX, NED, NOR, POL, POR, RSA, RUS, SUI, SWE, UKR, USA

COL, EST, GEO, KOR, MAR, PLE

AUS, AUT, BEL, BRA, CAN, DEN, FRA, GBR, GER, HKG, IRL, ITA, NED, NOR, POL, RUS, SIN, SWE, USA

ARG, CZE, FIN, ISR, ISV, JPN, LAT, MEX, NZL, POR, RSA, SUI, SVK, TPE

102 combinations expected for definite entries

AUS, BEL, BRA, CAN, ESP, FRA, GBR, GER, IRL, ITA, NED, NZL, POL, SUI, SWE, USA

AUT, BLR, CHN, CZE, DEN, ECU, FIN, HUN, JPN, POR, RSA, RUS

AUS, AUT, BEL, CZE, ESP, FRA, GBR, GER, HUN, NED, POL, POR, SUI,  SWE, USA

ITA, SVK, URU

ARG, AUS, BEL, BRA, BRN, CAN, CHI, CRC, CZE, ESP, FRA, GBR, GER, HKG, ITA, JPN, KAZ, LUX, MAS, NED, NOR, NZL, OMA, POR, QAT, RSA, RUS, SUI, SVK, SWE, TUN, UAE, URU, USA

ALG, AUT, CHN, COL, DEN, ECU, EST, GRE, GUA, HUN, IRL, KSA, POL, THA

ARG, AUS, AUT, BRA, CAN, COL, CZE, DEN, FRA, GBR, GER, HUN, ITA, MRI, NED, NZL, RSA, RUS, SUI, SVK, SWE, USA

223 nominated athletes (16 pas-de-deux of 2 vaulters; 20 squads of 6 vaulters; 46 individual females and 25 individual males), 165 horses

177 athletes (13 pas-de-deux of 2 vaulters; 17 squads of 6 vaulters; 32 individual females; 17 individual males;) and 97 horses expected for definite entries

AUS, AUT, BEL, BRA, CAN, DEN, FIN, FRA, GBR, GER, ITA, MEX, NED, POL, SWE, USA

CHI, CZE, DOM, HUN, ISR, MAR, RSA, SUI, SVK

Australia, Austria, France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden and the United States will be represented in every disciplines. In total 12 countries will be making their FEI World Equestrian Games™ debut – Hong Kong, US Virgin Islands, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Morocco, Mauritius, Peru, Palestine, Romania, Thailand, and Tunisia – demonstrating the increased globalisation of the FEI’s flagship event.

The next and final stage in the Games entry process is the deadline for definite entries, which is 14 August for Dressage and Para-Dressage, Eventing, Endurance, and Reining, and 22 August for Jumping, Driving, and Vaulting.