Out of the comfort zone
Team medals after cross-country
Individual medals after cross-country
THE World Championships these days are run with the dressage and showjumping at five-star and the cross-country technically at four-star. Designer Giuseppe della Chiesa openly said he aimed for “four-star plus”, though – appropriately for a championship where experience levels differ – he offered multiple long routes.
Two loops took in plenty of terrain, with the course flattening out around fence 20 for the final third.
“The time will ride tight because every time you’re going down the hill you need to set up for a combination, every time you’re going uphill it’s blooming steep and if not, you’re on the camber,” said Oliver Townend.
The more seasoned riders agreed it was, correctly, not a full-on five-star.
“I think time is probably going to be the biggest factor,” said Jonelle Price. “This is nowhere near a five-star track so I think some of the experienced horses are going to make light work of it, but the hills and a lot of congested jump efforts will set a challenge.”
Tom McEwen commented that with a large field, the ground could change during the day, saying the bank out of the first water was already broken up from course-walking. But, after riding it, he said he was “completely wrong” and the ground was fantastic.
11 horses inside the time
Others were more critical of the somewhat inconsistent going, while Michael Jung was openly unhappy about the course layout.
“It is a beautiful place but Giuseppe didn’t use
