Germany scores Sweet double

Oliver Townend leads the British effort with a silver for his sixyear-old, while German riders are dominant in both classes at the prestigious young horse World Championships

- MARTHA TERRY

FEI WBFSH World Breeding Eventing Championship for Young Horses, Le Lion d’Angers, France

GERMANY’S riders showcased their potential, landing both the six- and seven-year-old titles. Le Lion is renowned as a Petri dish for future Olympians, with the best of this year’s cohort set to return to France for Paris 2024.

Sophie Leube isn’t yet a star on the formidable German team, but she showed her mettle here with peerless performances in each phase to triumph in the seven-year-old CCI3*-L on Sweetwaters Ziethen TSF on 27.6.

The Abendtanz-sired Trakehner stallion, owned by Sweetwater Stud in Bulgaria, was unlucky not to be among last year’s medals – he slipped on atrocious going in the showjumping. However, an assured round on the new sand surface ensured a copybook performance this time.

“He didn’t want to touch a thing – he knew what he had to do and he did it,” said Sophie, 33. “I’ve had him since he was four and he’s never jumped a fence with another rider. He’s a stallion who wants to show off, yet he’s always relaxed and listening – he’s a lot of fun.”

The silver and bronze flip flopped on the final day between two Frenchmen, Donatien Schauly (Dgin Du Pestel Mili) and Nicolas Touzaint, who dropped to third when Diabolo Menthe lowered a pole.

But the most striking charge through the jumping phases came from Briton Alex Bragg, who was 16th and nearly eight penalties adrift in the dressage on the Nuttalls’ Ardeo Premier. He was one of only three to finish on his dressage score, securing overall fourth.