Final German World Cup Trial in Avenches: Wahler in the Lead, German Team in Second Place

Christoph Wahler and the Hanoverian D’accord FRH head into the jumping competition as the overnight leaders at the Eventing Nations Cup in Avenches. The stallion owner from the Lüneburg Heath also managed to ride his second horse, the French gray Gainsbourg de Bedon, to fourth place.

D’accord, the son of Diarado bred by Christa von Paepcke, is known for usually staying within the ideal time. Today, that was almost the case. The pair crossed the finish line a full three seconds over the optimum time. This added 1.2 penalty points to their dressage score, bringing their total to 26.3.

A Swiss woman as punctual as a Swiss watch

Only one combination managed to finish within the time limit: Switzerland’s Melody Johner crossed the finish line with her Spanish horse Erin in exactly six minutes. A perfect finish. With this result, the Swiss rider moved up from tenth place after the dressage to second place after the cross-country (28.3). Close behind her is her teammate Felix Vogg, who rode Colero. The Westphalian by Captain Fire—the 2022 Luhmühlen winner—was in fourth place after the dressage. Now, after the cross-country, the pair is in third place (29.8).

Wahler Has a Second Horse in the Top 5

Things went particularly well for Christoph Wahler at the most recent World Championship qualifier, the Nations Cup tournament in Avenches. Riding the gray Gainsbourg de Bedon, he moved up two places. The gelding, who competed under the French flag at the Nations Cup in Aachen in 2024, posted his best dressage score to date (26.9). In the cross-country, he charged forward with determination and came within ten seconds of the allowed time (30.9).

His stablemate D’Accord, who is in the lead, can’t afford to make a jumping error. At the front, the field is bunched closely together.

Michael Jung and Chipmunk Finish Fifth in the Cross-Country Event

Michael Jung and Chipmunk finished fifth. After placing second in the dressage (22.2), the Olympic champions took it a bit easier on the cross-country course. The clock showed 24 seconds over the ideal six minutes as Jung crossed the finish line with his Hanoverian.

Things also went well for Arne Bergendahl and Bronco NRW on the cross-country course in Avenches: Although they didn’t manage to finish within the ideal time—they were 21 seconds over—they still managed to secure a spot in the top ten. The pair was in eighth place after their best dressage performance to date (28.1). Now they will start Sunday’s show jumping course from ninth position, as the third-best combination from Germany (36.5). The Road2LA combination from Westphalia is part of the German team. Joining them on the team—which is in second place behind Switzerland—are Christoph Wahler/D’Accord FRH, Libussa Lübbeke/Caramia FRH (37.6/14th), and Antonia Baumgart/Ris de Talm (41.4/18th).

Nickel in “Feeling” Training Mode

Riding his young horse Perseverance Funky Famous Flamborghini, Michael Jung managed to move up a few spots in the standings. He finished in eleventh place with 37.2 penalty points.

Julia Krajewski is now in 13th place. Riding her German champion Nickel, she had been in the lead after the dressage. The cross-country round looked more like a training course for the experienced pair. They finished 38 seconds over the optimum time—it’s well known that Nickel can go faster. But he’ll have a chance to prove that on the newly designed cross-country course in Aachen.

Teamwork

Following the absence of national team coach Peter Thomsen, who had been injured in an accident the week before the CCI5*-L Luhmühlen, cross-country discipline coach Rodolphe Scherer took over many of the national team coach’s duties on site. Dr. Annette Wyrwoll, a French national and chairwoman of the Eventing Committee of the German Olympic Equestrian Committee (DOKR), is assisting him with all administrative matters.

The course in Avenches, located at an elevation of 480 meters in the canton of Vaud, is built on a racetrack. The course is somewhat winding. The 3,450-meter course was to be completed in an ideal time of six minutes. Sixty-one of the original 69 pairs that set out on the cross-country course crossed the finish line.

During a landing, the horse belonging to Dutch Olympic rider Sanne de Jong stumbled. It was taken away in a trailer but was back in its stall in the stable tent by evening.

Interim Results: CCI4*-S NOC Avenches