CCI4*-S Luhmühlen: 2026: Julia Krajewski leads after the cross-country stage, ahead of Lara de Liederkerke-Meier (BEL) and Malin Hansen-Hotopp

It was almost a bit arrogant to watch how effortless and easy Julia Krajewski and Nickel’s round looked on the cross-country course at the CCI4*-S in Luhmühlen. 3,874 meters, 24 obstacles—one word: masterful! “Both horses made me very, very proud,” Krajewski sums up. Nickel has become a “true pro,” she says. He’s not naturally the best canterer, but he’s one you can ride “right on the line.” That helps get close to the ideal time. None of the 43 pairs that finished the cross-country test managed to beat it. The Olympic champion crossed the finish line ten seconds over the ideal time. “I was very proud of myself because I didn’t take too many extra gallop strides,” she says with a confident smile.

Krajewski on Track for the German Championships

Going into Sunday’s jumping competition, Julia Krajweski, with 26.9 penalty points, holds a 4.2-point lead over Belgium’s Lara de Liederkerke-Meier and Kiarado d’Arville (31.3). So, theoretically, she could afford to have one knockdown.

The Belgian rider is fully focused on the World Championships in Aachen. “He’s ten years old and is supposed to be my Aachen horse. That’s why we went to Luhmühlen. The course here is winding; I think there are a lot of similarities to what we can expect in Aachen.” De Liederkerke-Meier also took ten seconds longer than the calculated ideal time. “I could have been faster, but I’m proud that I didn’t,” she says.

The Double Rib

It was well known that Malin Hansen-Hotopp had taken the starting line despite suffering several broken ribs from a fall during training. Julia Krajewski, too, may have a rib that isn’t quite as stable as it should be right now. Krajewski takes it in stride, just shrugging her shoulders.

Just like Julia Krajewski, Malin Hansen-Hotopp rode two horses in the international competition that determines the German championships. First was Callfield, who is older than Quidditch and more agile. “I took a chance and rode the pony first,” says Hansen-Hotopp. “He’s always one step ahead, as fast as you want him to be, so clever.” As practical as the bay is, he’s very different from Quidditch, the European team champion. “He has a big canter. That doesn’t make it any easier, because the course design called for rather tight distances.” The Holsteiner gray’s round also looked like something out of a instructional video. Quidditch moves from third place (33.8) into the decisive jump. Callfield is in 20th place.

The weather—not as bad as expected

It was muggy, but not tropically hot, that afternoon in Luhmühlen. All the athletes—both four-legged and two-legged—seemed well prepared. Even though some of the horses were running a bit out of steam by the end of the course.

Several riders made significant leaps forward in the standings. Take Christoph Wahler, for example: Riding D’Accord FRH, who placed seventh at Badminton, he is now eighth (36.0) as the fourth-best German rider. Felix Etzel moved up 13 places with the Trakehner TSF Polartanz, who was 25th after the dressage and is now listed in 12th place.

Outages in the Field

Five horses were eliminated on the cross-country course, and two riders withdrew. Because a safety system (MIM) failed to activate, Polish rider Malgorzata Korycka-Kaminska suffered one of the infamous “rotational falls” while entering the second water jump. The horse was unharmed, but the rider was taken to the hospital as a precaution. She remained responsive throughout, however.

Among the horses that had to be withdrawn after a fall was Arne Bergendahl’s talented gray gelding, Bronco. The Westphalian had gotten his front legs caught on an oxer shortly before the end of the course and subsequently fell to the ground. When he got back up, he initially showed noticeable twitching in his hind leg but was able to be led at a walk. However, half an hour after the incident, the gelding’s gait appeared normal, according to reports at the press conference.

The CCI4*-S, which also serves as the 2026 German Championship, will be decided on Sunday starting at 1:50 p.m. NDR will broadcast live from Luhmühlen starting at 3:00 p.m.

If Julia Krajewski wins the title, it would be her fifth national championship victory in the senior eventing division.

Interim Results for the CCI4*-S Luhmühlen 2026 After the Cross-Country