Strzegom — German riders dominate the events ahead of the final day
Strzegom: Germany Leads in Four Events Ahead of the Final Day
from Jan Tönjes 
Zuccini, pictured here in Marbach, is in second place in the CCI4*-L in Strzegom before the jumping competition. Photo: Jan Frohne In the CCI4*-L, Julia Krajewski and Tullabeg Platinum were in the lead after the dressage. But in the cross-country, the second-place finishers from Luhmühlen At Jump 12, the rider and horse fell. The gelding had slipped on an oxer equipped with the MIM safety system and was unable to clear it. The horse and rider more or less slid through the jump. This brought the competition to an early end for the pair. Krajewski wrote on Instagram that she was glad that, thanks to MIM, everything had turned out well. She also noted that Platinum had come out of it just as unscathed as she had. The Olympic champion went on to compete in additional classes with other horses.
Zuccini on Course for a Podium Finish in the CCI4*-L
Ben Leuwer and Zuccini, the Road2LA Holsteiner, are in second place after the cross-country. He took 40 seconds longer than the optimum time on the cross-country course, so 16 penalty points had to be added to his dressage score of 27.8 (43.8). That sounds like a lot, but only one rider came close to the target time.
And that’s Tom McEwen, the current leader of the 2026 British Team World Champions. Riding the Irish horse Brookfield Future News, he was the only one of the seven riders who finished (out of twelve who started) who came close to “riding within the time limit”. With three seconds and 1.2 penalty points, he enters the jumping round with 31 penalty points—he could afford three jumping faults without Ben Leuwer and Zuccini threatening his victory.
Nicolai Aldinger, riding Palm Beach by Palmares, was in second place after the dressage (27.2), but had 17.6 penalty points added to his score—he was 44 seconds too slow.
CCI3*-L: Ingrid Klimke, Overnight Leader with Promising Prospect Candy
36 pairs took to the cross-country course in the CCI3*-L. Five managed to finish within the time limit. Three of them were from Germany. Leading the way was Ingrid Klimke with the Hanoverian mare Candy by Carridam. With 29.3 penalty points, the pair was in third place after the dressage; now they are in the lead.
Nadine Marzahl and another Hanoverian mare, Viva L’Amour by Valentino, placed second (30.7). Close behind is U25 World Champion Calvon Böckmann in third place (31.5). His DSP mare Bubine by Bubalu is a daughter of Van Hera, who previously competed under Ingrid Klimke.
The remaining places are also held by Germans. Arne Bergendahl and the Westphalian mare Call me Pucky by Crusoe are in fourth place (31.8), while Rebecca-Juana Gerken and the Holsteiner Cadillac by Cascadello are in fifth place.
The short tests at the Autumn Meeting in Strzegom
The CCI4*-S jumping competition took place today; the cross-country is scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday. Currently, the leading pairs from Germany are Maj-Jonna Ziebell/Creed, Nina Schultes/Grand Prix Iwest, Mathies Rüder/Hjoptimus, Heike Jahncke/Mighty Spring FRH, and Olimond’s Quibelle OLD.
In the CCI3*-S, the cross-country is also scheduled for tomorrow. Here, three German combinations are competing: Antonia Baumgart/Lamango by La Calido (27.7), Christoph Wahler/Steppke by Stolzenberg (28.3), and Catharina Dannenmann riding Dzoker —recently taken over from Michael Jung —(31.8), three German pairs are in the lead after the dressage and jumping rounds.
Young riders are also in the lead
Schleswig-Holstein is well represented among the young riders. Iliane Hannalisa Hein, riding Akeby’s Quemiro Silla in the CCIY3*-L, leads by more than one jumping fault over second place (28.2). Matthies Rüder and Leila are in third place (36.8), while Neel Friedrich Dehn and Nofretete are in fourth (40.5).
