Tara van het Leliehof, riding Lara de Liedekerke-Meier, Wins World Championship for Young Eventing Horses for the Second Consecutive Year

Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and her Belgian bay mare Tara van het Leliehof had already taken the lead after the dressage. Right up until the end, the granddaughter of Comme il faut (s. Pegase van’t Ruytershof—Major de la Cour, breeder: Stal het Leliehof, owner: Sofie Vereenooghe) did not incur a single additional penalty point beyond those from the dressage round. A commanding performance from start to finish.

Briton Hector Payne, riding Bueno (AES by Dante’s Junior-Alicante, bred by Tony Ross, owned by Caroline Primrose), a grandson of Dante Weltino, was in third place after the dressage and maintained that position at the finish. That meant silver, as the French duo of Alexis Goury and his Selle Français stallion Jeroboam Wal (by Vleut-Flyer, breeder: S.c.e.a. Elevage De La Grande Renaud, owner: AS Experience, among others) had performed just as well in dressage as the former and current world champions from Belgium, but two seconds over the time limit yesterday in the cross-country event dropped them back to third place, which they sealed today in the show jumping course with a clear round. The two pairs placed ahead of them did not do them the favor of having a knockdown.

Caro Hoffrichter and Archie

were

the top German pair

. In sixth place after the cross-country, Ben Leuwer and Alf PH—the outstanding son of Alaba-Louis le Bon (breeder and owner: Katrin Ackermans-Voelkel)—had every chance of a top-ten finish. But it wasn’t to be. A slight roll in the net at the exit of the triple combination meant they ultimately finished 16th in a tightly packed field.

Things went better for the two German amateur champions: Düsseldorf-based attorney Caro Hoffrichter and her energetic, home-bred Archie CC, who is also by Alaba out of her former champion mare Laeticia by Lancer II. Even as a foal, Archie was unstoppable, earning him the nickname “Wiesenflitzer” (Meadow Sprinter). Caro Hoffrichter has long since channeled that energy in the right direction, as was evident yesterday in the cross-country and again today on the course. Once again, Archie crossed the finish line without any jumping faults, but with 0.8 time penalty points. All in all, they secured a fantastic twelfth-place finish.

The third German pair in the final, Anna Siemer and the Estonian Trakehner mare Eliope, had two knockdowns after their strong performance in the cross-country and finished the World Championships in 36th place.

Christin Schulz had withdrawn Heho Dennis, the son of D’Olympic.

Update on Andreas Dibowski’s Condition

There is now also news regarding Andreas Dibowski, who fell yesterday while riding the Holsteiner stallion Codero in the six-year-old class. Although the Olympic team champion was able to get back on his feet afterward, “Dibo” has now told the FN that doctors at the hospital diagnosed a pelvic fracture. However, he says he is doing “well under the circumstances” and will continue his treatment in Germany. Get well soon!

All the results are available here.