The German show jumpers seamlessly continued their winning streak in the League of Nations stage in Ocala this year. First André Thieme won the Grand Prix with Paule S, then René Dittmer won yesterday in the main jumping competition of the day and today the crowning glory with the superior triumph in the League of Nations leg by a team of four pairs who all delivered in top form. In the end, final rider Richard Vogel and his grey Claudio could even have afforded a knockdown without jeopardizing the victory. But the newly crowned Rolex Live Contender didn’t need it. But first things first.

First round – Ireland with a clean slate

Germany had drawn starting number nine of the ten teams. Team boss Otto Becker had decided to send André Thieme and Chakaria into the race as the first pair. The mare jumped outstandingly in her first Nations Cup after a year out of competition due to injury until the third last obstacle, a Liverpool with an oxer. A light touch, hardly worth mentioning, then there was a splash and the pole was in the water.

Then it was the turn of the two debutants in the League of Nations for Germany, René Dittmer and Corsica X. Their performance was also masterful. But they were also caught out, one obstacle later than Thieme and Chakaria at the start of the double combination on the course masterfully designed by course designer Alan Wade. Also four faults.

Christian Kukuk had brought his Olympic champion Checker from Riesenbeck to Florida just in time for Ocala. Kukuk’s former boss Ludger Beerbaum did a good job as stable rider. The now 16-year-old son of Comme il faut jumped with commitment and without faults – even if he did clatter a few times.

Now it was the turn of Richard Vogel and the twelve-year-old son of Casall, Cloudio, to keep Germany in the game. “I wouldn’t say that I love the pressure,” Richard Vogel later qualified the FEI correspondent’s question as to why he likes to go into the course as the final rider. “I would rather say I’m addicted.” In any case, the Hertogenbosch winner must have already had a good adrenaline rush after the first round. His Cloudio jumped carefully, smoothly, quickly and clear.

This left Germany with four penalty points, which counted. This meant third place in the intermediate classification. The Irish, under the aegis of their new team manager Jessica Kürten, came out on top with a clean sheet ahead of the Netherlands with just one time penalty point.

But in the second round, the cards will be reshuffled according to the new League of Nations regulations. What was heavily criticized at the Olympics seems to be proving its worth in the League of Nations: Only three pairs per team will compete in round two, and every ride counts. As a result, a victory that was thought to be certain can be lost from one second to the next. This was the case today.

Too bad for the hosts: as only the top eight teams are allowed to compete in the second round, the USA were out. Natalie Dean and Pedro van de Barlebuis, of all people, who replaced McLain Ward at the last minute after he was unable to ride due to a hand injury, were the only clear pair. However, the early elimination of Lillie Keenan and her 16-year-old Argan de Beliard proved all the more disastrous after Laura Kraut on Tres Bien Z picked up 33 penalty points and Aaron Vale and Carissimo added another 16.

Switzerland was also out with 25 faults.

Second round – Germany outstanding

After a half-hour break, it was time for the next round, once again over the course with twelve obstacles, in which a distance of four short canter jumps following the triple combination over a narrow 1.60 meter jump presented the riders with a particular challenge.

The first double clear round was achieved by the French duo Nina Malleveay and Dynastie de Beaufour, a daughter of Diamant de Semilly, whose breeder Eric Levallois also bred Dynastie – he knows how to breed show jumpers. Today was the pair’s 13th and 14th clear round in a row over 1.60 meters.

Otto Becker would have had the opportunity to change the order in which the riders compete. But he once again opted for André Thieme as the first rider. And Chakaria delivered. This time she jumped clear and André Thieme was beaming all over his face. The European Champion and Aachen winner is back in top form just in time for the WEG year. “It means everything to me to have her back,” said a delighted Thieme later, not forgetting to mention who he had to thank for this: “It wasn’t clear whether she would ever be so fit again. But the whole team worked hard for it. Horses like her are not born that often …”

Similarly, Christian Kukuk praised his former boss Ludger Beerbaum and the team in Riesenbeck for the work they have done with Checker, because he is also in top form, as he demonstrated in the second round. He jumped clear again. Kukuk later: “I really have a smile on my face today. I haven’t ridden Checker since last December and Ludger has kept him fit for me. It felt so good on him. You could see it again today, he just jumps on another level and I’m very proud of him.”

In the end, Vogel and his gray horse had it in their hands again. The two had not seen each other for a long time before Ocala. While Richard Vogel was in action with various horses in Wellington, Cloudio was kept fit at home by Vogel’s star groom Felicia Wallin, who also takes care of United Touch S’ training when the number four in the world rankings is unavailable. A Felicia must be worth her weight in gold for a show jumper and that wouldn’t even be enough in her case, the way her horses are performing, first United Touch last weekend in the Rolex Grand Prix of Hertogenbosch, now Cloudio in Ocala. Once again, the stallion didn’t even think about coming close to a pole. After both the Irish and the Dutch had blundered, it would even have been possible to knock him down. But they didn’t need the joker. Germany was already the winner before the end of the test.

The other winners

In the end, second place remained for the Irish after the first pair in the second round, Bertram Allen on Qonquest de Rigo, had two faults. But both Cian O’Connor with Chatolinue PS and Shane Sweetnam with the high-flyer James Kann Cruz delivered two clear rounds to pull the coals out of the fire.

Third place went to the European champions, the Belgians around Peter Weinberg, with twelve faults. Nicola Philippaerts and his successful mare Katanga van het Dingeshof were clear in round one and had an annoying fault on their second appearance at the last oxer, where the mare briefly lost her balance and went between the poles with her hind leg. Newcomer Roy van Beek on Cavoiro-H fulfilled all expectations with two clear rounds and Emelie Conter showed a confident performance with four faults each on Portobella van de Fruitkorf.

The Dutch riders, who started round two with a chance of victory, were doomed by the lack of a scratch result when Kevin Jochem’s Camilla van de Helle, who jumped so confidently at first, refused to jump the wall in the second round. Perhaps she was confused because the floodlights were now switched on and the shadows fell differently. In any case, she ended up with 20 penalty points. When Michael Greeves Denver seemed to run out of energy towards the end of the course and nine faults were displayed on the board, the Oranje team was beaten and finished fifth.

Overall ranking

Germany now lead the overall League of Nations standings at the halfway stage with 190 points, ahead of the winners of Abu Dhabi, France, with 155 points (55 for today’s sixth place) and Ireland close behind with 150 points.

How does it feel to be the team captain of the winning team? Otto Becker: “The whole week was incredible. Winning the League of Nations stage here obviously means a lot to me,” said the German national coach.

You can find all the results from Ocala here.