What a night! The Swedish team around Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) already secured the gold medal at the World Championships after the third team rider, silver went to the Netherlands ahead of Great Britain. The course in Herning was demanding, there were several refusals and riders who gave up, Germany's André Thieme fell. Max Kühner is still in the middle of the fight for the individual medals: He is in 5th intermediate place and is only one drop away from the leader!
Max Kühner (T) and his powerful jumper Elektric Blue P rocked the third round of the WEG today and showed one of only eight clear rounds this evening. This puts the red-white-red pair in fifth place in the intermediate ranking and in the middle of the fight for the medals! Because: The leader Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) and his King Edward are within reach with only one drop. The Tyrolean by choice was thrilled by the ease of his gelding:
"It was a great feeling from jump one. Blue felt really comfortable in the arena and jumped with a lot of ease. It was actually just pure fun and joy! In the combination I already knew that all of Blue's horsepower would really come out and it could be tight, but it was great that it worked out like that!"
The second Austrian starter, Katharina Rhomberg (V), showed a great round on her ten-year-old Westphalian gelding Cuma, until two poles fell in the final triple combination. This means that the 29-year-old will not be competing in the final of the best 25. Kathi Rhomberg was disappointed in the interview afterwards, but very proud of her horse:
"It was certainly more demanding than yesterday, Cuma jumped super but I messed up the last line. Actually I rode according to plan, eight canter jumps were set. It was a slight, stupid mistake with a big impact. But the goal, as with everyone here, was the top-25 final."
Gold went to the unbeatable Swedes, even though Peder Fredricson (SWE), as the final rider, had three discards with his top horse H&M All In. The medal was already secured for the yellow and blue team after his brother Jens Fredricson (SWE), who started as the third team rider. Both the French and the Germans gave away their medals at the last minute. Kevin Staut (FRA), who had fallen on day one, had to accept three faults, European Champion André Thieme (GER) fell without a real fault at jump no. 3: Chakaria jumped so high that the German could not hold on to the saddle when he landed. Horse & rider seemed unhurt, but the medal was gone. Steve Guerdat (SUI) also had the medal in his hands for the Swiss, but unfortunately had to record two dismounts.
The Netherlands (Sanne Thijssen, Maikel van der Vleuten, Jur Vrieling & Harrie Smolders) and Great Britain (Ben Maher, Joseph Stockdale, Harry Charles & Scott Brash) were the lucky winners.
Tomorrow there will be a break for the show jumpers before the individual finals for the best 25 will start on Sunday. Unlike at the Olympic Games, all penalty points from the three preliminary rounds will be taken and the medals will be awarded after two more rounds.
