Mike Etherington-Smith’s cross-country course was far from a casual stroll through the countryside — it was a serious test of skill, bravery, and stamina, and it left a significant mark on the leaderboard. The design was both technical and influential, shaking up the standings and demanding precision from every rider.
Laura Collett (GBR) set the tone early in the day with a beautiful round aboard Hester, scoring 35.1 to sit fifth overall. But it was her ride on London 52 that truly captivated. The pair made the challenging track look deceptively easy, answering every question asked of them with poise and finesse, all while staying within the optimum time. As a result, they maintained their position at the top of the leaderboard on a remarkable score of 25.4. Afterward, a visibly emotional Collett shared her thoughts: “I’m absolutely ecstatic. Both of my horses have given me brilliant performances. They’re two very different horses to ride but they both love their job and it’s an honour to be sat on them. With London, now I just want to enjoy the moment. He owes me absolutely nothing. He’s been phenomenal all through his career – the places he’s taken me, the things he’s done. He’s so so special. Whatever happens tomorrow, he’s my horse of a lifetime.”
Meanwhile, Ros Canter and the talented Izilot DHI looked sharp and switched on for cross-country day. After dazzling in dressage, the pair seemed to step it up another level as they tackled the course with elegance and rhythm. We waited with bated breath as the ground jury reviewed a penalty inclusion for the duo at the first element of the LeMieux Water at 16A. This was quickly rescinded, adding just 2.8 time penalties to their dressage score for a total of 28.8. Canter was full of praise for her rising star: “I’m absolutely delighted. Izilot was so grown up out there. He was pretty spooky this morning, so I was a little nervous and he ducked and dived going in and out of the arena but when he was on his line to the fence he was 100 percent. He’s really good on lines and skinnies but sometimes worries about the people, sometimes the decorations around the fence catch him out. Today he was was fantastic. The course was a real challenge and I think some people underestimated it. It walked intense and it walked fast and it rode that way as well.”
New Zealand’s Samantha Lissington also rose to the occasion with her compact powerhouse, Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ. They put in a confident and speedy round, adding just 0.4 time penalties for a new total of 29.3 — good enough to hold third place. Reflecting on her ride, Lissington said: “I’m so happy. He’s such a champion. He’s small and compact. I’m really proud of him. It was amazing. It’s so incredible to be at Luhmühlen. He’s loving it here. He really opened up today and found that top-notch speed. I watched the arena this morning and it rode really well. Then I continued watching it for the next hour which did nothing for my confidence. I kept wondering what to do and I knew I had to ride off the seat of my pants and ride off feel – and that’s what I did.”
Germany’s Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Carlitos Quidditsch K incurred a penalty after activating a MIM safety device at the entrance to the Meßmer Teich. They added a total of 12.6 points to their dressage score, bringing them to 41.5. Despite the setback, Hansen-Hotopp remained upbeat: “It was so much fun! He was full of running right until the end. It’s a pity about the broken MIM, that’s never happened to us before. I’ll have a look at the video later to analyse it, but perhaps I could have made him a bit rounder there. In the end, he was so confident and rideable everywhere. He’s just incredible.”
Fellow German Arne Bergendahl was also pleased with his effort, finishing on a 46.7 and sitting in 16th place. He said: “I am overjoyed. It was so much fun. I kept wondering how to tackle the Irish Bank beforehand. But it was super smooth to ride.”
Out of the 46 combinations that advanced to the cross-country phase, 32 successfully completed the course, with only four finishing within the optimum time. Eight riders made the decision to retire while on course, and six were eliminated. Importantly, there were no horse falls throughout the day — a testament to both the design and the riding.
Fence 8 emerged as the most problematic obstacle on course. Element B saw one MIM activation, six refusals, and one retirement. At element C, there were 15 refusals, two eliminations (including one rider fall), and another retirement. Across the entire course: 21 riders had one refusal, three had two refusals, one was eliminated after a refusal at the arrowhead, one missed a flag, three were eliminated overall, and two riders retired voluntarily.
It was, without a doubt, a standout day for the women in the field. Impressively, all of the top ten spots are currently held by female riders — an extraordinary show of depth and talent. Kitty King and Vendredi Biats delivered what many considered to be the standout round of the day, while Cosby Green, Laura Collett, and Lea Siegl each have two horses ranked within the top ten — a remarkable accomplishment.
It’s all to play for on the final day, with nothing separating the top three competitors.
Krajewski Maintains Lead in CCI4-S Meßmer Trophy
With a beautifully smooth round and just six seconds over the optimum time, Julia Krajewski and Uelzener’s Nickel hold on to their lead in the CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy. Krajewski’s performance was both elegant and efficient, showcasing her experience at the top level. Reflecting on her round, she offered: “It was very good. It’s always great to compete here in Luhmühlen, the spectators are simply phenomenal. I wanted to deliver a safe, fast round, but I didn’t go for the very last second and I’m totally happy with Nickel – as he always wants to do everything right. Winning a title is, of course, always something special and, for Nickel, it would be his first title. But after the cross-country is before the jumping. We are now taking super good care of him, and then tomorrow morning it’s time to get in shape.”
The only riders to make the time were few and far between, with Germany’s Emma Brüssau and her long-time partner Dark Desire GS putting in one of just four clear rounds within the time allowed. Their efforts were rewarded with a move from fifth after dressage into a strong second place on a score of 34.1.
Brüssau, clearly emotional after her ride, praised her mare’s honesty and long-standing partnership: “I simply have an unbelievably great horse. She is so honest and always fights for me. That’s why I’m just so happy right now. It’s our eleventh season and when we bought her back then, I don’t think anyone expected that I would be sitting here at a press conference at some point.”
Another standout performance came from Australian rider Andrew Cooper, who travelled over 16,000 kilometers to compete at Luhmühlen for the first time. Riding the 12-year-old gelding Sharvalley Thunder, Cooper delivered a well-judged round to finish on a score of 36.1 and move into third place. “We travelled to Europe ten days ago and are training at Klosterhof Medingen during our stay in Germany. It’s my first time in Europe and I’m absolutely thrilled. It’s very special to be competing here. He is certainly not the fastest horse, but he is a really good jumper and we had so much fun out there today”, explained the Australian.
ADDITONAL STATEMENT:
It is with heavy hearts that we share the tragic news that Chiquita, ridden by Maj-Jonna Ziebell (GER), sustained a serious injury following a fall at fence 14C on the Luhmühlen CCI4*-S cross-country course.
Immediate veterinary care was provided at the scene, and she was transported to a nearby clinic for further treatment. Due to the nature of her injury and with the impact it would have on her, Chiquita was sadly euthanised.
This is the hardest kind of news to share. Our thoughts are with Maj-Jonna and all those who loved and cared for Chiquita. We offer our deepest and most heartfelt condolences during this incredibly difficult time.