CHIO in Aachen
Sad day: world champion horse dead, Werth disqualified
Eventing rider Rosalind Canter from Great Britain on Allstar B cross-country. Photo: Uwe Anspach/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
Blood in the mouth of Isabell Werth’s horse Quantaz, a dead horse during a cross-country event in eventing and a winner who was only allowed to win for a short time – the CHIO in Aachen will provide plenty of material for discussion on Saturday. A novelty is almost lost.
It was a completely new experience for Isabell Werth. In the middle of her presentation in the Grand Prix Special at the CHIO in Aachen, the seven-time Olympic dressage champion was heralded by the judges on Saturday.
There was blood on the muzzle of her 12-year-old stallion, Quantaz. According to the rules, Werth had to stop her ride and was disqualified. The cause was harmless but had serious consequences: Quantaz bit his tongue, Werth said. “Shit happens. If you haven’t experienced everything, you haven’t been there long enough. Now I have had this experience,” said the 52-year-old from Rheinberg. “It was the first time and hopefully the last time.”
Due to the disqualification, the German team missed the chance to win the national ranking. Denmark secured this with Cathrine Dufour at the top. The 30-year-old won with Vamos Amigos ahead of Frederic Wandres from Hagen am Teutoburger Wald on Duke of Britain.
World champion horse was euthanized
The eventing cross-country ride was much more dramatic. The world champion horse Allstar B of the Briton Rosalind Canter hit an obstacle with his left front leg, but did not fall. Canter immediately dismounted from the 17-year-old stallion. Allstar B was taken to a veterinary clinic. There he could no longer be helped. Canter and co-owner Caroline Moore decided to have the horse euthanized. Nothing was announced about the nature of the injury. “Something like this hasn’t happened in Aachen for a long time,” said tournament director Frank Kempermann on WDR.
“There are no words for the love and respect I have for Alby,” said Canter in a CHIO announcement. “He played a huge role in building my career and will be missed by many.” With Allstar B, she became a double world champion in 2018 in Tryon.
Young downgraded by jury decision
The fact that the three-time Olympic champion Michael Jung lost the victory with his top horse Chipmunk after a jury decision paled in view of the fate of Allstar B. The 39-year-old from Horb mastered the course with ease on his 14-year-old gelding. After the dressage and jumping the day before, both had been in the lead. At the finish, young were allowed to feel like winners.
However, after studying video images, the judges discovered that he and chipmunk had not crossed an obstacle correctly. He received 15 penalty points for this and fell back to eighth place.
The fact that there was still a German victory to celebrate was due to former world champion Sandra Auffarth. The 35-year-old from Ganderkesee moved up from second to first place due to the judgment against her teammate. “If I’m second behind Michael after a fair decision, I’ll be happy. If I’m in front of him after a fair decision, I’m even happier,” she said.
Klimke rides dressage and eventing
In the national ranking, the German team took second place behind the British. For the team competition, Jung relied on Kilcandra, who was only nine years old. In addition to Jung and Auffarth, the quartet also included Olympic champion Julia Krajewski from Warendorf with her gold horse Amande de B’Néville and Ingrid Klimke with Siena.
The 54-year-old from Munster was the team with the worst place in 28th place with her ten-year-old mare. Nevertheless, Klimke provided a novelty in Aachen. Apart from the eventing team, she also rode for the dressage team on Saturday.
A little less than an hour and a half before the start of the cross-country ride, Klimke and Franziskus had finished their appearance in the Grand Prix Special in the Dessur Stadium. After a blunder, she finished 14th.