France Edges Closer With Aachen Victory

With an impressive win in Germany, the French show jumpers now challenge the United States in the Meydan FEI Nations Cup series.

The French Team’s confidence was high, and their horses jumped even higher during the Aachen CHIO, June 26-July 5, which featured the fifth stop on the Meydan FEI Nations Cup series, the Mercedes-Benz Prize.

With two consecutive league wins after victory in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, two weeks earlier, the French were the only riders to record a perfect score of zero for their team in Aachen, Germany. The German home team tied with the Netherlands for second place (4 faults), and the United States finished fourth with 5 faults.

France, with 31 points, is now pressuring the United States, the Meydan FEI Nations Cup series leaders, with 34 points.

French rider Kevin Staut noted: “We have a stronger team than ever now, and I think we can finish on top of the Meydan standings by the end of the series.”

In most Nations Cups, a five-fault total is a winning score. But on a night where five teams finished with a zero score after the first round, a single fault made all of the difference.

The U.S. team executed a nearly perfect performance, with beautiful double clears by Laura Kraut on Cedric and McLain Ward with Sapphire. Todd Minikus and Pavarotti faulted on the last oxer in the first round, then in an apparent attempt to clear the middle element of the triple at fence 10, they knocked over the first and last, becoming the drop score in both rounds.

Lauren Hough, the first to go, went clear in the first round, but she possibly turned too sharply over the vertical at fence 9 in the second round. There she picked up 4 faults, and 1 more for time left the team with a five-fault score on the board. After Minikus’ drop score, the pressure was on Kraut and Ward, who rose to the challenge like it was just another day.

Fantastic French Finish

It was the first Nations Cup victory for France in Aachen in 19 years, and they secured it early in the second round.

A cool second clear from 30-year-old Timothée Anciaume and Lamm De Fetan clinched it after fault-free performances from Pénélope Leprevost aboard Jubilee D’Ouilly and Roger-Yves Bost with Ideal De La Loge. Staut and Kraque Boom Bois Margot, the anchors, only needed to jump for their grand prix qualification.

Leprevost, who is shaping up to be a tough international competitor, experienced another “first” when she competed in Aachen.

“It was always a dream of mine to be here in Aachen,” she said. “Everyone told me that the atmosphere and the crowd were incredible, but you really have to be here and experience it to believe it.”

Another young newcomer to the French team, Anciaume, also made his Aachen debut. “It was such a pleasure to ride here. This arena with this public is amazing, and with this result—it’s just a dream come true,” he said. “I hope I can continue riding for the team.”

French Chef d’Equipe Laurent Elias was beaming after their victory.

“Our team is fantastic, and they really want to win. They are focused and cohesive as a team, and that’s our strong point,” he said. “This [Aachen] is a place that’s unique in the world; the most beautiful place for equitation that exists, and we are proud and happy to be a part of it.”

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