September 3, 2006

Dramatic Final Competiton for Showjumping Individual Gold at The FEI World Equestrian Games Aachen 2006
Karen Robinson for HorsesDaily®.com Photos by Cealy Tetley

Race For Gold - Lansink throws Down the Gauntlet

Jos Lansink threw down the gauntlet with a ground covering clear round in 45.01 seconds. Cumano’s stride was scopey enough to give Lansink the advantage of leaving out a stride from the first to second fences. After the medal ceremony, Lansink said, “He is not normally a fast horse, but in this ring he can use his big stride and be quite fast.” Michaels-Beerbaum not only couldn’t beat his time, she took down the third fence. For Beezie, who had the fortune and the pressure to go last, there was no doubt as to her plan. She was already at top speed when she crossed the start line. The fences stayed up (with one or two big rubs) until the final jump, the Rolex oxer. Authentic just couldn’t get up high enough at the speed he was traveling, and though the clock stopped at 43.74 seconds, it would be silver again for the United States.

“To be honest I really don’t know why he had that last fence down,” she said. “I wouldn’t have done anything different. Maybe it was both him and me letting down a little. I thought I was home free after the vertical before the last fence.” In her characteristically understated style, she said: “it was a bit of heartbreak at the end, but a silver medal is pretty good, and I’m really pleased with how my horse has jumped this week.”

Whether or not there will be the same format for the individual jumping medals at the next WEG in Kentucky remains to be seen. Jos Lansink, for one, expressed his opinion that medals should be awarded at the end of the two rounds of the top 25. “I think really it has to be changed. Yesterday should have been the final. Today would be three and not four, maybe for a horsemanship prize.” “Dressage has already set a precedent for this,” added Madden. “They have two medals for the individual competition.” As well as he has performed not only at this world championship, but all year, Authentic still has some work to do. The same team that rode at WEG will compete in the Super League Final in Barcelona in two weeks. “My horse will be done after that, and start up again in Palm Beach or Tampa.” Michaels-Beerbaum said it was a tribute to the care that the four horses receive that they were still fit enough to do five rounds after a full week of competition. “The horses were really fresh today. I didn’t feel that any of them were tired today. It says a lot about the superb management of these animals.”