“I’m really happy, that’s the best they’ve done,” said Tor following his test. “The atmosphere was really electric out there; my right leader held it all together. A couple of little mistakes, but it was super.”
Tor’s dressage team included Carbery Estate Chino, Indiana, Jeebert and Kerosine, with his wife and groom Mel van den Berge and groom Catharina Matschurat joining him on the carriage. The Australian will now look ahead to Saturday’s marathon phase.
Belgium’s Dries Degrieck leads the field
Belgium’s Dries Degrieck confirmed pre-event predictions that he is a serious contender for an individual gold medal by top-scoring in Thursday’s dressage, with the other half of the field still to come on Friday.
Nearing the end of the last session of the day, his dark team glistened in the low sunshine and produced a polished test with the right amount of flair to impress and unite the five judges and land the day’s only sub-40 score of 38.19.
“I am really pleased – I couldn’t be happier with my horses,” Dries said as he exited the arena.
“It’s the first year I’m driving this team, and my right leader is only six years old and to enter this big arena in Aachen with him, I’m so proud. They are great horses and have good characters and do everything for me.”
Legends reunited
But the excitement of Dries’ result was nearly eclipsed by the epic contest between old adversaries Christoph Sandmann of Germany and Ijsbrand Chardon of the Netherlands. Both stood on the podium at the 2006 Aachen World Equestrian Games and are still at the top of their form, boosted by having their children compete alongside them. Remarkably, their scores were identical, leaving them tied for second place on 44.78.
Christoph had driven in the second session and went to the top of the leaderboard, his horses exhibiting their extravagant extended trots with ease. Until then, fellow German and the day’s opener Georg von Stein had been in front on 50.51.
“It’s difficult to drive in that arena! The wind was loud, but I am happy and it was a good dressage test,” Christoph said.
Ijsbrand was the penultimate athlete to enter the arena on Thursday afternoon and followed Dries Degrieck, so there was still a buzz in the air as the audience settled after watching their new leader produce something special. But ever the showman, Ijsbrand was not to be outdone and his athletic Warmbloods were in tune to his aids; like him, they rose to the occasion. There were gasps as his score was announced and the unlikely tie with Christoph Sandmann was confirmed.
The Czech Republic’s Radek Nesvacil has been improving steadily in the build-up to Aachen and temporarily took the lead on 47.18, but ended the afternoon in fourth.
Another of the 2006 alumni rounded off the day; Hungary’s József Dobrovitz, whose son is also set to drive Frida, drove a consistent test for a top-10 finish on 52.71.
Nations event underway
It promises to be a classic contest for the team medals as several nations vie to topple the Dutch after their many years at the top.
Four nations fielded two athletes Thursday and so far, Belgium is the strongest, in front on a score of 92.90 with Dries Degrieck and Tom Stokmans.
The Netherlands are second on 96.22 with Ijsbrand and Koos de Ronde, while Hungary, with József Dobrovitz and István Váczi, are third on 115.34. Switzerland, whose former World Champion Werner Ulrich drove in the first session, are on 120.27.
With the weight of Australian hopes balanced on only two team members, the other being reigning champion Boyd Exell, Tor van den Berge’s score certainly put us in podium contention. With just the two scores rather than three (with a drop score), there will be no margin for error – but Boyd and Tor are more than capable.
Greats to come on Friday
Dries Degrieck remained humble about his leading score, knowing that much could change on Friday. With dressage supremos such as the USA’s Chester Weber, Germany’s Anna Sandmann and Anna Mareike Meier, the Netherlands’ Bram Chardon and Australia’s Boyd Exell preparing to enter at A, the standings could look very different by the end of Friday.
Aussie start times
Friday, 21 August: Team & Individual Dressage (Part 2)
- Boyd Exell (Horses: Checkmate, Daan 8, Hero, Mister Bono Van’t Hooge / Grooms: Nicole Basieux and Leo Cordes): 9.35pm AEST (1.35pm local time)
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Source: FEI press release by Sarah Dance, edited by Equestrian Life
