News from Luhmühlen

Press Release, 7 March 2023

After successfully opening the gates to the public again last year, Turniergesellschaft Luhmühlen is looking forward to preparing this year's event, which will take place from 15-18 June 2023.

Event director Julia Otto is excited about potential entries: “Obviously, it’s way too early to predict the rider’s plans this far in advance but quite a few riders have already made it clear that they’d like to come to the Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials. Four German riders are expected to compete in the Longines CCI5*-L, lots of others will try to recommend themselves for the European Championships in Haras du Pin by successfully competing in the Meßmer Trophy / German Championships. We are also very pleased that several international Luhmühlen winners have announced their plans to travel to Luhmühlen again.”

Prize-money increase

The Longines CCI5*-L prize money will be increased from EUR 100,000 to EUR 125,000, complying with the new FEI requirements for the organisation of the highest category of eventing.
Julia Otto is grateful to the sponsors for making this adjustment possible: “Thanks to our reliable partners, Luhmühlen is able to take this big step and thus create further incentives for competing at Luhmühlen.”

Partners at Luhmühlen's side

In addition to Luhmühlen’s title partner Longines, Meßmer and Lotto Niedersachsen are reliably at Luhmühlen's side as main sponsors, complemented by Nord Pool GmbH, which will focus on presenting its new market segment photovoltaics this year. LVM Versicherungsagentur Bernd Bamberger has also extended its sponsorship.
“I’m thankful that we have also have succeeded in finding additional partners and are now supported by the established banking house C.L. Seeliger from Wolfenbüttel and two regional companies: Therapiestation für Pferde Hof Fehmbusch (Eyendorf) and Physiotherapie-SPORT-PHYSIO Egestorf.”

Cross-country changes

“The cross-country courses will be turned!” A short sentence with big consequences: Luhmühlen's course director Mike Etherington-Smith has decided to turn the direction of the cross-country courses again.
“It’s new and exciting, a great way to give variety and interest to the course. I don't want to give too much away, but all the waters have a different look this time. The Longines and Messmer waters have had all the revetting removed and the ground has been landscaped which gives more variety in the future. Changing the direction requires a complete review of the 'package' of the courses to get the balance and the flow and feel good whilst trying to come up with new ideas. The courses need to work together - designing one on its own is much more straightforward than having two courses which have to complement each other. The safety of horse and rider is at all times paramount - our number one priority - which is not only mirrored in the use of frangible devices (MIM systems) but directs all of our planning decisions”, explains Mike Etherington-Smith. This year, Kai-Steffen Meier is involved as assistant course-designer.

Show programme

Eventing is based on the trust between horses and riders. A fact that is reflected in this year's supporting programme.

On Thursday, some riders will make use of Luhmühlen’s set-up to train horses that are not entered but will profit from the experience. The riders and a judge will then comment the ride. On Friday, the Kids Cross-Country Fun will once again show that children and ponies are a perfect match.

On Saturday, LeMieux is going to present a show programme by Lisa Röckener, who impressively combines competing her horses with horsemanship: “I am so happy to be a part of this great event in Luhmühlen. I have evented for a long time and I still love it – so in my new show I’m linking eventing with horsemanship.”

On Sunday, Wildpark Lüneburger Heide’s falconers are going to present their fascinating birds with a bird flight show.

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Press Officer:

Dr. Friederike Stüvel

Phone: +49 171 5382900
Mail: media@luhmuehlen.de
TGL Turniergesellschaft Luhmühlen mbH
Bruchweg 3 21376 Salzhausen OT Luhmühlen
Germany

About the event

Luhmühlen has been organising major eventing competitions for over 60 years - including six European Championships in 1975, 1979, 1987, 1999, 2011 and 2019 and the World Equestrian Games in 1982.
The Luhmühlen Horse Trials are one of the world's largest eventing competitions and welcome top international riders and numerous visitors every year.

Michael Jung wins the CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy with Highlighter and the German Championship. Silver went to Dirk Schrade, bronze to Sandra Auffarth. Michael Jung (GER) was the only rider to finish on his dressage score of 25.6 points. He could even have afforded a rail in the show-jumping phase without jeopardising his lead but Jung kept his cool and finished the competition with an excellent clear round: “I am overjoyed. Highlighter has come a long way. To win the German Championship title with him now means a lot to me. He has been going strong all season and I am so proud of him. He has done so well all week and wasn’t fazed by the enormous crowd at all. He’s so cool.”

The runners-up of the CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy Dirk Schrade and Casino also had a great week. Schrade could not afford a single time fault, a fact he managed to ignore before he went into the ring: "Casino is simply a great jumper. I was a little worried that he would be impressed by the atmosphere because there were so many spectators on site but he jumped really well, and was absolutely focused on his job.”

Sandra Auffarth was also very pleased with her nine-year-old Rosveel, who was only competing in his second fourstar-season. “I am so happy. His dressage has improved significantly and I had the feeling that he wanted to show what he is made of this week. In the cross country, I can absolutely rely on him. He was fit as a fiddle yesterday and very full of himself in the vet inspection. In the show-jumping he was very attentive and wanted to do everything right. I think he was actually quite proud of himself.”

Colero gave his rider a tremendous birthday present - the first five-star victory of his career! Just like the cross-country course, the show-jumping of the Longines CCI5*-L proved to be very influential. Only the top two riders stayed clear and within the time allowed. With a very fresh and smooth round, Felix Vogg (SUI) and Colero held onto their dressage score of 29.0 points. Kirsty Chabert (GBR) and Jonelle Price (NZL) completed the podium.

It was Felix Vogg’s week. He laid the foundation for today's win on Friday with a super dressage, which was rewarded with 29.0 points. Vogg and Colero then mastered the demanding cross-country and show-jumping courses clear within the time. The Swiss rider proved to have nerves of steel: “When I rode into the arena, I just focused on keeping calm and tried to blank out everything else. That took the pressure off me and also off the horse, which was important. Even with a pole, the result would have been a personal highlight. He can jump fantastically and he showed that today." In the award ceremony, the 32-year-old thanked everyone who contributed to his win: "Many thanks to the audience, the horse's breeders and the organisers. This victory is extraordinary for me!”

Kirsty Chabert was the only other rider to finish the Longines CCC5*-L on her dressage score - her biggest achievement so far: “Classic has been fantastic this whole week. She gave me a phenomenal round cross country and she’s a very, very good jumper. It’s a team effort and we go out of our way to keep her in her happy place and then she rewards us by going above and beyond.”

Jonelle Price’s week was off to a rocky start. “I was a little frustrated with our dressage result. Faerie is brilliant but also a right little madam. It’s her fourth time in Luhmühlen and she’s already seventeen, so you’d think she knows her job but the dressage was hard work, we had a few mistakes and during today’s prize giving I couldn’t help but think ‘what if…’. On the other hand, she gave me lovely rides in the crosscountry and show-jumping phases and she’s always trying to do the right thing. She’s an incredible nice little mare and deserved a podium finish. She’s also quite pretentious, so I’m sure she enjoyed the prize giving today and thinks she has won.”