Germany, Klimke dominate day one of Eventing Nations Cup

Rocca di Papa (Italy), May 13 (EFE).- German rider Ingrid Klimke heads the standings of the Eventing Nations Cup at Pratoni del Vivaro in Rome after the dressage on Friday, with the German team also in the lead with five pairs in the top ten.

Of those five German pairs, Klimke was part of two of them, one with ‘Siena just do it’ for a score of 77.30 percent and another with the mare ‘SAP Hale Bob OLD’ – winner of three Olympic medals – with 75.24 percent.

In the overall standings, Klimke, who has won two Olympic golds and one silver (2008, 2012, 2016), leads with 22.7 and 24.8 points, respectively.

In third place is the leader in the South Western European rankings, France’s Maxime Livio with the horse ‘Api du Libaire’ (74.60 percent in dressage and 25.4 points).

The standings are ranked according to the competitors who have picked up the fewest penalty points in the dressage, cross-country and show jumping tests.

This is the first stage of the Nations Cup, organized by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), and many of the competitors are taking it as a rehearsal for the 2022 World Equestrian Eventing and Driving Championships to take place in September at the same venue outside Rome.

Germany leads the team standings with a total of 78.7 points -Klimke only scores with ‘Hale Bob OLD’- followed by France (82.3) and Switzerland (87.2).

On Saturday, the cross-country race is to take place on the imposing Pratoni del Vivaro course, with thirty obstacles in 3.55 kilometers, with riders having to tackle jumps at different heights and angles. EFE

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