“When things go like that dressage is fun,” Julia Krajewski enthused after leaving the arena aboard her Holstein-bred gelding, Uelzener’s Nickel. The spectators in the packed Stadium 2 at the Allianz Park could see for themselves exactly what the Olympic Champion had felt in the saddle. The twelve-year-old son of Numero Uno performed the demanding Olympic dressage test – which was newly introduced this year – immaculately, displaying great impulsion, balance and perfect contact. It was “definitely the best dressage test this year,” said Krajewski, “perhaps even the best ever.” This was not only reflected by her score of 22.0 points, but also by the overnight standings: first place!

However, her fellow international competitors are hot on her heels. Two-time European Champion, Laura Collett, took second place in the dressage phase with her experienced championship horse London. “My horse loves to show himself off,” the British rider noted. And that is exactly what the 17-year-old Holsteiner did: “He was very responsive to my aids.” The judges awarded the pair a score of 22.8, which was good for second place. The three-time individual Olympic Champion, Michael Jung, is close behind her on a score of 23.0. Riding his experienced fischerChipmunk FRH, who is competing in his eighth championship, Jung delivered an expressive and harmonious performance, though one imperfection in the flying changes cost him a few tenths of a point. “That has never happened to us before, or at least not in recent years,” Jung explained. Nevertheless, the German rider was very pleased with the overall performance: “I am super happy with his rideability today. It is still a good result,” he emphasised – adding with a grin, “I hope that was the last mistake we make this weekend.”

Regarding the team standings, this puts Great Britain in the lead on 72.8 points, followed closely by Germany (73.6) within striking distance and France in third place (84.5). However, everyone involved is fully aware that this is just a snapshot of the current situation – or as Laura Collett put it: “We can enjoy this for five minutes, but after that, the focus is on tomorrow!” That is when the Cross-Country, part of the DHL-Prize, gets underway. The Course Designer, Giuseppe Della Chiesa, has created a technically demanding course that both the riders and teams describe as “fair.” “There are plenty of options and reaching the optimum time won’t be easy,” stated Julia Krajewski. “But there will be enough riders who tackle the task well – and I hope we are among them.”