The Final Countdown to Paris: Luhmühlen Entries Go Live with Two Red-Hot Line-Ups

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo head up a formidable line-up at Luhmühlen. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

When we think about the final stepping stones to the Olympic Games, a couple of key competitions come to mind – and chief among those, both for its perfect final-prep dates and its convenient Northern European location, is Germany’s Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials. This year, the event — which hosts both a CCI5* and a CCI4*-S — takes place from June 12–16, which sits it at just about six weeks out from the eventing at the Paris Olympics. That makes it a key final selection trial ahead of the late-June deadline, and it also sits pretty as a crucial fitness outing, too.

In short? You can expect to see a serious line-up in each class – and, actually, particularly in the CCI4*-S, which also serves as the German National Championships. But don’t take our word for it: the entries went live today, and you can see for yourself just how stacked the list is looking.

The five star currently has 50 entries, which span ten nations. As always, we’re seeing a massive British front here and a very limited German one, as most of the home crowd tends to aim for the CCI4*-S instead, but we do have two exciting home-side entries in Nico Aldinger and Warendorf student Libussa Lübbeke. There are some surprises to be found on the list: likely Olympic partnership Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, who won both the European Championships and Badminton last year, are entered for the five-star rather than the four-star, which several of their fellow short-listed Brits have chosen, and the USA’s Will Coleman and his Kentucky CCI4*-S winner Diabolo, who have likely also earned themselves a nod on their country’s own as-yet-unreleased shortlist, are also currently aiming for the five-star.

That’s not the only US entry in the CCI5*, either: Alyssa Phillips will be making a hotly-anticipated five-star debut with her stalwart partner Oskar, while Emily Hamel and high-flying Corvett will aim to add a fifth event to their global five-star tally, having previously contested Kentucky, Maryland, Badminton, and Burghley across their six runs at the level.

Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Hermione d’Arville. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Both Belgium’s Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Ireland’s Susie Berry have an embarrassment of riches where qualified Olympic horses are concerned – each has a solid handful who have dotted their i’s and crossed their t’s and now just need to wait for the selectors’ nod for Paris. But both riders have also opted to push forward some of their horses’ personal development campaigns, and for now, each has two apiece of their Olympic candidates entered for this feature class.

The CCI5* entry list is as follows:

BELGIUM

Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Hermione d’Arville

Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Hooney d’Arville

Joris Vanspringel and Creator GS

DENMARK

Sara Bech Ström and Dicte Aldrup

FRANCE

Arthur Duffort and Toronto d’Aurois

Cedric Lyard and Unum De’Or

Julie Simonet and Sursumcord’Or

GERMANY

Nicolai Aldinger and Timmo

Libussa Lübbecke and Caramia

GREAT BRITAIN

Laura Birley and Bob Cotton Bandit

Katie Bleloch and Goldlook

Alex Bragg and Ardeo Premier

Alex Bragg and Quindiva

Georgie Campbell and Global Quest

Ros Canter and Izilot DHI

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo

Alice Casburn and Topspin

Tim Cheffings and Gaston

Laura Collett and Hester

David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed

Caroline Harris and D.Day

Yasmin Ingham and Rehy DJ

Bella Innes-Ker and Highway

Melissa Joannides and Patch Ali

Fiona Kashel and Creevagh Silver de Haar

Lauren Lillywhite and Hacien

Tom McEwen and Brookfield Quality

Tom McEwen and CHF Cooliser

Will Rawlin and The Partner

Kate Rocher-Smith and HHS Dassett Class

Storm Straker and Fever Pitch

Mollie Summerland and Flow

Alex Whewall and Ellfield Voyager

IRELAND

Susie Berry and Kilcandra Capitol

Susie Berry and Monbeg By Design

Ian Cassells and Master Point

Robbie Kearns and Ballyvillane Obos

Jennifer Kuehnle and Polly Blue Eyes

Jennifer Kuehnle and Sammy Davis Junior

ITALY

Pietro Sandei and Rubis du Prere

Giovanni Ugolotti and Cloud K

NEW ZEALAND

Jesse Campbell and Diachello

Samantha Lissington and Lord Seekonig

Muzi Pottinger and Good Timing

Tim Price and Viscount Viktor

SWEDEN

Christoffer Forsberg and Con Classic

Christoffer Forsberg and Hippo’s Sapporo

USA

Will Coleman and Diabolo

Emily Hamel and Corvett

Alyssa Phillips and Oskar

Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The CCI4*-S boasts a whopping 82 entries across 17 nations. The Polish contingent appear to be out in full, as do the Swedes, and Germany’s no slouch in this department, either: their formidable line-up is helmed by the likes of Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH, Ingrid Klimke and SAP Asha P, who make their return to the top levels this year after nearly three years on the sidelines, Sandra Auffarth and Viamant du Matz, Christoph Wahler and Carjatan S, Julia Krajewski and young gun Nickel 21, and Warendorf student Jerome Robine, who put himself well in contention for selection this year with a spate of good results including a top ten on his five-star debut here last year with Black Ice.

The Price family has four horses in this class: Jonelle will ride Hiarado, who was seventh at Pau last year, and Senor Crocodillo, last year’s Kilguilkey CCI4*-s winner, while husband Tim will pilot his Pratoni World Championships mount and five-star winner Falco alongside the exceptional ten-year-old Jarillo, who hasn’t been out of the top ten in his last five FEI runs.

The British Olympic shortlist is well-represented here: Laura Collett will come forward on last year’s CCI5* winner, London 52, as will European Vice Champions Kitty King and Vendredi Biats, who were also second in the five-star here last summer. Yasmin Ingham rides her reigning World Champion, Banzai du Loir, in this class, while her short-listed Rehy DJ will enjoy another crack at the five-star, in which he finished third last year.

Both Belgium, too, sees bids for selection on the cards: for the former nation, Tine Magnus and Strzegom CCI4*-S winner Dia Van Het Lichterveld Z go up to bat against the likes of young Jarno Verwimp and Mahalia, who helped to clinch Belgium’s Paris ticket at last summer’s European Championships, as well as stalwart team rider Karin Donckers and Leipheimer Van’t Verahof and up-and-comer Cyril Gavrilovic and Elmundo de Gasco.

Tom Carlile and Darmagnac de Beliard. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The French opposition is helmed by Tom Carlile and Darmagnac de Beliard, seeking redemption after an abortive spring campaign, and Olympian Astier Nicolas and Alertamalib’Or, who were second at Saumur CCI4*-L last month. Australia, too, looks very strong: Kevin McNab will ride both Scuderia 1918 Don Quidam and Scuderia 1918 A Best Friend, and we’ll see another outing for eventing returnee Chris Burton and new ride Shadow Man. Andrew Hoy will come forward too, though not with recent Marbach CCI4*-S winner Vassily de Lassos – instead, we’ll see him pilot Cadet de Beliard in this class. US-based Ryan Wood, too, will line up with Cooley Flight.

To check out both classes in full, head on over to the entry list here. As always, we’ll have boots on the ground in Germany covering the nitty gritty of both of these crucial mid-season classes – so heels down, kick on, and join us as we Go Eventing (Deutsch-style!).

EN’s coverage of the Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials is presented by Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional support for all types of horses. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products. 

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