| Author | Message | ||
     Mike Watts |
Final results here: individuals , teams. | ||
| Fiona Powell |
This might be my last post as we are leaving the showground tonight and flying back tomorrow along with a lot of other fairly exhausted but excited supporters. We didn't do as well as we'd hoped but the competition was extremely tough and luck does play a part, too. Barnaby is reported to be very pleased he's ended up in the top 20 (16th) and he's the new boy on the block at his first championship. I must say the Brits turned out well in the line-up for the presentation. We ended up tenth as a team 333.11, less than 4 pens behind Czech Republic, 329.45. Of course with John out of the cones we lost his dressage score, but the difference between his and Wilf's score was less than 3 pens anyway. The winners, Germany, had 274.27 pens, Hungary 278.49 and Netherlands 280.14. Poland was understandably supported very vocally and came fourth on 305.40 with Switzerland chasing hard on 306.42, Austria (6th) breathing down their necks in turn with 306.76. The US was 7th, clear of Czech Republic with 322.39. The prizes included HUGE golden awards and MASSIVE and rather fragile-looking cyrstal glass cups, pairs harness sets from a company called Arden and a brand new pairs marathon carriage from Glinkowski Carriages with all the gizmos including a stopwatch. There were cash prizes, too, and awards for the highest placed Polish-bred pair of horses. Every turnout - 58 - came back to the main arena for the extended prize-giving. Lots of razamataz, flag-waving, singing and cheering, of course, and a few horses getting over-excited. All the team winners were men except for Mieke Van Tergouw of the Netherlands. Best moustaches prize goes to Poland. Most gorgeous grooms' outfits goes to Hungary, with lots of beautiful frogging and fine furry hats. Team GB looked like something out of a very high class Victorian picture book, polished to perfection and actually looking quite happy. The ceremony had the national anthems of the individual and team winners played, of course, as they were presented with their cups and prizes and massive bouquets of flowers. "Congratulations" and what sounded like the theme from "Thunderbirds", which was stirring under the circumstances. Press conference now... | ||
| Fiona Powell |
What a thrilling finale! Sebastian Warneck kept us guessing until he crossed the finish line. The overnight leader from Germany drove a cool round with just over two cones in hand, the crowd gasping as he knocked over one cone... but he appeared to make a slight error after 18 and make a wide turn and he crossed the line with over 7 penalties... just too many seconds over time. Wow - he still looked pretty pleased to win silver, however. So (I think) Vilmos Lazar of Hungary won the individual gold with Karoly Hodi of Hungary third. Teams - 1 Germany, 2 Hungary, 3 Netherlands. Barnaby drove a very neat round but there were only a few tenths of seconds separating the top ten so one or two mistakes shunted you down the placings like landing on a snake in snakes and ladders. As they say, the atmosphere was electric,with gasps as drivers knocked a cone and clapping as they did the tight and tricky parts never mind the clicking and whistling - whether this was designed to put off the opposition or gee up their own side, I couldn't always tell. All are going back into the arena for the prize giving so I'm off to get some piccies, I hope! | ||
| Mike Watts |
Barnaby Bowman just completed cones with good time, 4 cones down, replay here (17Mb wmv file) Barnaby came in at 13.8 (?) to Wilf's 12.63. Just a few more competitors to go... | ||
| Fiona Powell |
The sun's getting hotter with the competition in the main arena as we break for lunch. After John's unfortunate error - Joanna Attenborough said it's just not been their day at this event - Wilf's currently lying 17th on 12.63. No-one went clear on time until about the 27th competitor (by my calculation). It was left to Axel Olin of Sweden, the penultimate driver this morning, to crack the double-clear on 176.85 secs - what a whoop from the crowd! Claxon blaring, he did the briefest of salutes before cantering briskly out of the arena... After Axel, Waldemar Kaczmarek of Poland proved he could do it in 174.46 but sacrificed two cones. It's a very tight and twisty course with horses really stretched and cantering fast where they can and making - some of them - very tight turns, especially where the pressure's really on at cones 18, 19 and 20. There are still 17 to go this afternoon with Barnaby 6th after lunch - starting 1pm UK time. The cones time allowed is 192 seconds and so far only 4 drivers have come under the time. Nail-biting stuff! Oh, I looked thro' all the horse breeding information and not one admits to any Hackney breeding at all. I'll ask... | ||
| Mike Watts |
John Attenborough sadly eliminated after missing cone 16. Fast round by Wilf Bowman-Ripley replay here - (14Mb wmv). Pressure on Barnaby Bowman who's on this afternoon. | ||
| Mike Watts |
You can see the cones live here this Sunday, running order here | ||
| Karen Blair-Imrie |
Hello, Fiona, First, let me say what a great job you are doing, sending us all of this information and reporting on what it is like in Poland. I almost feel as if I am there. I've had a query from a Hackney driver in America, who wants to send breed details of the pairs horses to the magazine, Dressage Today. Can you tell me which horses are Hackneys or Hackney crosses? And does anyone know how they are bred? Thanks very much :-) | ||
| Julie Hoskyns |
Thanks for keeping us all updated. You are doing a great job! Good luck to the team in the cones. | ||
| Mike Watts |
More results: team scores including marathon, individual marathon scores, individual A + B (dressage + marathon) scores.. | ||
| Fiona Powell |
Team GB is lying seventh. Barnaby was 19th, Wilf 41 and John 51st... | ||
| Fiona Powell |
Well, the weather was kind to us today, staying dry and cool with the odd glimpse of shy sunshine. Barnaby went round a storm early on and was lying sixth in the marathon. Wilf, the best obstacle driver, went at lunchtime and unfortunately lost a minute on the walk thanks to one horse jogging so, I'm told, he didn't go as flat out as he might have done. John's marathon was not his best so there is some gloom in Team GB - but there's all to play for tomorrow in the cones. At 2pm one of the giant air-filled installations in obstacle 2 threatened to deflate so the stewards took it down and wrapped it up and removed it from the obstacle. It was only part of the decoration but it must have been a bit surprising to find it not there. There has been an enthusiastic and fairly sizable crowd here today. They rush across the field in a flock, following their driver, waving flags and making supportive noises. I have never heard Yellow Submarine sung in Hungarian before and, for the life of me, cannot understand why that's relevant to Hungary... Steph, today I was mostly wearing my purple all-weather gear but aspiring to the layered look in an open-fronted v-neck fluorescent vest, provided by the organisers and worn to show I could use the well positioned Press photography areas. Had I remembered my new gizmo, I could have downloaded stuff now, but you'll have to wait until I get back on Monday, I'm afraid. Thanks for the feedback - I'm glad someone's reading this! Very late in the day two drivers started breaking obstacle time records - following each other. The drivers were Rudi Huber for Germany and Harrie Verstappen for Holland, the latter with an unmistakable pair of skewbalds. As I write I can't tell you what the final scores are but they're coming soon... George Bowman senior is very pleased with his horses, driven by Barnaby and Wilf, and says the hospitality is good, as is the whole set up on the "farm". Terry Selway, chef d'equipe, is disappointed we've not done better, especially Wilf's result today. It's a great place, too, but the 3 to 4-hour lag between the end of the day's competitions and the evenings' entertainments have meant that they've been poorly attended and he says there isn't the buzz he expects at World Championships. I was taking photos for a while at the water, obstacle 8, and about 1 in 8 competitors were coming in looking tired and a handful even walked. There was a long pull through sand between 7 and 8, I'm told, which probably accounted for this, but it wasn't very impressive. Rein-handling isn't everyone's strong point and quite a few drivers use leather loops on their reins with a lot doing the "slap your horses on the back with the reins" to make them go faster - a method I admit I haven't tried myself... Some drivers are s m o o t h and quiet; others SHOUT A LOT, ALL THE WAY through the obstacle. Now I know why they put ear muffs on their horses (joke). The quieter drivers tend to be - but aren't always - the better ones. I'll be interested to see who got the knockdowns as some obstacles tempted the inexpert to try very tight routes, it seemed to me, and there were a lot being announced throughout the day. I think about three have withdrawn or retired and I've heard a rumour about an elimination. We shall see very shortly. There are a few tradestands with harness, carriages (as you'd expect) and accessories. All seem to be keenly priced and to suit different pockets and the people are friendly. It's all been very well organised here so far. I'm looking forward to seeing the results... | ||
| Steph Richards |
Thanks for the link. I managed to see Wilf going around some obstacles. Did not see Fiona though, was she wearing green? Steph | ||
| Mike Watts |
You can see the marathon live on this link Go to the main official website http://www.wpdcwarka07.com/ if that doesn't work for you. | ||
| Fiona Powell |
Today begins cool with low cloud and a very light breeze: ideal conditions for hot horses. There was a little light rain yesterday evening and the sandy going should be good. The 8 obstacles are well made with a number of knockdowns. The air-filled installations by Josef Krzysztof Oraczewski haven't floated off in the night. The general opinion is that the obstacles should suit smaller horses. There is one water obstacle, 8, and most are fairly flat except for 4 which is on a conical mound with the mad fairy wing thing at the top - love! I saw Barnaby walking the obstacles last night and he was bullish. His horses are the smallest of the team's. "I think the obstacles are good and suit me. I want to take wide routes and keep my smaller horses moving. They might not suit Wilf and John so much because they (the obstacles) aren't technical. The knockdowns don't bother me as they are on the tight routes not the wider routes I'm taking." Barnaby is first off this morning for GB, at 9:18, starting section E of this three-section marathon at 10:20. (We are one hour ahead of UK). John starts A at 11, Wilf at 12:48. The marathon finishes at 4:20pm. It should be an exciting day! | ||
| Mike Watts |
Thanks to Fiona for the update. Here are results for dressage: teams, individuals. See here for team GBR in a photo gallery. | ||
| Fiona Powell |
At today's press conference (Friday), after all the dressage was complete, the first three winners were modest about their success. Sebastian Warneck of Germany hung on to his overnight lead on 39.42, saying that he was very lucky in going yesterday afternoon because that gave him time to watch a few tests and walk the obstacles - and it was sunnier than today. Yes, he admitted, he was nervous but all results depend on your form on the day. Mieke Van Tergouw was fourth last to go and pulled in a pretty performance gaining 41.73 to come second overall. In answer to a question she said that the judges want the horses to go as a pair and that "you must drive to the end". You must drive close to a mistake and not like a train - I think she meant push for the best performance and don't drive mechanistically. Sebastian said the German chef d'equipe told him, "Risk everything, but make no mistake". Rhythm is important, your transitions must be good and the accuracy of your figures is important. Nothing new there then! Barnaby is still thrilled with his result, 48.38, of course, despite seeing his position slide slowly from an overnight fourth throughout today. Wilf's performance was unfortunately spiked by one horse spooking as he entered the arena beneath a lowish arch. Despite not settling very well, his horses still pulled in a creditable 56.06 this morning. John Attenborough had some afflictions of breaking of pace in the afternoon but attained 53.12. Best two count so GB's in 6th place with all to play for. We have 101.5 behind Swiss 101.37. Fourth place is Austria's on 99.46, third Germany, 94.84, second Hungary 94.21 and the Netherlands are in the lead on 87.04. Team GB are bullish about the amazing obstacles. They have HUGE air-filled and monstrous billowing structures as their centrepieces. I walked round 4, which is topped by massive white wings billowing gently in the light breeze. As they wave about - although they are tethered - they wheeze at the base in a distinctly horse-scaring way. I can see some animals disliking the idea of getting up close to this. This part of Poland makes Norfolk seem positively Alpine. The upside of this is that the obstacles are clearly visible and the dressage arenas are divinely flat. There are two beautiful arenas outside the main stadium and the main arena looks like the proverbial bowling green. There's a good crowd of Brits supporting the team. Jade Jeffery, Jacqui and Tony Clarke's grand-daughter, looked a picture as she groomed for Wilf. Alma Webb was almost moved to tears of pride during Barnaby's test, she said, it was so lovely to watch. The weather is coolish with occasional glimpses of sunshine today with the possibility of some dampness tomorrow although cooler weather favours the horses on the marathon, of course. No doubt we'll all keep warm rushing from obstacle to obstacle. I'm really looking forward to it! | ||
| Mike Watts |
With 47 of 58 competitors through dressage, Barnaby has been pushed down to fifth, Wilf to 20th, John Attenborough still to come for GBR. | ||
| Mike Watts |
Some of Friday morning's results are now in here- with 38 of 58 dressage results, Barnaby is still 4th while Wilf Bowman-Ripley scored 56.06 today. (All these subject to confirmation). Our blogger Fiona Powell seems to be having technical difficulties but says "Barnaby Bowman looked pleased with 48.38. He's reported to be surprised but today the judges seem to be marking slightly less generously - Fiona" | ||
| Mike Watts |
More dressage results in, Barnaby Bowman 4th with half the competitors through, on 48.38 while Sebastian Warneck of Germany now leads on 39.42 latest here That's all for Thursday. More dressage on Friday with Wilf Bowman Ripley at 9:30 and John Attenborough at 2:20pm. schedule | ||
| Mike Watts |
First few dressage results here (18 of 58, Barnaby Bowman 2nd so far...} | ||
| Mike Watts |
Fiona Powell is heading over there now and will be doing her best to give us updates here. | ||
| Emma Burton |
Is there anyone who will keep us posted on how the drivers are doing? Be nice to know that they arrived safely and everything is hunky dory, the pony coverage was a delight. |