China’s World Cup jumping league at final hurdle
The final qualifying competition in China’s World Cup jumping league has been wrapped up with a win by Mei Mei Zhu on Cheval de Blanc.
Zhu, who trains in Germany with Ludger Beerbaum, was first out on the course at Chaoyang Park in Beijing, on the track by Swiss designer Paul Weier.
It was several riders later until Liu Tongyang also put up a clear round, to ensure a jump-off at the competition at the weekend. Joining the two Chinese riders in the second round was France’s Michel Robert on his first trip to the country.
He rode Uriah clear in the jump-off until the treble, the 11th obstacle, where they unfortunately dropped rails at two of the fences, landing them in fourth place.
In third was Franz-Josef (“Peppi”) Dahlmann on Ziemar. Dahlmann and his wife, Kate, have been based in Beijing since February, running the stable at the Beijing International Equestrian Club (BIEC).
Thirty riders started in the competition.
The 2013 FEI World Cup China League Jumping offers overall prizemoney of about ¥850,000 ($US166,000).
At this weekend’s league final riders from China and Hong Kong will vie for honours, along with leading British showjumper Ben Maher, and team world champion Janne-Friederike Meyer, who will start in Beijing on borrowed horses.
