Krajewski leads German eventing championship after opening dressage at Luhmühlen

On her five-star debut, local rider Katharina Meyer sits ninth and last after the first start group, scoring 41.4 points aboard Aspen T. Meyer is the only Luhmühlen-based rider entered in the championship group. Eleven further combinations, including German rider Heike Jahncke from RV Ganderkesee on Mighty Spring FRH, are due to take their dressage turn on Friday from 14:00. The championship is part of the build-up to the World Equestrian Games, with the eventing world title to be decided between 13 and 16 August in Aachen.

Thomsen and Jung absent as deputies step in

Germany's national coach Peter Thomsen is in hospital after a riding accident on Sunday and is unable to assess possible team candidates for the World Championship in person. At Luhmühlen, his duties are being shared with team chef Annette Wyrwoll and other members of the back-room staff. Three-time individual Olympic champion Michael Jung is also absent from Luhmühlen, opting instead to ride with the German show jumping team at the Nations Cup in Rotterdam. Their combined absence leaves the German squad to be observed by deputies in the Lower Saxony sand.

In the higher-prize-money five-star competition, the United States rider Hallie Coon, based in Great Britain, leads the dressage on 27.8 points with Kapriccio. New Zealand's Samantha Lissington sits second on 29.2 points with Delarado, ahead of American Cosby Green on Highly Suspicious in third on 31.0 points. Britain's Tim Price is second in the four-star championship reckoning on 31.7 points with Happy Boy, with his compatriot Stephen Heal third on 33.6 points aboard Hagonda.

Canter withdrawal reshuffles the field

The British defending champion Rosalind Canter, who had been entered with KWPN Izilot DHI and MHS Seventeen, cancelled her start at short notice on Tuesday. Her withdrawal has reshuffled the chasing pack, with Heal moving up into a podium position in the four-star standings. Canter's absence removes one of the form favourites from the international test and clears the path for the home riders to contest the podium without facing last year's title holder in the jumping phase.

Krajewski was measured about her prospects with Nickel, telling reporters: "Nickel ist gut in Form, aber bei der Vielseitigkeit kann alles passieren." The 37-year-old rider is also using Luhmühlen as a sharpening exercise ahead of Aachen. She said of the venue: "Luhmühlen ist eines unserer wichtigen Vorbereitungsturniere in Richtung Weltmeisterschaft in Aachen und außerdem eines meiner Lieblingsturniere." Her dual campaign with Tullabeg Platinum provides an insurance policy should the title defence with Nickel falter at any of the three phases.

NDR coverage and broadcast schedule

NDR is providing comprehensive live coverage of the championship, with the four-star cross-country broadcast on television from 15:00 to 16:30 on Saturday and on ndr.de. The five-star cross-country runs earlier in the day from 10:00 to 12:16 as a web-exclusive live stream on ndr.de, while the five-star show jumping will be streamed from 11:15 to 12:05 on Sunday. The four-star show jumping, which will decide the German national title, will also be carried live on NDR television on Sunday afternoon.

The Luhmühlen fixture has long been regarded as a key German warm-up for major championships, and this year's edition carries extra weight with the World Equestrian Games only weeks away. The World Equestrian Games run from 11 to 23 August, with the eventing world championship slotted in from 13 to 16 August as part of the wider programme. Riders still in the hunt at Luhmühlen will be looking to bank qualification points and confidence before Aachen, while the selectors will be weighing form both here and at Rotterdam.

Luhmühlen as a stepping stone to Aachen

For the German squad, the path to Aachen now runs through Luhmühlen's grass, sand and rails. With Thomsen watching from a hospital bed and Jung in Rotterdam, the selectors in Lower Saxony have an opportunity to evaluate combinations under championship conditions. Krajewski's experience and her second-string horse give the home nation a strong hand, while younger riders such as Meyer gain exposure to the four-star format on home turf.

The four-star championship's dressage phase is split across two days to accommodate the additional competitors, with the leading riders separated from the chasing pack by the order of go. Friday's second group, beginning at 9:00, includes the headline combination of Krajewski and Nickel, who will need to post a competitive mark to retain the lead once the remaining riders have completed their tests. By the time the cross-country flag drops on Saturday afternoon, the field will have been re-ranked and the championship picture will be clearer.

Sunday's finale will compress the standings, with the show jumping phase often producing the most dramatic shifts in eventing. Even a single rail down can erase a comfortable lead, while a clear round can lift a combination from midfield into medal contention. Krajewski's cautious tone about her own prospects reflects that volatility and the fine margins that define the discipline at the highest level.

Luhmühlen itself, a long-established fixture on the international eventing calendar, has staged five-star competitions for decades and is widely considered one of the sport's classic venues. The combination of permanent cross-country infrastructure and the surrounding Lower Saxony terrain makes it a reliable test of horse and rider fitness, and a useful final data point for selectors weighing combinations for the World Equestrian Games.

The German federation has yet to confirm when Thomsen is expected to be back on the road, but his deputies have the data they need from the first dressage group to begin shortlisting. The next two days at Luhmühlen will be decisive for any rider harbouring Aachen ambitions, with the cross-country in particular expected to trim the field and clarify the pecking order before the medals are handed out on Sunday evening.

For now, the standings place Krajewski in pole position with a clear run to the cross-country. Whether she can convert that into a fifth national title will depend on Nickel's form across all three phases and on the chasing pack's willingness to push the pace. The selectors, watching from hospital and from Rotterdam, will be hoping for answers rather than surprises.