Luhmuhlen CCI4* Event Director Julia Otto and her team have been working with sponsors, riders and officials to prepare for the coming season.
The first good news for the German based event that will take place from 18th – 21st June 2015 is that DHL Packaging has continued their commitment as the title sponsor for the next four years while Longines has extended the contract as “Official Timepiece”
Safety aspects have played a central role in eventing for a long time but the death of Benjamin Winter on course last year means that even more focus is being placed on safety issues. The recent introduction of deformable and frangible devices plays an important part in trying to improve safety and the course designer Captain Mark Phillips is looking at new ways to use these on the course
“I use both the PIN and MIM systems in Europe and North America. They are both useful devices in certain situations. We are working on developing a frangible system with certain types of brush fences, although the brush itself is a semi frangible medium. It is impossible to make equestrian sports 100% safe. All we can do is to use and introduce systems that can help make the sport safer and site fences and use materials in a way that again makes fences as horse friendly as possible. Additionally the greatest aid towards safety is the respect riders have for the fences, so we are always trying to find the balance between the fence that is forgiving and yet still taken seriously by the riders.”
German eventing XX Hans Melzer generally approves of safety devices: “I think it’s good that we can rely on these systems for certain obstacles, spooky fences or verticals for example. Personally, I think the MIM system is more practical. After it has been triggered, it can be folded back easily without great expenditure of time and without having to stop the cross-country phase. Hedges are also great when difficult questions are being asked of horses and riders on the course.”
The views of the riders are also being taken into account says Captain Mark Phillips
“The exchange between riders, officials, coaches and designers has never been more open. Views and opinions are never discarded out of hand but always considered in detail by the relevant parties. It is also understood that the rider on the best horse and the rider on the worst horse will have a totally different view of the same fence. That is why it is important to get the considered opinion of all parties.”
Cross-country changes in Luhmühlen
The Meßmer Water will be revamped for 2015 Photo courtesy Thomas Ix
In addition to the expansion of safety systems already in use, the course direction will be reversed, which involves a lot of scheduling: “Because the area for the cross country is quite small, there are quite a few circles and places that the cross country course crosses itself. We just needed to be certain that it was not possible for two horses to meet when on 4 minute intervals or ‘catch up’ 3 minute intervals. We then had to re-think the ‘balance’ of the course and ease of coverage for TV and also how to use the existing fences so not to impact the budget more than necessary. The groundwork is complete. We have improved the gallop track in the woods and the ground around Meßmer. Building the new fences indoors will take place in the winter and outdoors in the spring”, explains Mark Phillips.
Furthermore, the Meßmer pond will sport a totally new look next year: “The Meßmer Water has been the same and has not changed very much from the days I rode at Luhmühlen in the 1970’s and ’80’s. The new look will provide much better viewing for spectators and give me many more ways in which we can utilise this central part of the cross country course.”
