The Milan lawn paves the way to the Olympic Games

MILAN. After the eventing riders went away empty-handed, the red-white-red show jumpers are taking part in the European Championships in Milan today. The Upper Austrian Stefan Eder, Katharina Rhomberg, Alessandra Reich, Gerfried Puck and Max Kühner want to end a long dry spell on the grass course and for the first time since Atlanta 1996 master the Olympic qualification again with an Austrian show jumping team. “We have what it takes to make it to Paris. We have super couples and want to fully exploit our potential,” said Reich, who gained a lot of self-confidence on the Oeli R with the Grand Prix victory in Bratislava. Eder is also confident, his horse Condaro feels “very comfortable” on the green in Italy. The Tyrolean bold showed himself to be in very good shape on Elektric Blue P with the win in Dinard and second place in Riesenbeck. Rhomberg from Vorarlberg raves about her horse Cuma: “It’s the best season we’ve ever had.”

In Milan “only” three starting places for the Olympic team show jumping in front of the Palace of Versailles will be allocated. The OEPS quartet must be at least the third best team apart from the already qualified teams from France, Sweden, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, Israel and Poland. If the Austrians don’t make it together, there are still twelve individual starting places on the Olympic ranking list. In the adjusted ranking (without riders from already qualified teams), Kühner is 16th and Rhomberg 23rd with the best prospects.

The series of European Equestrian Championships including Olympic qualification will be concluded from September 4th to 10th in Riesenbeck with dressage and paradressage.