Australians Andrew Cooper and Sharvalley Thunder have produced a near-perfect start to their campaign in Europe, placing third in the highly competitive CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy at Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials in Germany.
Eighth after the dressage on 34.5, Andrew and the 12-year-old gelding (Valhalla 3 x JD Indiana, by JD Arnover) added just 1.6 cross country time faults to their total to finish on 36.1. They held third place heading into the final jumping phase and produced a clear round to end the event – holding out the fourth and fifth placed combinations, who put the pressure on by jumping clear when less than a rail adrift.
“We had a great time here in Luhmühlen. He usually jumps really well, but the course was quite challenging, and the time was tight,” says Andrew. “That’s why I’m really happy that we managed a clear round. My whole family supports me from back home and I’ve put a bit of pressure on myself so as not to disappoint them. I’m really happy that we had such a great and successful time here.”
Andrew and Sharvalley Thunder have only recently travelled to Europe, with Luhmühlen marking their first northern hemisphere event together.
Fellow Australians Shane Rose and 13-year-old mare Easy Turn (Casall Ask x Coriano Z), who also recently flew out from Australia, jumped clear to place 13th overall in the CCI4*-S on a score of 47.8.
Both Australian combinations now have their sights set on the CCIO4*S Nations Cup at CHIO Aachen (4-5 July), where they are part of the Australian team alongside Sammi Birch and Finduss FPB, and Kevin McNab and Faro IMP.
The CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy went to Germany’s Julia Krajewski and Uelzener’s Nickel, who jumped clear on Sunday to finish on 27.7. Compatriot Emma Brüssau placed second with Dark Desire GS, adding 0.4 time faults in the jumping to finish on 34.5.
Top ten for Isabel English in Longines CCI5*-L
Australian Isabel English enjoyed a solid end to the CCI5*-L at Luhmühlen with 10-year-old gelding Cil Dara Dallas (Diarado), jumping clear in the final phase to move into the top ten. The pair incurred 1.6 time faults – around a course where time proved tight for many – to finish the competition on 44.4.
It has been a very successful event for the Aussie combination; 14th after the dressage, they held that position when clear on cross country with just 8.8 time penalties. Their clear jumping round on Sunday then saw them rise a further five places to ninth.
Luhmühlen marked a second CCI5*-L completion for the pair, who last year completed Pau in France on a score of 71.5.
Ros Canter and Izilot DHI win Longines CCI5*-L
You could have heard a pin drop. The show jumping of the Longines CCI5*-L was exciting right up to the last second. The beaming winner Ros Canter was the penultimate rider to enter the jumping course and showed no nerves whatsoever. Thanks to a faultless ride within the time allowed, she secured victory in the Longines CCI5*-L with the 12year-old gelding Izilot DHI (28.8). Following her Badminton victory in May 2025, this was Canter’s second five-star success in just a few weeks: “I’m just so thrilled. He hasn’t been an easy character, but he’s come out with so much confidence. He’s such a genuine, unique horse. Some people think he’s just a bit naughty but he’s genuinely spooky. I’m so thrilled that we’ve managed to build a relationship to overcome that and show him off to his best.”
The time allowed in the final jumping course turned out to be one of the pitfalls that the winner had also thought about beforehand: “I feel like last year I lost my first place due to time faults and I blame myself. I worked quite hard on the mental side behind it. We changed a few things, made sure I had more time, and I was more relaxed and gave him a much better ride. So, I’m just delighted with that.” In the prize-giving ceremony, Ros was full of praise for the Luhmühlen cowd: “First of all, I want to thank Luhmühlen for putting on such a fantastic event, one of my favourites to come back to. A big thank you to the crowd for making it so special.”
The second-placed New Zealander Samantha Lissington with Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ can look back on a thoroughly successful week. As a pupil of the winner Ros Canter, she only added 0.4 points to her dressage score for exceeding the time limit on the cross-country course during the entire Longines CCI5*-L. With 29.3 points, she was delighted to take second place in the five-star competition with the rather small horse in terms of height: “He’s just amazing, such a pocket rocket. The jumps do seem rather large when you sit on him, but he’s got a big stride and a heart of gold. I’m just delighted with how he went all week.”
Last year’s Longines CCI5*-L winner Laura Collett (GBR) who was still leading after the cross-country, was the last rider to enter the course with her successful horse London 52 and knew that she could not afford to make a jumping mistake due to Canter and Lissington’s clear rounds. At the last fence of triple combination a pole fell. With 29.4 points, the pair slipped to third place: “Obviously I’m very disappointed – as everybody would be in my situation. I really wanted him to win, because he deserves it so much. Last year I had a fence in hand and didn’t need it. Today I would have needed it – but that’s life. Fo me, London 52 is the perfect event horse. He might not have the best confirmation but he has a big heart and the right attitude. He’s my horse of a lifetime!”
Julia Krajewski and Uelzener’s Nickel win the CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy and the German Championship
New German Eventing Champion Julia Krajewski and her Olympic horse, Uelzener’s Nickel, secured victory in the CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy with a lead of 6.8 points. It is the fourth title for the rider, but the first for the elevenyear-old gelding: “I love coming to Luhmühlen. Many thanks to the organisers and the fantastic crowd, their support makes us feel very much at home here. I am particularly pleased that Professor Dr Heike was present and that I was able to win this German Championship title for him. Nickel is very special. He does most of what he does because he is so willing and honest. He truly has a heart of gold. I’m very happy that the week went so well, and that Nickel jumped so well today. I was also overjoyed for Emma. We’ve been training together for about ten years. If I hadn’t won, I would have given her the title wholeheartedly.”
Emma Brüssau herself could hardly believe her luck when she looked at the scoreboard in the large stadium. With Dark Desire GS (34.5), a horse she has been competing with for 11 years, she almost finished the test on her dressage score. However, the clock stopped just one second too late in the show-jumping course, adding 0.4 points to her dressage result. This secured the pair second place in the CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy and the title of German runner-up. “I can’t believe it! I was already so happy with the round, and now I’m also the German runner-up. This is so great! I didn’t expect this success at all. I had goals for this weekend, of course, but coming away with the silver medal is incredible. Jumping is actually not our strongest discipline. That’s why I’m incredibly proud of Daisy and myself for doing so well in the jumping today, and for keeping my nerve.”
Australian rider Andrew Cooper was more than satisfied with his debut on German soil. Riding Sharvalley Thunder (36.1), he completed the final showjumping course without any penalties, thus holding onto third place in the CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy. ‘We had a great time here in Luhmühlen. He usually jumps really well, but the course was quite challenging, and the time was tight. That’s why I’m really happy that we managed a clear round. My whole family supports me from back home and I’ve put a bit of pressure on myself so as not to disappoint them. I’m really happy that we had such a great and successful time here.’
With an experienced round, Calvin Böckmann (GER) and Altair de la Cense were able to finish the German Championships without any show-jumping penalties, securing the bronze medal. The pair took fifth place in the CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy (37.1): “We bought Ali when I was a junior, and she performed so well here again. I’m really proud of her; coming third behind Emma and Julia is just superb. The cross-country course was great, and I was able to ride all the lines as planned. Knowing her so well gave us an advantage in the jumping. I know exactly where I can turn a little tighter to save time.”
Source: Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials press release
