While the sun shone with all its might in the Mannheim sky, the arena, where action of the 2007 FEI European Jumping Championship began today, was no less bright. Indeed, Christa Jung, the first woman to design a European Championship course, had filled it with dazzling reds and blues to go with the gigantic yellow sunflowers decorating fence 7 set in the middle of the arena. After a first and very exciting competition, in which the leader kept changing until the very end, Switzerland’s Christina Liebherr on L.B. No Mercy scored the fastest time (67s18) and is in the lead. Home nation all time favourite Ludger Beerbaum on Goldfever was 2s21 slower and with 1.11 penalties lies in second. Twenty-five year old Stefan Eder of Austria riding Cartier PSG is third (1.12 penalties – time 69s42).

Despite a scary start, Germany is first in the team competition (total score 5.18), followed by Switzerland (7.13) and The Netherlands. It was Aachen 2006 all over again for Marcus Ehning’s ride Noltes Küchengirl who had two refusals at the blue dolphin-shaped brick wall and was eliminated from today’s competition. However, the German team were able to pull together and secure a very promising beginning.

The 2007 FEI European Championship continues tomorrow with the first round of the Nations Cup in which all 82 competitors will be taking part.

Deutsche Bank Preis 1st Rating FEI European Individual and Team Championship - Speed and Handiness Competition Table C 1m50
1. L.B. NO MERCY Christina LIEBHERR (SUI) 67.18
2. GOLDFEVER Ludger BEERBAUM (GER) 69.39
3. CARTIER PSG Stefan EDER (AUT) 69.42
4. SHUTTERFLY M. MICHAELS-BEERBAUM (GER) 70.25
5. CASTLE FORBES LIBERTINA Jessica KüRTEN (IRL) 70.37 (4)
6. CABRI D´ELLE Paola AMILIBIA PUIG (ESP) 70.51
7. AUDI´S ALPAPILLON-ARMANIE Vincent VOORN (NED) 71.19
8. BMC UP AND DOWN Jeroen DUBBELDAM (NED) 71.65
9. AL-KAHEEL CAVALOR CUMANO Jos LANSINK (BEL) 72.01
10. CöSTER Christian AHLMANN (GER) 72.24 (4)
11. MADICK Helena LUNDBäCK (SWE) 72.27
12. LANTINUS Gregory WATHELET (UKR) 72.49 (4)
13. ECHO BEACH Cian O´CONNOR (IRL) 72.69
14. SUNCAL PORTOFINO Michael WHITAKER (GBR) 72.95 (4)
15. MME POMPADOUR Gonzalo TESTA ORNAT (ESP) 73.04
16. NOBLESS M Pius SCHWIZER (SUI) 73.13 (4)
17. PILGRIM II David MCPHERSON (GBR) 73.27 (4)
18. CAROLA Tina LUND (DEN) 73.40
19. EUROCOMMERCE BERLIN Gerco SCHRöDER (NED) 73.41 (4)
20. HARPON DU BORDA Chiara ARRIGHETTI (ITA) 74.02
21. LOCARNO Ellen WHITAKER (GBR) 74.16
22. BESSEMEINDS CASINO Morten DJUPVIK (NOR) 74.27
23. POWERFEE Samantha MC INTOSH (BUL) 74.83
24. LORD SPEZI Katharina OFFEL (UKR) 74.95
25. CARTOUCHE Ales OPATMY *IND* (CZE)75.09 (4)
26. CANTUS Niklaus SCHURTENBERGER (SUI) 75.47
27. GRANDE DAME Z Judy-Ann MELCHIOR (BEL) 75.56 (4)
28. PLOT BLUE Werner MUFF (SUI) 75.93 (4)
29. KRAQUE BOOM*BOIS MARGOT Kevin STAUT (FRA) 76.12 (4)
30. VIGO D ARSOUILLES Philippe LE JEUNE (BEL) 76.86 (4)
31. ISAAC Royne ZETTERMAN (SWE) 76.93 (4)
32. PEPPERMILL John WHITAKER (GBR) 77.13 (4)
33. LE REVE DU NABAB Sergio ALVAREZ MOYA (ESP) 77.36 (8)
34. ITOT DU CHATEAU Michel HéCART (FRA) 77.38 (8)
58. SHERRY MURY MARAIS Z Patrick MC ENTEE (BEL) 86.12 (16)
61. OSTA RUGS QUINTUS JC VANGEENBERGHE (UKR) 87.35 (8)

Voorlopig klassement :
1. Allemagne 5.18
2. Suisse 7.13
3. Pays-Bas 7.37
4. Grande-Bretagne 9.43
5. Espagne 9.69
6. BELGIQUE 11.45
(Philippe Le Jeune (Vigo d’Arsouilles) 4.84, Judy Ann Melchior (Grande Dame Z) 4.19, Patrick Mc Entee (Sherry Mury Z) (9.47), Jos Lansinl (Al Kaheel Cavalor Cumano) 2.42)
7. Irlande 11.68
8. Ukraine 12.96
9. Suède 13.65
10. Autriche 14.03
11. France 15.07