After the Linz Horse Festival in Ebelsberg had been spoiled in the past few weeks, says organizer Helmut Morbitzer, bad weather is now hitting the CSIO three-star show jumping tournament, which runs until Sunday. Yesterday the water was on the track. “But that doesn’t matter, you can ride,” says Morbitzer, referring to the stones underneath that allow the water to drain away within an hour and a half.
If Petrus doesn’t do a complete bad job in the tournament, nothing will stand in the way of the Grand Prix on Sunday, which is part of the Olympic qualification – although the wet and cold conditions naturally don’t suit everyone. “Some riders say that their horse is a bit sensitive. But experience shows that it’s usually not the horses but the riders who are more sensitive,” says Morbitzer, who has ridden in all weathers – once even in snow. In general, he has the feeling that the next generation will be more sensitive, but there are exceptions to the rule. These include last year’s winner Jörne Sprehe and the former team world and European champion Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann, also from Germany.
Dozens of school classes
Despite the bad weather, dozens of school classes and kindergarten groups took advantage of the open day yesterday to marvel at the show jumping sport up close and to sample the event’s food. From the feeding area to horse care, the very little ones were introduced to how to deal with the animals in a playful way.
