Before the eventers set off on the cross-country course in the UBS-Cup tomorrow, the dressage test and the show jumping were on the agenda today. At the moment, it looks like the Brits are going to win again.

It would be the fifth victory for the motherland of eventing in the UBS-Cup after winning in 2011, 2021, 2022 and 2024. The Brits have sent their best team to Aachen comprising of riders, who all have championship and five-star experience: Bubby Upton with Cannavaro (29.1 minus points/2nd place), Tom McEwen with Brookfield Quality (30.2/3rd), Laura Collett with Dacapo (31.9/5th) and Gemma Stevens with Flash Cooley (33.2/9th).

The quartet’s current overnight score is 91.2 minus points. The 2018 winners from New Zealand are currently lying in second place on a total interim score of 94.4 minus points. Their team is made up of Tim Price with Vitali (27.3/1st), Clarke Johnstone with Rocket Man (32.4/7th), Samantha Lissington with Lord Seekönig (34.7/14th) and Monica Spencer with Artist (36.8/19th).

The German quartet presently ranks third on a total score of 100.1 minus points. Peter Thomsen has chosen a young quartet to represent Germany at the World Equestrian Festival: Jérôme Robiné with Black Ice (31.3/4th), Libussa Lübbeke with Caramia (32.3/6th), Calvin Böckmann with Altair de la Cense (36.5/18th) and Anna Siemer with FRH Butts Avondale (37.2/22nd).

Price heads the field in the individual classification

Tim Price and Jérôme Robiné were tying in first place after the dressage, both on a score of 27.3 minus points. However, after Black Ice collected four faults in the show jumping, Robiné fell back into fourth place. Tim Price could claim his first individual title tomorrow on his eleventh appearance in Aachen, if he doesn’t pick up any extra minus faults on his way to the finish line tomorrow.

Riding to victory will without doubt also be the dream of the debutant in Aachen, Bubby Upton and her team colleague, Tom McEwen, who are lying in second and third place respectively with interim scores of 29.1 and 30.2 minus points.

The cross-country starts tomorrow at 9.55 a.m. The course was built by Giuseppe Della Chiesa for the first time, who took over the position from Aachen’s long-standing Course Designer, Rüdiger Schwarz.