GERMANY’S Simone Blum made history last Sunday when becoming the first lady world champion in the 28-year history of the FEI World Equestrian Games.

Following on from her team bronze medal two days earlier, the 29-year-old Munich-based show jumper rode the wonderful 11-year-old German-bred chesnut mare DSP Alice to victory when they were the only combination to clear every fence over five demanding rounds of jumping set by Ireland’s Alan Wade.

“I am so grateful to be here. I cannot describe my feelings, it’s unbelievable. I am World Champion! Okay the first woman, but for me, it doesn’t matter if it’s a woman or man. Today was the perfect day,” Blum, who also has a masters degree in Biology and Chemistry, said afterwards.

It has been a fairytale journey to the top of the sport for Simone, whose father, Jürgen Blum, was an event rider and competed at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics Games.

She bought the Askari-sired mare as an eight-year-old and together they rose through the ranks. In 2016, Blum became the German Ladies Champions aboard DSP Alice and in 2017 was crowned the overall German champion.

The combination made their Nations Cup debut in at the FEI World Finals in Barcelona last September and secured their place on the German team at WEG after a brilliant second round clear at Aachen in July.

“I think this week she knew she could win the hearts of all of this world. I grew together with Alice, she was always a very special horse and hard work pays off now,” Blum said of ‘Alice’.

She credited her husband-to-be, Hans-Günter Goskowitz, with finding her champion. “I will marry him in the next four weeks. He found Alice, he is the most wonderful man for me in the world and it’s because of him I am standing here.”

Blum was joined on the podium by two Swiss riders – Martin Fuchs won the silver medal with Clooney, while Steve Guerdat took bronze with Bianca.

CLEAR ROUNDS

The champion was in 21st place after Wednesday’s opening speed round when she posted a clear in a time of 81.28 seconds. That leg was won by Guerdat and his 12-year-old Balou du Rouet mare.

Two more clear rounds in Thursday and Friday’s team competitions left Blum in pole position on a score of 2.47 coming into Sunday’s final, where the top 25 riders battled it out. This year was the first that the final four horse swap did not take place.

Just five – Blum, Fuchs and Guerdat, as well as USA’s Laura Kraut and Columbia’s Carlos Enrique Lopez Lizarazo - managed to keep a clean sheet over the first of Wade’s final two rounds and the top 12 went through.

Ireland’s Cian O’Connor finished in 13th place overall on a score of 14.69. Riding Adena Springs and Ronnoco Jump Ltd’s 12-year-old stallion Good Luck, he finished with two fences down on Sunday morning.

It was almost impossible to come by a clear round in the fifth and final round but Guerdat, now sitting in fourth place, piled on the pressure when he was the only one to make it inside the time when fourth last to go to finish on a score of 8.00.

Fuchs was next and guaranteed himself a place on the podium when picking up two time penalties to finish on 6.68. Austria’s Max Kuhner enjoyed a fantastic week aboard Chardonnay but it fell apart in the final and nine faults meant he dropped to sixth (12.97), moving Guerdat on to the podium.

Blum could have one fence down but couldn’t add any other fault. However, DSP Alice never looked like touching a pole and they sailed over the final fence (with one hand on the reins!) with just a time fault to add, finishing on 3.47 and making history.

It was an emotional day for Fuchs and Guerdat who are like brothers. “Having two Swiss riders is special, but having like another brother is even more special. Everyone knows how special family Fuchs is to me, they are like my second family and they treat me like I am their third son, so it really makes it as special as it gets,” Guerdat said.

He was extremely proud of his mare, Bianca, saying: “My biggest pride today is for that horse. I really wanted to give her the medal she really deserves. She gives a feeling I cannot describe and I am so honoured and blessed to share my life with an animal like this.”

Fuchs’ Cornet Obolensky-sired 12-year-old stallion, who is looked after by Irish groom Sean Vard, son of Taylor, made a remarkable recovery to overcome colic surgery earlier this year.

“He recovered well but it was a very emotional year. We are very happy that he came back and is better than ever before,” Fuchs said.

McLain Ward finished in fourth place, ahead of Lopez Lizarazo who made an incredible jump from 26th at the beginning of the day to fifth overall.

There was one Irish Sport Horse in the final 25 - Amanda Derbyshire’s Luibanta BH who was bred by Justin Burke. They finished 17th.

CIAN O’CONNOR

“Good Luck has been in good form all week, he has jumped well and was maybe a little bit out of gas today, that’s the way it goes. I thought he had a good chance. The courses are fair, Alan Wade is building and it hasn’t been ginormous where you see people really struggling, it has been clever little tests all over the place.

Talking about his plans for the rest of the season, O’Connor said: “This was always my goal for this year, so I finished 13th at the World Championships with over 120 starters. Obviously I would like to medal, but it wasn’t to be.

“I want to keep working on my championship record and try help the team qualify for the Olympics. Over the winter we will aim maybe at the Rolex Grand Prix in Geneva just before Christmas.”