Anyone else shocked?! Julia was having such as fantastic year with Chipmunk. The article is a bit vague, but was he for sale? Her dressage test at WEG was stunning. I was expecting to see them as a combination to consider for the Olympics.
“Ze Terminator” is back… wonder if they will come over for Kentucky??
How crushing for Julia. But I wish MJ all the best.
Not quite. Julia is a very talented rider, but unfortunately has had significant issues at every major championship in the last cycle - eliminated on refusals at Rio, a 20 and then disqualified on a drug infraction at the Euros, and a 20 on cross-country at WEG (though it almost kept her in contention, when you consider that test). Even her first major championship with Chipmunk (individual, not team) at Le Lion saw a rare 20 pop up. Her form under pressure is likely being scrutinized - the Germans don’t have the patience and understanding of the Americans.
Meanwhile, MJ has never had so much as a blip at a major championship. Not only has he never let anything go wrong in team competition, he’s won most of them as an individual - in case anyone needed a reminder, he won individual gold at: the London Olympics, the Rio Olympics, the Kentucky WEG, and the Euros at Luhmuhlen, Malmo, and Blair. The poor guy only came second at the WEG in Normandy and the Euros in Strzegom. And now, he doesn’t really have a top horse. Sam has retired. Roxie is out with an injury. He has some starting at 4* level (old 3*), but nothing established. The Germans did NOT have a good time at WEG without him.
From what was said publicly, Chipmunk’s owner chose not to continue on with Julia and put the horse up for sale (understandably - it’s young and very valuable). The German federation didn’t want the horse to go help the Brits beat them by more, so they stepped in and bought it. However, likely at least in part due to the reasons I listed above, they decided the rider they wanted atop their new investment was MJ. They have owned for him before (Sam). Understatement of the century is to say that’s gone well :lol: It is very sad for Julia, but when you look at the players and the facts they are working with, it’s not what I would call shocking. The Germans are very interesting in protecting their investments. I doubt they are so interested in protecting feelings.
Also, if you’re Germany, it does make sense from a strategic standpoint. Julia arguably has the top two horses in the country between Chipmunk and Samurai Du Thot and has a few other young horses that are going well at 4* (old 3*).
If you’re looking to field the best team possible for Tokyo, it does make sense. She can only take one after-all. Definitely a tough deal for Julia, however.
@Benchmark good point! Curious to follow and see if she has good runs in 2019 with her other horse and makes the olympic squad. I guess this scenerio answers the question of whether MJ will have a horse for the Olympics! I feel like the lead up to 2020 starting now, is going to be more exciting to watch than it was for Rio, since so many long time partnerships have retired horses, or sold horses and there are a lot of up and coming combinations we haven’t seen at that level before.I like the tried and true partnerships, but I also like the underdog young partnerships coming out of nowhere and giving us something to get excited about too.
Article and wonky translation;
https://translate.google.com/transla…ng&prev=search
The future owners of Chipmunk FRH are the DOKR, Michael Jung’s main sponsor Prof. Klaus Fischer and dr. Hilmer Meyer-Kulenkampff,.
I’m really excited to see how he does off the bat with othis horse vs over time, in the past his success was with horses he had a lengthy relationship with.
I think he will do Kentucky if he has enough time. He loves that event and sings it’s praises every chance, plus it would be a good first test for the two at that level, but it is pretty soon.
Looks like he will continue to carry on with a top string.
It would be super exciting if we got to see them at Kentucky, and it really will be interesting to see him take on an established ride that is not one he brought along. Not that I expect him to have a problem with that of course, but certainly will be interesting to see if there is an adjustment period!
On Twitter this morning, EquiRatings posted about the sale and commented that it was sad for JK, and the German Eventing account responded with this: We also find it sad for JK but when MJ heard that Chip was to be sold he wanted him to stay in Germany and thanks to him, his sponsor and the DOKR this has been made possible.
MJ cannot take Chipmunk to KY unless they complete a CCI4*-L (formerly CCI3*) prior to KY. That’s a fairly short window, and while there is one CCI4*-L in Portugal in early March that MJ could get to, I doubt he will try to run the legs off the horse just to make to to KY. If he does a 5* in the spring, it will be much more likely to see him at Luhmuhlen after a very early spring CCI4*-L but I personally think it is much more likely we see him at a higher profile, tougher CCI4*-L like Bramham or Saumur.
Agree and good point on the qualification.
The horse never did a 5* with Julia so I’d be pretty shocked to see him at a spring 5*. I’d guess we might see him at Pau, but really would expect a Boekelo or Blenheim in the fall and Kentucky 2020 unless there’s pressure from owners/the German team to get a 2019 5* in ahead of the Olympic year.
Good points re: the qualification, I was immediately jumping to instant gratification on what I wanted to see, lol! For some reason I was thinking he had already done a 5* (then 4*) with Julia but with that not being the case, clearly even were they eligible you wouldn’t think he would fly the horse over and make the 5* debut that soon.
What is wrong with Roxie?
MJ is on a list of riders supposedly coming over for a new event in Aiken IIRC. Several top Euros are supposedly coming over if they can catch ride horses here. Too expensive to fly a horse over that early I think. I read that a while back but haven’t heard anything about it since then.
He’s currently out Eventing somewhere today.
isnt WEG considered 5*?
They were looking for borrowed horses for the European riders, no one is bringing a horse over as far as I know.
That’s not entirely clear. She was withdrawn from WEG last year with an injury, and hasn’t been out since. Details:
http://eventingnation.com/michael-jung-withdraws-fischerrocana-fst-from-weg/
Some of his eventers (Corazon, Choclat, Go for S) are already FEI registered for the season, some aren’t (Wild Wave, Lennox 364, fischerGreenline) - which is to say that may mean something or it may not. She isn’t.
No, not since Normandy. Tryon was a 3* (now 4*), and if WEG continues beyond that, it will be at 4* level, not 5*.
No. It’s same as Olympics. 5* level dressage and SJ but 4* level xc.
Thanks 
Will someone please please please lend Michael Jung a horse for this? I really want to see him ride, since he missed WEG. So far looks like only Andrew Hoy & William Fox-Pitt have rides.
OH YESSSSSSS what is a little sad, is that both Boyd and Phillip seem to have an embarrassment of riches at the moment, but OTOH, I can see even if it is MJ or any other big time rider, do you want to put them on a horse just facing the big time? On your horse? and if they win… how do you look next time out? It isn’t as if there are a lot of horses available? I surely hope you get your hope. If the situation was reversed, would big time Germans loan their horses to an American contingent should we be going over there for a 3 *?
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