Olympic champion Julia Krajewski secured the necessary qualification for a potential place at the Paris Olympics at the international eventing competition in Montelibretti, Italy, in early November. She did so riding a Holsteiner. Riding the nine-year-old Nickel by Numero Uno-Lorentin I (Hindrick Stüvel, Rosengarten) from line 4303, Julia Krajewski finished second in a four-star event (CCI4*-L) at the end of the season. Krajewski and Nickel took the lead in the dressage and maintained it after the cross-country. However, a knockdown at the very first obstacle of the final show jumping round cost the pair victory by the narrowest of margins. “Nickel performed well. It’s certainly reassuring to start the new year with qualification already secured,” said the rider afterwards. Whether she will actually compete in Paris, and on which horse, remains to be seen, however, as both Nickel and her second horse are still very young.
“I’m incredibly proud of Nickel’s progress,” said Julia Krajewski in the summer, as the Holsteiner has shone with outstanding performances despite his limited experience at four-star level, finishing third in Luhmühlen (GER) and winning in Arville (FRA), amongst other results. In Montelibretti, the promising young Holsteiner has once again impressively confirmed the excellent form he has shown throughout the season.

Photo: Stefan Lafrentz