In the Prix St. Georges CSI1*, Chris von Martels and Londoncrown opened their week with victory and a score of 73.235% from judges Cesar Torrente (COL), Debbie Rodriguez (USA), and Maria Colliander (FIN). Second place went to Anna Marek (USA) and Duvel, a 15-year-old KWPN gelding by Florencio 2 x Metall owned by Cynthia Davila, who scored 71.176%, while Jovanna Stepan (USA) and Fürstin Romantica, her own 14-year-old Hanoverian mare by Fürst Romancier x Sandro Hit, were third with 69.951%.

Von Martels and “London” have been paired together for a year, and the Olympian sees promise in his young mount, which was only the horse’s fourth small tour class.

“I love her, and I think it’s really a fabulous horse for the future,” he said of the 10-year-old Hanoverian mare by Londontime x San Amour. “She has a lot of quality and certainly the personality that I think it takes to be a real contender. We’ve only done a few shows so far, but I think we’re off to a good start. I never really like to say my goals too quickly, but of course I have big aspirations for her.”

Having competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and won gold, silver, and bronze medals at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada, von Martels appreciates the opportunity that WEC provides him and his horse.

“I think it’s a really great learning opportunity for the horses,” he explained. “It gives you a real international feeling when you have to go from the warm-up down the chute into the Grand Arena. The majority of major games have a similar feeling, so it’s a nice possibility for riders to have that feeling here.”

Von Martels and Londoncrown will make their way through the impressive in-gate of the Grand Arena once again on Friday when they contest the Intermediate 1 CSI1*.