After the collective act and a few lingering hints of Californian beaches drifting all the way to North Rhine-Westphalia, the World Championships in Aachen switched this Friday into their second chapter: the Grand Prix Special. Thirty combinations, an individual medal to chase and, behind that, another little game: finishing among the eighteen allowed to contest Saturday’s Freestyle. For Belgium, before Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus entered the arena, Larissa Pauluis and Flambeau did the job. Not quite the way they would have wanted, but enough to extend the weekend.

Red light, green light, dressage edition

After two days of Grand Prix, a team medal and a first natural selection, only thirty combinations returned to Aachen’s main arena this Friday for the Grand Prix Special. The FEI does indeed programme this Special as the first individual final of the World Championships, before Saturday evening’s Grand Prix Freestyle.

This time, there was no more counting the points of your mates. Every rider for themselves, God for all, and the judges in the middle.

With, still, a second objective behind the pursuit of the best possible ranking: earning a ticket to the Freestyle. Eighteen places. Not one more. And with the limit on the number of combinations from the same nation, sometimes you need the calculator more than the binoculars.

A kind of Red Light, Green Light, dressage edition. First one to move loses.

With Jeroen Devroe and Wim Verwimp failing to make the Grand Prix cut, Belgian hopes rested on two combinations: Larissa Pauluis with Flambeau, then Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus. The latter had, incidentally, finished second in the Grand Prix with 80.885%, behind Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour.

In other words, the flat country still had a few cartridges left.

Clear off if you don’t like the sun

And since the thermometer had also decided to take part in the World Championships, the day’s programme was split into two sessions. One in the morning, another in the late afternoon, with a long break in the middle allowing the horses — and probably a few humans — to avoid the full-scale barbecue on the Soers plain.

Larissa Pauluis was in the “morning session”. Well, sort of: she entered the arena at 12:19.

Flambeau, evidently, had nothing against the idea of soaking up a little more sun.

The Belgian by adoption therefore took his rider through eight minutes of Grand Prix Special. Eight minutes rather in keeping with the weather of the day: some very beautiful sunny spells, followed by a few much cloudier passages.

« I think I started very well.» Larissa analysed after leaving the arena.« I thought the beginning of my test was really good. » »

And it was.

The pair settled into their test, found their rhythm and seemed ready to go after a big score. Until a few grains of sand slipped into the machine.

Two mistakes that cost dearly

The first came in the two-time changes. The second in the extended canter. Two moments which, in a World Championship Grand Prix Special, can quickly cost a lot more than a front-row deckchair on the beach in Knokke.

« It’s a shame, he got a little behind my legs when he changed ” Larissa regretted. Then Flambeau played another little trick on her: « He steals my extended canter, he doesn’t listen well enough. I was expecting it a little, so I was prepared, but he still did it.” »

And at this level, the judges do not hand out loyalty points.

“Those two movements cost me an enormous number of points. I am a little disappointed because I really thought he could do a very, very good score today.”

Verdict: 72,325 %.

At that point in the competition, Larissa Pauluis and Flambeau occupied provisional tenth place.

Not exactly the dream score when entering the arena. But enough to trigger the second event of the day: mathematics.

Get the calculators out

Because in Aachen this Friday, it was not enough to know how to piaffe. You also needed to have paid attention in maths class.

Pauluis was tenth. Ten combinations still had to enter the arena after the break. In the catastrophe scenario where all ten went ahead of her, the Belgian would therefore slide down to twentieth place.

Ouch.

Except.

Among those final ten competitors were, notably, a German and a Dane. But three combinations from each of those nations already occupied qualifying positions, and only three representatives per country can access the Freestyle.

Still following?

Neither were we at first.

But after taking out paper, pencil, a calculator and probably asking someone who had done advanced maths to confirm it: in the worst-case scenario, Larissa Pauluis would indeed still collect one of the eighteen qualifying places for the Freestyle. Phew.

She already knew it when she came out of the arena.

« “I will be in the 18 for the Freestyle. That was kind of the goal. Today was a bit mixed, but he can also really fly in the Freestyle and do something great. »

So much for the sums.

The FEI confirms that the Grand Prix Freestyle, the final individual dressage final, will take place on Saturday evening from 7 p.m., under the lights of the main stadium.

45,000 reasons to come back

And maybe Saturday evening will ultimately suit Flambeau even better.

Because a Freestyle is another story. Music, a test built to measure, a stadium on fire and that very particular feeling Aachen knows how to produce better than many other places on the horse planet.

Larissa Pauluis is already looking forward to it.

« The crowd was incredible. I have never ridden with that many people. 45,000 people, I think, for the Freestyle. So it is going to be something. »

With, somewhere in the middle of that human tide, a few touches of black, yellow and red.

« I saw lots of flags, it was really nice. It feels really good to be supported like that. It is hugely encouraging. »

So yes, Larissa Pauluis would have wanted more than 72.325%. She had begun her test with the feeling, and the ambition, of aiming much higher.

But in a championship, there are days when you win. And days when the essential thing is simply to stay in the game.

Larissa and Flambeau are still in it.

Next step: the Freestyle. And until then, Belgium can put the calculator away and focus on Justin Verboomen’s test.

Find the full results of the Grand Prix Special here