FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing 2015: Germany Comes Out On Top Again

The German national anthem rang out yet again as the team were victorious at Waregem (BEL), seventh leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing 2015, where they beat the home side of Belgium by nearly 50 penalties.

This was Germany’s third win this season, following victories at Houghton Hall (GBR) and Aachen (GER), but Britain, who have participated in the most contests, still head the FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing leaderboard by a significant nine points going into the last leg at Boekelo (NED) next month.

Germany led throughout at Waregem and was the only team to have all four riders complete Tom Ryckewaert’s (BEL) excellent Cross Country course.

Team members Andreas Ostholt (Pennsylvania 28), Julia Krajewski (Samourai du Thot), Anna-Maria Rieke (Petite Dame) and Andreas Dibowski on the veteran FRH Butts Avedon finished second, fifth, sixth and 15th respectively. Belgium’s best rider was Julian Despontin, in eighth place on Waldano 36.

The Netherlands finished third, with the experienced Tim Lips their best rider in 17th place on Trademark, more than 50 penalties behind Belgium.

The Cross Country phase proved influential – especially the elusive optimum time – and considerably re-ordered the leaderboard, producing a surprise individual CIC3* winner in British team member Nana Dalton (GBR) on Abbeylara Prince.

Waregem is not an easy track on which to make up time, as it has some wooded sections, and Dalton was the only rider to come home with time penalties in single figures; she had been only 26th after Dressage and 14th after a clear Jumping round.

Australia was second after the Dressage and Jumping phases by only 5.8 penalties, but the individual leader, Christopher Burton, retired Tempranillo after a couple of run-outs on the Cross Country and Andrew Hoy had three refusals at fence 18 on Algebra, dropping the team to fifth. Paul Tapner finished best of the quartet in individual fourth place on Bonza King of Rouges.

Britain ended up in fourth place after team member Sarah Bullimore had a run-out with Reve du Rouet in the water complex (fences 22-23). Her team mate Francis Whittington had a rider fall from West Side here, and Coral Keen also fell, at fence 19, from Wellshead Fare Opposition.

The scene is now set for a thrilling finale at Boekelo, which always attracts a strong field.

Great Britain will be under pressure to hang on for a second FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing victory since the series inception in 2012, but the mighty Germans, defending champions, will press them right to the line, and both nations will have to fend off challenges from Australia, France and the flying Kiwis.

Germany scored its third win in FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing this season, this time at Waregem (BEL), from left to right: Andreas Dibowski, Annamaria Rieke, Andreas Ostholt and Julia Krajewski. (Hanna Broms/FEI)

Results from Waregem

1 Germany, 179.0
Andreas Ostholt/Pennsylvania 28, 57.6; Julia Krajewski/Samourai du Thot, 59.9; Anna-Maria Rieke/Petite Dame, 61.5; (Andreas Dibowski/FRH Butts Avedon, 69.5)

2 Belgium, 227.6
Julian Despontin/Waldano 36, 63.8; Joris Vanspringel/Lully des Aulnes, 67.9; Pieter de Cleene/Havanna van’t Castaneahof, 95.9; (Virginie Caulier/Nepal de Sudre, RET Cross Country);

3 Netherlands, 280.5
Tim Lips/Trademark, 72.1; Alice Naber-Lozeman/Coral Estate Harry Belafonte, 102.3; Nienke Van Roekel/Coral Estate Sagnoi, 106.1; (Raf Kooremans/MC B Vulcano, EL Cross Country)

4 Great Britain, 1142.8
Nana Dalton/Abbeylara Prince, 59.6; Sarah Bullimore/Reve du Rouet, 85.9; Coral Keen/Wellshead Fare Opposition, EL Cross Country; (Francis Whittington/West Side, EL Cross Country)

5 Australia, 1147.9
Paul Tapner/Bonza King of Rouges, 58.4; Sam Griffiths/Foxdon Sunny Jim, 89.5; Christopher Burton/Tempranillo, RET Cross Country; (Andrew Hoy/Algebra, EL Cross Country)

6 France, 1174.5
Helene Vattier/Quito de Balière, 68.6; Regis Prud’Hon/Debiut, 105.9; Geoffroy Soullez/Qokery Ko, EL Cross Country; (Koris Vieules/Rejoind Moi, EL Cross Country)

FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing 2015 Leaderboard after 7 out 8 events
1 Great Britain 49 points
2 Germany 40
3 Australia 35
4 France 32
5 Netherlands 29
6 Belgium 17
7 Ireland 15
8 Sweden 10
9 New Zealand 9
10 USA 7
11 Spain 6
12= Poland 4
12= Canada 4

FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing 2015: Germany Jumps Into Contention With First Win In Britain

The German team made their first appearance in FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing 2015 a winning one when they arrived on British soil and captured the third leg in the beautiful and historic surroundings of Houghton Hall (GBR) this weekend.

The home side, Great Britain, finished second out of the six teams and now heads the FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing leaderboard by just one point from France, who came third at Houghton Hall. Both nations have competed in all legs this season so far. The Netherlands took fourth place, ahead of Spain, fifth, and a three-man Australian team placed sixth.

Although Germany has enjoyed great success in the FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing, winning two out of three series, this is the first time they have managed to triumph at the British leg.

“We are very happy to win here in England,” said team manager Hans Melzer. “The three boys were all clear inside the time, which meant that Sandra [Auffarth, the team anchor], on a younger horse, could afford not to rush and let the horse find a rhythm.”

He added: “The facilities here are super and the Cross Country was really fun and encouraged forward riding. The ground was perfect after the rain.”

Andreas Ostholt was pathfinder for the German team on his lovely horse So Is It and eventually finished second behind French team member Luc Chateau (Propriano de l’Ebat), who led throughout the competition, only adding 1.6 Cross Country time penalties to his excellent Dressage mark of 35.3.

“I’m really happy with the little guy,” Ostholt said of his horse. “I always enjoy coming to Houghton; it’s one of the best events in England.”

His team mates, 20-year-old Niklas Bischorer (Tom Tom Go 3), who is currently based in Britain, and the very experienced Dirk Schrade (Hop And Skip), were fourth and fifth. World champion Sandra Auffarth on Ispo added 9.6 Cross Country time faults to her Dressage score of 50.2 to finish 20th.

Former dual European champion Pippa Funnell (GBR), called into service for the British team, finished third on Billy the Biz, one of the young competition horses produced by the Funnells’ Billy Stud.

“We are all really excited to have finished second to such a strong German team with an inexperienced team of horses,” said Funnell.

Sarah Bullimore (GBR) was 10th on Conpierre and Francis Whittington (GBR) was 12th on West Side. Young rider Georgie Strang (GBR), who made her FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing debut at Ballindenisk (IRL) last month, was 16th on Ascot H.

The French were second after Dressage, but lost ground when their best-placed rider, Alexis Gomez (Rien Qu’un Crack), had a run-out when lying in fifth place.

Tim Lips (NED) was the best-placed of the Netherlands team, in sixth on Bayro, but Merel Blom incurred 20 penalties on Chiccolino and Jan van Beek was eliminated on Diamond Lancer.

Alberto Hermoso Farras finished best of the Spanish team, in 29th place on Mirla. Kevin McNab, ninth on Casperelli, was best of the Australian team but they only started with three riders and their chances went when Andrew Hoy and The Blue Frontier were eliminated on the Cross Country.

Next month the action moves to Strzegom in Poland, scene of the 2017 FEI European Championships, where it’s anticipated that the mighty Germans will strengthen their position on the leaderboard.

Germany wins leg three of FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing 2015 (centre), with Great Britain (left) placing second and France third at the beautiful and historic Houghton Hall (GBR). (Trevor Holt/FEI)

Results at Houghton Hall (GBR)

1 Germany 131.3
Andreas Ostholt/So Is It, 41.0; Niklas Bischorer/Tom Tom Go 3, 45.0; Dirk Schrade/Hop And Skip, 45.3; (Sandra Auffarth/Ispo, 59.8)

2 Great Britain, 146.1
Pippa Funnell/Billy the Biz, 42.0; Sarah Bullimore/Conpierre, 50.6;
Francis Whittington/West Side, 53.5; (Georgie Strang/Ascot H, 55.1)

3 France, 157.7
Luc Chateau/Propriano de l’Ebat, 36.9; Regis Prud’hon/Debiut, 59.0; Camille Lejeune/R’ du Temps Bliniere, 61.8; (Alexis Gomez/Rien Qu’un Crack, 71.4)

4 The Netherlands, 246.3
Tim Lips/Bayro, 45.8; Iris Pemen/Weerings Junior, 90.5; Merel Blom/Chiccolino, 110.0; (Jan van Beek/Diamond Lancer, 1,000)

5 Spain, 251.5
Albert Hermosa Farras/Mirla, 69.9; Manuel Senra Chover/Cruising By, 88.9; Eduardo Via-Dufresne Mestres/Eclipse del Trebol, 92.7; (David Roldan Menacho/Ingrato, 1,000)

6 Australia, 1114.8
Kevin McNab/Casperelli, 48.2; Christopher Burton/Monarchs Exclusive, 66.6; Andrew Hoy/The Blue Frontier, 1,000

FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing 2015 Leaderboard after 3 out 8 events

1 Great Britain 28 points

2 France 27 points

3 = Australia 14

3 = The Netherlands 14

5 Germany 11

6 Ireland 9

7 Spain 6