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
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
Gerrit-Jan Swinkels (67), President of Indoor Brabant, the world-famous equestrian event in ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NED), died suddenly yesterday at the age of 67 while riding on the Belgian coast at Knokke-Heist in West Flanders.
A passionate horseman, racing driver and diplomat, Swinkels was highly respected as a visionary and renowned for his ability to bring athletes, officials, sponsors and the media together to promote equestrian sport.
He also used his natural entrepreneurial skills to make ground-breaking progress in the sport, including being a driving force as President of the Board of Directors of Springpaarden Fonds Nederland (SFN), which is dedicated to developing Jumping horses and creating winning Dutch Jumping partnerships at FEI Nations Cup™ events, FEI Championships and Olympic Games.
Swinkels became President of Indoor Brabant in 2002 and planned to hand over to his successor in 2017 during the event’s 50th anniversary.
“Gerrit-Jan was a wonderful person, and thanks to him the profile of equestrian sport has grown tremendously”, said John Roche, FEI Jumping Director. “The sport has lost one of its greatest friends, enthusiasts and supporters, and an immeasurable void has been left. We will all miss him greatly.”
Gerrit-Jan Swinkels (NED), President of Indoor Brabant, died suddenly yesterday at the age of 67. He is pictured here with his horse Tennessee W, ridden by Dutch athlete Henk van de Pol. (Photo: Jacob Melissen)
Indoor Brabant has welcomed the world’s best indoor Jumping, Dressage and Driving athletes as part of the prestigious FEI World Cup™ series. The first of nine FEI World Cup™ Dressage Finals was held at Indoor Brabant in 1986, with the first FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final staged here in 1994. In 2012, the first joint FEI World Cup™ Jumping and Dressage Final was then held, and many qualifiers for these series, and for the FEI World Cup™ Driving, have taken place at the Indoor Brabant.
“It has been a real honour to have Gerrit-Jan as a close personal friend,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “As well as a great sense of humour, he had the magnetism and drive needed to grow equestrian sport, and for this he was valued internationally. Indoor Brabant has been a huge success under his Presidency, with the event welcoming the world’s best indoor Jumping, Dressage and Driving athletes as part of the FEI World Cup series. The equestrian community has lost a true soul mate and my thoughts are with his wife Anja and the children.”
The FEI expresses its sincere condolences to Gerrit-Jan Swinkels’ family and friends, the Royal Dutch Equestrian Federation (KNHS) and the global equestrian community.
Team Great Britain produced a superb back-to-back double in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Europe Division 1 League when following up their success at La Baule, France a week ago with another extraordinary victory at Piazza di Siena in Rome, Italy today. It was another nail-biting competition that came down to a fierce battle with the reigning Furusiyya champions from The Netherlands this time around. And, not for the first time in his long and legendary career, the result was sealed by the master craftsman John Whitaker.
It was his younger brother, 55-year-old Michael, who clinched it for his side at the French fixture seven days ago, but today Michael’s single time fault could have cost his country dearly. Because if John, who turns 60 in August, left a fence on the floor second time out, then all the glory would go to the Dutch. But instead he produced one of four double-clear rounds to ensure pole position and a standing ovation for his team from the enthusiastic Italian crowd.
Sweden lined up third behind The Netherlands while Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Qatar and Belgium filled the remaining places.
Pictured at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 qualifier in Abu Dhabi, UAE today (L to R) : Faisal Al Ali, Vice-President Emirates Equestrian Federation, Patrick Aoun, Brand Manager Longines, winning Qatari team members Ali Yousef Al Rumaihi and Khalid Al Emadi, Chef d’Equipe Willem Meeus, team member Bassem Hassan Mohammed, coach Jan Tops and team member Sheikh Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani, Stephan Ellenbruch, Foreign Judge, Saeed Mohammad Bin Hofaan Al Mansouri, Ghantoot Racing and Polo Club and Ahmad Ali Al Nuami, General Manager Ghantoot Racing and Polo Club. (FEI/Richard Juilliart)
Judgement and skill
Another hero of the day today was master Italian course-designer Uliano Vezzani whose judgement and skill was tested to the limit by appalling weather conditions that seriously affected the arena surface. Thunderous rain prior to the competition made the going deep and sloppy, and he took the decision to lower rails, reduce spreads and take over a metre off the stretch of the open water in order to ensure the welfare of horses was not compromised in any way. Yet he still produced an afternoon of intense competition that went right down to the wire.
The British were already out in front on a zero score at the halfway stage after foot-perfect runs from Michael and John Whitaker, and John’s son Robert. Relative newcomer, 25-year-old Holly Gillott, hit the second element of the Longines triple combination at fence seven and both elements of the penultimate double to provide the British discount score first time out with Dougie Douglas.
The open water was the fourth fence on the track and provided few problems but the following oxer hit the floor on several occasions while the planks vertical at six required a careful approach off a sweeping left-hand turn and it was here that Dutch pathfinder and reigning World double-gold medallist Jeroen Dubbeldam made an error with Zenith. However the biggest drama of the first round was provided by Italy’s Piergiorgio Bucci when, clear all the way to the final planks, his stallion, Casall Z, drifted to the right on this left-bending line and galloped past the fence. The crowd was dumb-struck as the pair were awarded a total of six faults from which their side could not recover.
Rallied brilliantly
The Swiss rallied superbly with three fault-free rounds second time out that included a double-clear for pathfinders Jane Richard Philips and Pablo Virton, but it was all too late to put them back in the game with 16 faults already on the board. And a nasty fall for Jos Verlooy and Farfelu de la Pomme when the mare left out a stride at the final element of the combination put paid to Belgian chances. The team from Qatar inched ahead of them to fill seventh place at the end of the day while the Spanish held their ground when adding just four faults to finish on a total of 12. And Sweden also stood firm, thanks in no small part to superb double-clears from Angelie von Essen (Jordan ll) and Henrik von Eckermann (Cantinero).
But it was the Dutch who chased the British all the way to the line, Dubbeldam’s second four-fault effort followed by three great clears from Maikel van der Vleuten (VDL Groep Verdi) and Jur Vrieling (VDL Zirocco Blue) whose horses never touched a pole all day to leave them on their first-round four-fault tally.
The British team celebrate on the podium after victory at the second leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Europe Division 1 League at La Baule, France today: (L to R) Michael Whitaker, Spencer Roe, Di Lampard (Chef d’Equipe), Joe Clee and Guy Williams. (FEI/Eric Knoll)
Boost British chances
Gillott produced a copybook second round to boost British chances, but a mistake at the very last fence for Robert Whitaker and Catwalk IV put the pressure on, and although Michael Whitaker and Cassionata were also free of jumping faults they passed the 80-seconds time-allowed to collect a single time fault and suddenly it was critical. Because if John Whitaker could not stay clear then his team would have to count that single fault and would have to settle for runner-up spot with a total of five.
The crowd watched intently as he set off, last to go and with everything hanging in the balance. And Argento ensured that his rider had plenty of riding to do as he pulled his way around the course, but leaving all the timber intact to the great joy of the appreciative crowd. This was Great Britain’s ninth victory in the 83-year history of CSIO Rome, and the spectators enjoyed every moment of it.
Great one to win
“This is a great one to win and it was important for us to do well today because we were looking for points. Everyone rode fantastic!”, John said afterwards. And talking about the hands-on ride he experienced in both rounds with Argento he pointed out, “he’s a stallion and he’s a bit full of himself because its spring! He’s a lovely horse, not as difficult to ride as he might seem, he’s so careful at the jumps – he really wants to clear every fence and that’s a fantastic feeling”, he explained.
Holly Gillott was understandably delighted. “For my horse it wasn’t easy on the wet ground, it rained for one whole hour before we started and he didn’t like the going, he got tired and flattened at the combinations but he came back really well in the second round.”
“There were so many Whitakers on the team I was worried that we might not win, so it’s a relief!”, joked Michael Whitaker. Robert Whitaker really enjoyed the family feeling today. Asked if riding alongside Michael and John puts him under pressure he replied, “it’s less pressure actually because I’m riding with my family and it feels very different. We probably try even harder when we are all together, it’s great!”
For further information on the eighth leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 series at Piazza di Siena in Rome, Italy visit http://www.piazzadisiena.com
The next leg will take place in Lisbon, Portugal on Friday 29 May. For details of the Portuguese fixture go to http://www.sociedadehipica.pt
Result:
1. Great Britain 1 fault: Dougie Douglas (Holly Gillott) 12/0, Catwalk IV (Robert Whitaker) 0/4, Cassionato (Michael Whitaker) 0/1, Argento (John Whitaker) 0/0.
2. Netherlands 4 faults: Zenith NOP (Jeroen Dubbeldam) 4/4, VDL Groep Verdi TN NOP (Maikel van der Vleuten) 0/0, VDL Zirocco Blue NOP (Jur Vrieling) 0/0, Glock’s Cognac Champblanc (Gerco Schroder) 8/0.
3. Sweden 8 faults: Udermus (Douglas Lindelow) 12/8, Bonzai H (Helena Persson) 4/4, Jordan ll (Angelie Von Essen) 0/0, Cantinero (Henrik von Eckermann) 0/0.
4. Spain 12 faults: Eliot Dws (Manuel Fernandez Saro) 0/4, Gribouille du Lys (Pilar Lucrecia Cordon) 4/4, Rokfeller de Pleville Bois Margot (Eduardo Alvarez Aznar) 12/0, Carlo (Sergio Alvarez Moya) 4/0.
5. Switzerland 16 faults: Pablo de Virton (Jane Richard Philips) 0/0, Windsor XV (Niklaus Rutschi) 12/0, Bonne Chance CW (Janika Sprunger) 4/0, Corbinian (Steve Guerdat) 12/4.
6. Italy 18 faults: Fixdesign Funke Van’T Heike (Giulia Martinengo Marquet) 0/8, Erco van T Roosakker (Lorenzo de Luca) 4/4, For Passion (Daniele Augusto da Rios) 8/0, Casallo Z (Piergiorgio Bucci) 6/4.
7. Qatar 21 faults: Gunder (Ali Yousef Al Rumaihi) 8/4, Appagino 2 (Hamad Ali Mohamed Al Attiyah) 4/4, Vienna Olympic (Sheikh Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani) 4/4, Primeval Dejavu (Bassem Hassan Mohammed) 0/5.
8. Belgium 28 faults: Echo van T Spieveld (Niels Bruynseels) 4/4, Sea Coast Pebles Z (Gudrun Patteet) 4/0, Farvelu de la Pomme (Jos Verlooy) 16/Elim, Bisquet Balou C (Nicola Philippaerts) 4/12.
At the prize-giving for today’s third leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Europe Division 1 League at Piazza di Siena in Rome, Italy where Great Britain reigned supreme: (L to R) On. Sandro Gozi, FISE President Vittorio Orlandi, Gen. Roberto Corsini, Michael Whitaker, Robert Whitaker, British Chef d’Equipe Di Lampard, John Whitaker, Holly Gillott, FEI President Ingmar de Vos, Mr Majd Aldrees, Deputy Chef de Mission Saudi Arabian Embassy Rome, Elisa Gasparini, Brand Manager Longines Italy. (FEI/Stefano Secchi)
Facts and Figures:
Piazza di Siena, located in the beautiful Villa Borghese public park in the heart of the city of Rome, Italy, was the venue for today’s third leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Europe Division 1 League.
A total of 8 nations competed, with 5 – Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and Sweden – chasing points towards the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ 2015 Final which will take place in Barcelona, Spain from 24-27 September.
The Belgian team were defending the title they won at Piazza di Siena in 2014.
11 clear rounds in first round.
The British were in the lead on a zero score at the halfway stage and won with just a single time-fault to add.
6 double-clear performances – from Switzerland’s Jane Richard Philips (Pablo de Virton), Sweden’s Angelie Von Essen (Jordan ll) and Henrik von Eckermann (Cantinero), The Netherlands’ Maikel van der Vleuten (VDL Groep Verdi) and Jur Vrieling (VDL Zirocco Blue NOP) and Great Britain’s John Whitaker (Argento).
Following today’s third leg of the Europe Division 1, France still heads the league table with Italy in second and Belgium in third place.
The next leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 series is the third round of the Europe Division 2 League which will take place in Lisbon, Portugal on Friday 29 May.
Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ 2015 Europe Division I Standings (after Round 3 in Rome, Italy):
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