Rebecca Ashton reports from Gothenburg and the Euro Champs
All class – Peder Fredricson and H&M All In lead the field ((FEI/Claes Jakobsson)
Today saw the first round of the teams jumping and while Sweden went from strength to strength to move up to the top of the leader board, improving on their qualifying score from yesterday, France slipped down the table from 2nd to 8th. Kevin Staut on the 16-year-old Reveur de Hurtebise HDC was the only team member to go clear with his other team mates picking up nine faults each. Despite the position slide for the team, Kevin improved his own standings by one place finishing 4th. Roger Yves Bost later explained of his round on Sangria du Coty, “She was a bit hard in the mouth since I rode her so fast yesterday, so the faults were my faults. This is sport. I need to ride better tomorrow.”
Clear for Kevin Staut! (Rebecca Ashton pic)
Ireland crept up the leader board to sit in 3rd, despite a disastrous round by poor Bertram Allen. His 10-year-old grey, Hector van d’Abdijhoeve, just couldn’t seem to get an eye lock on the pale coloured number 10 fence, crashing through it twice, the second time resulting in Bertram landing in the dirt and walking out of the arena on his own two feet in elimination.
But he does get to jump again under Nations Cup rules (Rebecca Ashton pic)
However two clear rounds from Denis Lynch on All Star 5 and Shane Sweetnam on Chaqui Z, secured the number three spot. Shane later told, “It is a difficult course today, you have to take chances, a lot of horses are looking at the wall and the waterline is difficult. I think the course designer has done a good job.”
Clear for Shane Sweetnam (Rebecca Ashton pic)
Joining them in equal 3rd position was Belgium, with every rider jumping clear today. That was a big jump from their overnight position of 8th. Niels Bruynseels praised his mare Cas de Liberte afterwards, “It was a difficult course today and my horse has a small canter. I had a plan before but changed it during the course. She tries every round harder and harder. I have to thank my horse today because she fought for me.”
more follows below
Niels Bruynseels and Cas de Liberte (Rebecca Ashton pic)
Switzerland slipped from 1st to 2nd. Although Saura de Fondcombe and Nadja Peter Steiner’s 13 faults was the drop score, Steve Guerdat and Bianca also knocked a rail creating too many faults to retain their number one.
Steve Guerdat and Bianca have a rail (Rebecca Ashton pic)
However Martin Fuchs and 11-year-old Clooney 51 (by Cornet Obolensky) managed a clear despite their round being, “A bit of a wild ride.” He also noted, “There is no water tomorrow and that’s good for us.”
Clooney – wild but clear (Rebecca Ashton pic) – more below
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Team Sweden had just one rail between them when second last combination Zacramento and Douglas Lindelöw just knocked the top off the last fence to the crowd’s collective gasp.
Zacramento and Douglas Lindelöw ((FEI/Claes Jakobsson)
But not to fear, they attained the overnight leader position lead by yesterday’s stars Peder Fredricson and H&M All In, who are the only combination yet to pick up a fault, refusing to let go of the number one spot. Remember this pair went all through the Rio Games without a rail!
Peder Fredricson and H&M All In – clear again Photo FEI/Richard Juilliart)
Henrik von Eckermann and his Montendo mare Mary Lou 104 had just one time, an improvement on his 9 faults from yesterday. “I had a bit more pressure on today so that the mistake from yesterday would not happen, therefore she gets hotter and sharper and that type of riding takes a bit more time,” he later explained.
Henrik von Eckermann and Mary Lou (Rebecca Ashton pic)
So far there has been just the one double clear round from Peder Fredrikson and nine more with just time with the top three individual positions remaining unchanged. Germany’s Marcus Ehning and Pret A Tout remain in 2nd.
Marcus Ehning and Pret A Tout ((FEI/Claes Jakobsson)
The delightful Luciana Diniz and Fit For Fun are sitting in 3rd spot. Luciana praised her little mare, “She was amazing today again. I was actually flying, we were so connected.”
Luciana Diniz and Fit For Fun (Rebecca Ashton pic)
Tomorrow will wrap up the teams event….but we’ll have to wait until midnight…..yes, midnight! (that’s when the comp finishes) to know the final result. Here’s hoping your “woman on the ground” can stay awake!
The Dutch have not had a great show – Marc Houtzager and Sterrehof’s Calimero
come to grief at the wall (Rebecca Ashton pic)
Keep up-to-date with what’s happening at the Euro Champs: http://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2017/08/euro-showjumping-day-one/
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