Riders from the Netherlands won the fourth leg of the USA and third to the Belgians.
The Dutch team went into the lead after great cross-country rounds at yesterday’s demanding track, and even some knockdowns in the jumping did not threaten their win. The best result on the team belonged to Janneke Boonzaaijer with ACSI Champ de Tailleur. She had one down today, but ultimately finished third with 40,5. Sanne de Jong with Enjoy ended up on fifth - 43,8. The team was also represented by Merel Blom-Hulsman with Chinuk R and Stephan Hazeleger with Gold Rush. The Dutch finished with a collective score of 133,8.
„I think the team riders performed so well that actually in the end it was quite easy to win! - said the smiling chef d’equipe Andrew Hefferman - I’m joking, of course. It was a really tough competition, it was really refreshing to see such a strong, forward-thinking and demanding cross-country course. I think it was really good for the sport. The guys performed fantastic.”
Second place on the podium went to the USA – 142,8, who became vice-leaders after dressage and kept it throughout the three trials. The American squad consisted of: Jennifer Caras with Trendy Fernhill, Cassie Sanger with Fernhill Zoro, Andrew Mc Connon with Ferrie's Cello and Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake. The latter had the best dressage score, dropped down to second after cross-country and secured that placing with a clear round today – 35,7.
The Belgians topped of the podium: Tine Magnus and Champagne Pia Z, Karin Donckers and Leipheimer van't Verahof, Julien Despontin and Honeyblue and Jarno Verwimp riding Kyba van de Jomaheide – 166,1. They jumped up from fifth after dressage and fourth after XC. The home team of Poland did not manage to finish the rivalry. The last athlete – Julia Gillmaier – withdrew her mare Red Dream Princes before the showjumping to save her strength for the next challenges of the season.
In the individual classification of the CCIO4*S, the winner was Lea Siegl aboard the 13-year-old Van Helsing P – 33,3. The Austrian rider took the lead after the cross country, jumping up from seventh after dressage, and went clear in the showjumping today.
There were no surprises in the 4*L, the most demanding class of the event. The winner was Michael Jung with 10-year-old Kilcandra Ocean Power. He took the lead in the dressage, added overtime points in the cross country and performed a brilliant clear on the showjumping course (44,7). Second place went to Merel Blom-Hulsman (NED) with Vesuve d’Aveyron (52,2), and third to Mia Hastrup (DEN) with Constantin M (59,1).
Swiss athlete Felix Vogg stood on the highest step of the podium in the 3*L, after a clear jumping round. He rode Dao de l’Ocean – 40,5. Janneke Boonzaaijer with Coffee IJS finished second, only 0,3 behind him, and third went to Philip Ryan (IRL) with Amansara – 48,5.
In the 2*L, the win went to Desirée Schmidt (SUI) with Freestyl de la Cense, after a “double clear” – 33,9. She finished before the German Andreas Dibowski with Lillet 3 – 35,8, and Brooke Schmid riding Giandra V. Schloesslihof - 38,2.
The 2*S was dominated by Swedish rider Louise Romeike, who took the win with Rockett 19 (26,0) and second with Extravagance (29,0). Germany’s Nina Schultes was third with DSP Danakil Desert – 31,0. The highest-ranked Pole was Weronika Król i Look At Her, who finished eighth with 38,9.
Polish riders were unbeatable in the junior 2*S. After two clear rounds, the winner was Karolina Miś with Go Jack – 31,1, and a close second went to Zuzanna Społowicz with polish-bred Bankier – 31,4. German Matti Garlichs with Ludwig 282 was third with 31,7. In the Pony class, the best score belonged to Anni Müller (GER) with Nightys Flashlight (30,7). Ben Leuwer (GER) wont the 1*-Intro with Balou’s Mascot M – 28,6.
280 horse-and-rider combinations representing 24 countries took part in the 20th jubilee edition of the event.
Nations Cup classification:
1. The Netherlands - 133,8
2. USA - 142,8
3. Belgium - 166,1
