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Federation
Equestre Internationale News
British Brilliant on Home Ground at Hickstead!
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The
British stormed to victory on their home ground in Hickstead today,
catapulting themselves into third position on the Samsung Super
League leaderboard and firmly underlining their return to the
top level of international show jumping.
Their
hunger for a win had been clear since early in the season and,
despite a disappointing result in Aachen, they looked to be ever-improving
in recent months but today they were simply the best, although
they were almost forced into a jump-off with France.
The
French were unlucky when a mistake from Michel Robert and Galet
DAuzay at the very last fence denied them a two-way jump-off
with the eventual winners and it was a close-fought thing right
to the end.
As
has happened so many times over the years, the derby-style Hickstead
fences produced plenty of surprises and Belgiums chances
were shattered when Dirk Demeersmans Clinton simply refused
to take on the water-jump and then Jean Claude Vangeenberghe also
suffered elimination as Richebourg appeared to become anxious
after clearing the water and jammed on the brakes at the following
double.
Unaware
that his team were now out of the competition, Stanny Van Paesschen
arrived into the ring with O de Pomme but was asked to leave and
Jos Lansink also found himself out of work for the day.
The
Irish kicked off the action and were looking good with two early
clears from Kevin Babington and Carling King and Cian OConnor
riding Waterford Crystal but anchorman Peter Charles had two fences
down with Corrada so Billy Twomeys four faults with Luidam
had to be counted at the end of the first round.
This
left them on level pegging with the French as both Reynald Angot
and Tlaloc M and Michel Robert went clear but Michel Hecart (Quilano
de Kalvarie) and Edouard Couperie (For de la Hardiere) had a pole
down.
Helena
Weinberg and Kasting Horses Gavi produced Germanys only
clear in the early stages but with eight faults they were still
well in contention at the end of Round 1 which Holland completed
with 16 faults on the board while Sweden and Italy brought up
the rear with 20 faults apiece.
The
Dutch rallied strongly in Round 2 with clears from Jan Tops (Grande
Dame), Wim Schroder (Eurocommerce Berlin) and Gert Jan Bruggink
(Joel) to finish fourth but, despite a very promising performance
from new recruits Emanuelle Fiorelli and Western Union Equinoxe
du Morin, who made just a single mistake over two excellent rounds
of the 12-fence track, Italy had to settle for seventh behind
Germany and Sweden who shared fifth position.
German
chances were not enhanced by a fall at the final oxer for Mylene
Diederichsmeier and the colossal Countess G who simply jumped
so big at this one that her jockey became unseated, and when Helena
lowered two fences second time out, Pia Luise Aufrecht added 12
more to eight first-round faults and Toni Hassmann and Collin
faulted once in each round they completed with 32 on the board.
Sweden
matched that tally although Maria Sundberg was eliminated when
the big-jumping Carlot refused twice at the double in Round 2.
It
was still very much hanging in the balance as the second round
evolved.
Cian
OConnor repeated the double-clear performance he had produced
at this fixture in 2002 when making it all look very easy once
more but all three remaining Irish riders faulted once, Peter
Charles being particularly unlucky as he cleared the treble which
is usually Corradas weak-point only to hit the second-last
as the mare began struggling for her head and lost her concentration.
Edouard
Couperie picked up 16 faults at his second attempt but Reynald
Angot was clear and with just one mistake for Michel Hecart the
French would force a tie-break with the British if Michel Robert
could leave all the fences standing.
There
was a gasp of disbelief however as the foot-perfect Galet DAuzay
tipped the last to leave them on level score with the Irish, but
for Britain, it was a clear-cut and well-deserved victory.
Nick
Skelton has made a remarkable recovery from the career-threatening
neck injury he suffered two years ago and his double-clear rounds
with Arko were absolutely classic.
Scott
Smith and Cabri dElle had a fence down in each round but
Richard Davenport and Luc almost matched Skeltons perfection
as they floated around the ring first time out and only the middle
element of the double caught them out at their second attempt.
Robert
Smith and Mr Springfield sealed the early advantage when fault-free
in round one and with just eight faults on the board after three
riders had completed their score could not be improved and the
Yorkshireman did not have to return to the ring as the result
was already confirmed.
"This
was a tremendous morale booster" said British Chef dEquipe
afterwards.
"Our
main objective for this year is to qualify for the Olympic Games
and then to stay in the Samsung Super League for next season but
we always wanted to win this one its special to us"
he said.
"I
only got nervous when I thought we really had a chance
I would have been happy if we had been within the top three so
Im really delighted this is a good feeling and great
for British show jumping" he added.
After
Hickstead France still heads the Samsung Super League leaderboard
with only a half-point advantage over the Irish while the British
have rocketed to third ahead of Germany in fourth, Belgium in
fifth and Holland, Sweden and Italy further down the order.
Results:
Great
Britain - 8 faults: Nick Skelton/Arko 0+0, Scott Smith/Cabri dElle
4+4, Richard Davenport/Luc 0+4, Robert Smith/Mr Springfield 0+DNS.
Equal 2. Ireland - 12 faults: Kevin Babington/Carling King 0+4,
Cian OConnor/Waterford Crystal 0+0, Billy Twomey/Luidam
4+4, Peter Charles/Corrada 8+4.
France
- 12 faults: Michel Hecart/Quilano de Kalvarie 4+4, Edouard Couperie/For
de la Hardiere 4+16, Reynald Angot/Tlaloc M 0+0, Michel Robert/Galet
dAuzay 0+4.
4.
Holland 16 faults: Gerco Schroder/Eurocommerce Geneve 8+8,
Jan Tops/Grande Damme 4+0, Wim Schroder/Eurocommerce Berlin 4+0,
Gert Jan Bruggink/Joel 8+0.
Equal
5. Germany - 32 faults: Toni Hassmann/Collin 4+4, Mylene Diedreichsmeier/Countess
G 4+29, Pia-Luise Aufrecht/Hofgut Liederbachs Ingmar 8+12,
Helena Weinberg/Kasting Horses Gavi 0+8.
Sweden
- 32 faults: Peter Eriksson/VDL Cardento 8+4, Helena Persson/Classic
H 8+0, Maria Sundberg/Carlot 4+Elim, Maria Gretzer/Cinderella
8+8.
7.
Italy 36 faults: Roberto Arioldi/Loro Piana Dime de la
Cour 4+12, Emanuele Fiorelli/Western Union Equinoxe du Morin 4+0,
Luca Carini/DArtagnan 12+4, Cristian Pitzianti/Gsarset 12+12.
8.
Belgium - Eliminated: Dirk Demeersman/Clinton Elim, Jean Claude
Vangeenberghe/Richebourg Elim, Stanny Van Paesschen/O de Pomme
DNS, Jos Lansink/ AK Caridor Z DNS.
Keep
up to date with the latest news from Hickstead at website www.hickstead.co.uk.
SAMSUNG
SUPER LEAGUE LEADERBOARD
1.
France - 37 points
2. Ireland - 36.5 points
3. Great Britain- 26 points
4. Germany 21 points
5. Belgium 13.5 points
6. Holland 10.5 points
7. Sweden - 10 points
8. Italy - 8 points.
2003
SAMSUNG NATIONS CUP SERIES
The
current standings in the normal Samsung Nations Cup Series for
2003 are as follows:
1.
Switzerland - 28 points
2. Spain - 21 points
3. USA - 19 points
4. Denmark - 14.5 points
5. Norway - 13.5 points
6. Austria - 12 points
7. Brazil - 10 points
8. Finland - 7 points
9. Portugal - 5 points
10. Hungary - 5 points
11. Poland - 4 points
12. Japan - 3 points
13. Canada - 2 points
14. Russia - 2 points
15. New Zealand - 2 points.
So
far, 7 legs of the series have been completed. There is a total
of 19 competitions in the 2003 Samsung Nations Cup series so there
are another 12 rounds to go. For more details see FEI website
www.horsesport.org.
SAMSUNG
SUPER LEAGUE NATIONAL PRIDE, INTERNATIONAL PASSION!
You
can access all the latest Samsung Super League news and information
on website www.samsungsuperleague.com and dont forget that
Biographies on all Riders competing in the series are available
at http://bios.horsesport.org.
Want
to know more? You can check the full rules for the Samsung Super
League Series on the FEI website, section reference rules
http://www.horsesport.org/fei/reference_03/ref_03_02.html.
The
Samsung Super League consists of the eight most prestigious horse
shows at which the worlds eight best national teams compare
their merit. The Super League is connected to the Samsung Nations
Cup Series through a promotion/relegation system at the end of
each season.
Samsung
Electronics, one of the worlds largest electronics companies,
is committed to supporting international sporting events thereby
returning corporate profits to the public and working towards
a more harmonious and equitable society.
www.horsesport.org
.